## Editorial: Hey RIAC! Why offer $1M to an out
**- of** 
**- state**  **company?** Just day s left to comment online Jul 19, 2012 Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on print Share on email More Sharing ServicesShare On the face of it, scheduled air service between Block Island and T.F. Green sounds like a great idea. Man y of us have fr iends or famil y members coming from afar who struggle with the logistics of getting here. Many of us also long to reach the capital more easily

. That's wh y the Rhode Island Airport Corporation's application for $900,000 in federal funds for seasonal flight s seems, at first glance, like a no brainer. For $60 each way , the island would be linked to the Warwick airport, with its train station to Providence and ever

- expanding flight options around the country . And in the winter, when demand is low, the plane wo uld fl y Puerto Rico to Culebra, ensuring wintertime revenue to keep the service alive. What a neat solution. But a look at the grant application raises some questions. Why is RIAC making a joint application with the Puerto Rican Tourism Company

— when the Block Island Tourism Council, or an y other local bod y, was never asked for its opinion? I s one - click accessibility on travel websites, and the expanded tourism that will come with it, what Block Island reall y wants? And why , more than any

thing else, is RIA C sponsoring Cape Air, a company that started in Massachusetts and now flies all over the globe, over homegrown New England Airlines? True, Westerl y and Block I sland's New England Airlines doesn't have the agreements in place with bigger airlines that Cape Air does. It could pursue them, if given time. But time is exactly what the compan y didn't get. RIAC

— a state entity

— gave this homestate compan y a matter of weeks to respond to its application, while it's been talking about the idea with Cape Air for y ears. Cape Air, it's interesting to note, is well connected; founder and CEO Dan Wolf is a state senator in Massachusetts. In the grant application, which is available online, RIAC say s New England Airlines isn't interested in pursuing scheduled service. T hat's not true; just ask company owner Bill Bendokas. Despite Cape Air's protestations, the new service appears certain to cut into New England Airlines profits, which are not grand to begin with. AirFlamenco in Culebra is apparentl y facing the same proble m. Interstate Navigation faced a similar situation a few y ears ago, when an upstart compan y started the high

- speed ferry . I ts solution? It bought the service that was otherwise skimming off its summer profits. With state and federal funds backing Cape Air, it's hard to imagine that scenario repeating in this case. Why not give the $900,000 in federal funds, and another $250,000 in state support, to our homestate compan y, instead? Why not encourage the local airline to fl y high? The jobs andmoney

this servi ce would bring should stay with a Rhode Island compan y. Bendokas and his crew alread y know how to handle the tricky island landing strip, alread y know how to service the Islander airplanes that Cape Air would have to buy to fly here. And Lois and Bill are here for us, ye ar round, when we're sick, when we need medications, when the ferry 's not running, when time is of the essence, and when we simply want some Chinese food flown over. They're a lifeline service, and we need them. There are still a few more da ys to comment on the federal bid process. Follow this link to let the federal Department of Transportation know what you think. Convenience is great, but not at an y cost. Whatever happens, Block Islanders should be doing their best to make sure the airline we've relied on for 42 ye ars doesn't get hurt. Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on print Share on email More Sharing ServicesShare