ACTIO N 

Swann. Joeann (OST) SI0-110119-023 

CONTROL NO 

From: Cathy McGillvrey [cmcdolphin@gmail.com] 

Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2011 9:06 PM 

To: LaHood, Ray (OST) 

Subject: Ak Airline service support for Petersburg, Wrangei, at al. 

The Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary !-./ 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. ^- -^k:' ^^ 

Washington, D.C. 20590 ^j '-.^ ^ 

Re: Continuation of Alaska Airlines' Essential Air Service at Cordova, Gustavus, 'Q '^'^ ^ 

Petersburg, Wrani^ell, and Yakutat, Alaska, Docket OST-1998-4899 _ ^3c: > 

Dear Secretary LaHood: ^ 

My name is Cathy Villasenor. I have a business in Petersburg AK. I am writing to ask you to support the 

continuance of air service for the SE Alaska towns that are currently on the AK airline route. Because of this 

service, our community can access the airline's extensive route system and benefit from its marketing 

relationships with other carriers. The 737-400 

combination ("combi") passenger and cargo aircraft, which Alaska Airlines proposes 

to continue using on this route, provides freight, mail and cargo capacity that a nonjet carrier simply cannot provide. Further, the 737-400 combi aircraft is equipped with 

Required Navigation Performance Technology precision technology, which enables the 

airline to reliably access the airport during inclement weather, thus reducing diversions 

and cancellations and, in turn, enabling people and products to dependably reach the 

community. In sum, Alaska's jet service is critical to the economic well being of our 

community. 

90% of my business comes during normal traveler vacation months i.e., summertime, by travelers coming from 

all over the world. Not only does that mean that AK Airlines is getting revenue from passengers from 

Anchorage and Seattle but those flights are usually coordinated with other airlines from all over the world. 

Australia, Germany, Norway, New Zealand, France, and Russia to name a few. If you cut the Air service 

through AK Airlines, using the 737-400 planes, you are also going to be cutting service that other airlines are 

now providing passengers access to areas by means of transportation they will use to come here. 

We are begirming to see new business opportunities coming to our area because of its remote access. 

Restaurants from other states are beginning to use Petersburg as a source for obtaining fresh seafood for their 

customers. The jets are essential to provide this service. There have been film crews here to check out the 

virgin heli skiing and winter sports opportunities in this ai'ea. They have vowed to continue their pursuit in this 

area. That business has a great deal of profit potential for area businesses during what is now the "off-season". 

With so many states losing millions in tax revenue from real estate foreclosures, please, help where you can. 

Kind regards, 

Cathy Villasenor 

Dolphin Street Guest House 
cc: 

Susan Kurland, Assistant Secretary for Aviation and hitemalional Affairs 

Dennis DeVany, Chief, EAS and Domestic Analysis 

The Honorable Sean Pamell, Governor, State of Alaska 

Marc A. Luiken, Commissioner, Alaska State Department of Transportation and 

Public Facilities