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# - NORTHWEST ALABAMA REGIONAL AIRPORT 1729T.Ed Campbell Drive, Suite A, Muscle Shoals, Alabama 

### 35661-2016

Phone: 

### (256) 381-2869 Fax: 

### (256) 381-2915 customerservice@flytheshoals.com www.flytheshoals.com



### SERVING THESHOALS December 13,2013 Kevin Schlemmer Director EAS Program. WestBuilding I' 1200New Jersey Ave. SE Washington D.C. 20590 I 

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~., ." The purpose ofthis letter is to update the Department on recent events related to the status of our current Essential Air Service, provided by Silver Airways. Silver Airways assumed The Shoals air service on October 1, 2012. Due to the poor air service we have received since Silver began service, our traffic has declined by 66%. We are preparing a very detailed documentation of our struggles to work with Silver and support Siler service, which we very much want to do. Our more detailed documentation will be submitted tothe Department in January. However, the carrier's operational struggles ofthe recent past compel us towrite tothe Department atthis time. We suffered avery.disappointing operational performance' by the carrier atthe Northwest Alabama Regional Airport (MSL) during the weekofThimksgiving (November 25,.2013 ~ December I, 2QI3). Due to Silver Airways holiday flight schedule, MSL only had II scheduled flights instead ofthe usual 12. 

# , " Summary ofSilverAirwavs Operational Performance' atMSL • Out ofthe 11.scheduled departures 4 cancelled " '... ' • Out ofthe remaining 7 flights that.flew 4 ofthe?e were.de!ayed • Delay lengths were 48mins, 177mins, 28mins, 127m!ns • We had 3 out of 11 flights 4epart on time.' l' .' . " ,"
MSL does not have the capability to see passengers who were originally booked prior to'delays or cancellations; however, it was very :appareQtthat we, did lose numerous passengers to refunds or to rebooking. Most of these passengers chose to flyout.ofHuntsville International Airport iHS V) during this period. Unfortunately, these types ofoperational performance issues seem to be more ofthe nonn versus a run ofbad luck. As wewill document inourJanuary submission, Silver's operational performance inthe initial sixmonths ofservice (October 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013) was very poor. We do appreciate that a new management team has assumed the helm at Silver and operational performance did iroprove during the summer and early fall of 2013. However, the week ofThanksgiving, when we actually had measurable passengers booked due to a $49 fare wehad asked for and worked so hard to promote, 36% ofour flights are cancelled. and ofthe seven that flew, four were late. Not 15 minutes late but anaverage"of95 minutes late,

, 'i We do appreciate that a significant winter storm moved thru the Atlanta area during a 24 hour period that week. However, the delays andcancellations went way beyond that which can be attributed to that weather. Silver Airways personnel advised us at our meeting with the carrier in October in Jackson, Mississippi that they were working very hard to,ensure areliable operation, admitting that had not been the case in the initial months of service" Wehope that .SHverAirways will see the fruits oftheir recovery plan soon, and we will continue to work diligently on our end topromote air service atMSL.

" " We value'out air service 'very much. We,will .fightto retain it .andonly ask for an 8.irJinethat wants'to generate bookings, at.our airport and theri; within the ot:casional.Jimitati()ns -imposed by.weafhet: or,Atlanta ATe, carrythose

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passengers to their destination in a reliable manner. We want Silver Airways to be that airline. But recent events compel us to document to the Department how inconsistent Silver operations canbe. Please let us know ifyou need any additional infomtation. We will provide the Department with a very detailed documentation ofour air service experiences since October 1, 20'12inJanuary. Thank you for your consideration ofthis letter.

Cc: Northwest Alabama Regional Airport Authority

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