The Honorable Anthony Foxx Secretary ofTransportation 

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U.S. Department ofTransportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 DearMr. Foxx: BRAPFOAO AREA 

# LLIANCE July 21, 2014

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The Bradford AreaAlliance is responding to DOT Order 2014-6-6 terminating EAS eligibility for Bradford Regional Airport. TheAlliance requests a waiver to continueEssential Air Service at Bradford Regional Airport. The Bradford AreaAlliancerepresents the major business and not-for-profit employers in the region, including Zippo Manufacturing, Northwest Savings Bank, Case Cutlery, American Refining Group, PNC Bank, BradfordRegional Medical Center, the University ofPittsburgh at Bradford, McCourt Label, Minard Run Oil, and others. Our CEO-led organization is committed to the economic revitalization ofourregion and has been very actively involved in Bradford Regional Airport. OurExecutive Director chairs the AirportAdvisory Committee and two ofour members serve on the BRA Authority. Alliance member organizations are the primary business users ofcommercial air service in the region. Over halfofZippo's sales are international; its managers, suppliers and customers fly throughout the world. Pitt-Bradford students, staffand faculty are frequent travelers to and from the main campus inPittsburgh. All ofour memberbusinesses are eithernational in their scope or serve largeregions ofthe country and depend on commercial air service. Weconsider commercial air service to be vital to retain existing businesses and to recruit new businesses to ourregion. Because ofour commitmentto the Bradford airport, the Alliance has strongly encouraged its members to considerflying from Bradford wheneverthey travel. Our companies have also encouraged their customers and suppliers to fly to Bradford. When Silverfailed to provide any marketing support, the airport developed promotional materials demonstrating the advantages of flying from Bradfordrather than Buffalo- free parking, easy access to the airport, minimal time for screening, etc. Bradford AreaAlliance, Post Office Box 1201, Bradford, Pennsylvania 16701 ,,.·iHowever, beginning with the awarding ofthe EAS contract to Gulfstream/Silver, it became increasingly difficult for us to make an effective argument for flying out ofBradford. Our monthly Alliance meetings include areport on airport operations. The initial concern with the Gulfstream!Silver contract was that Cleveland was not a convenient connecting hub for our business travelers and that the shared service with Jamestown made the flights even more inconvenient and unreliable. Thefinal straw for many ofour companies: itbecame common for several ofour CEO's to report on the negative experiences they or their employees had with Silver- cancelled flights, missed connections, poor service, inexperienced oruncooperative customerrepresentatives, etc. Overthe last several years, business travel by Alliance members has almost completely shifted to the Buffalo airport. When the lastround ofEAS proposals were reviewed at an Alliance meeting, the response was unanimous and enthusiastic

- SunAir, four daily flights to Pittsburgh, competitive fares, and marketing support- Bradford would be a viable option again. We expect strong support from the business community and are confident that leisure travelers will follow business traveler in flying from Bradford. The Bradford AreaAlliance believes that awarding the contract to Sun Air with service to Pittsburgh will return enplanements to the levels experienced prior to the Gulfstream/SilverJamestown/Cleveland contract. We therefore request that you grant a one-yearwaiver to continue EAS service in Bradford. Thank you. Sincerely, Martin M. Glesk Executive Director Bradford Area Alliance Greg Booth President and CEO Zippo Manufacturing Co. Frederick W. Fesenmyer President and CEO MinardRun Oil Company Julie A. Marasco Regional President Northwest Savings Bank Dr. Livingston Alexander President University ofPittsburgh at Bradford Thomas R. Bromeley Chairman Allegheny Bradford Corporation Timothy J. Finan President and CEO UpperAllegheny Health System Jeannine Schoenecker President and CEO American Refining Group Inc. Dave Ferguson President and CEO McCourtLabel Co. John Satterwhite Publisher The BradfordEra Craig Hartburg President Servco Services Harvey L. Golubock President ARGResources

Bradford AreaAlliance, Post Office Box 1201, Bradford, Pennsylvania 16701Gregory R. Reese Vice President Relationship Manager PNC Financial Services Group Hon. Christopher G. Hauser Judge McKean County Court ofCommon Pleas Dr. Richard McDowell President Emeritus University ofPittsburgh at Bradford Richard Seager President and CEO Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems

Bradford AreaAlliance, Post Office Box 1201, Bradford, Pennsylvania 16701