Department ofTransportation Docket Operation M-30 West Building Ground Floor RM W12-140 1200 NewJersey Ave SE Washington DC 20590 April 2, 2013
Decision Committee __.. ,: ! ':

It has come to my attention thatthe EAS for Miles City is going to be terminated within the next couple of months therefore I am submitting this letteras a protestto this decision.

It is my understandingthe reason forthe proposal was due to the cost. This was not caused by the citizens of Miles City; therefore we should not be punished. Let us look atthe facts and bring outthe real causes forthis decline. Ifanyone should be blamed it should be SilverAirways and the Department ofTransportation. Silver Airways should be blamed as they do not provide decent connecting flights when arriving in Billings, MT. The first flight that leaves Miles City is 11:45 AM arriving in Billings MT at 12:30 PM which means ifeverything goes to plan you will be luckyto make a connection to the Delta and United flights that depart approximately 1:25PM. Ifyou do not connect to either ofthose flights the next available flight is around 3:15 PM, which means you will not make any east coast connection and probably would have to get a Hotel in Denver or Minneapolis. Because Silver Airways only flies to Billings this will increase the cost ofaflight to eitherthe East Coast orWest Coast by approximately $150.00. Considering this it is less expensive to drive to Billings and make aflight early enough to complete a West Coast or East Coast trip in a day.

I blame the Department ofTransportation as when this present bid was let out Great Lakes Air lines actually under bid Silver Airways by a significant amount. The citizens of Miles City were never forthis decision. The results brought in Silver Airways (formally Gulfstream) which resulted in the change of schedule and eventually the loss of riders. It has always been my understandingwhen the government lets a bid out and the lowest bidder offers equal or betterservice you are compelled to accept the lowest bid. Obviously you did not and Iwould guess there are many other bids like this, which explains why our Government has such a large deficit.

I have heard that Great Lakes wantto bid Miles City. Ifthis is true and theywere awarded the contract I would assume theywould go to the old schedule were we would arrive in Denver around 7:30AM. This
means any connection to the East orWest Coast we could make and we could complete ourtravels within a day eliminating an extra expense as there would not be a motel cost in Denver waiting forthe next morningflights to the coast. I also believe ridership would go up triple ofwhat Miles City has thus reducing the cost to be within the guidelines you are using. Finally, it is my understandingthatthese contracts are issued for rural areas that are long distances for
an airportthat has connecting flights. Miles City is 80 miles to Glendive MTwhich we could catch a flight to Billings and connect on with the same problems we have had in the past. Glendive is only 50milesto Sidney,, MT. I am unaware where you reside, butduringthe winter30 mites longerisvery dangerous during the winter months. Your decision leads me to believe you are not considering location, safety considerations, cost orwhy Miles City ridership has gone down.

It is requested thatyou reverse your consideration the cease Miles City, MT EAS supplement.

For Senators Baucus and Tester: I hope you get involved with this decision and showthem whythis decision isthe wrong decision. The citizens ofMiles 

### Crty sent letters to you once the bid was issued to Silver Airways two years ago to complain aboutthe award and the onlything you did was send a 

### 'Standard tetterouttous and nothing

### changed. Let''s hopeyouftnaJty represent

### Mites·City citizens

### asyou· promised when you were elected.

# Jj.R.~01at..X-**~** Deborah Anderson 310 N 10th Street Miles City, MT 59301 CC: Senator Baucus CC: SenatorTester