# I NEiL ABERCROMBlE {l<:"J"tJE<RNC,,qOfHJ!,Wt!Jt LORETTAJ. RJODY,**A.C.S.W~,**M.P.!\**~YF:!-:·>::!0~**Of.**H::AL~k** 

### STAlE OF HAWAII DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH P. O.BOX3378, HONOLULU, HI 96001-3378 In !epiy. pte.a;se m'er Ill:

November 26, 2013 ScottFaulk Transportation IndustryAnalysis Office ofAviation Analysis lJ.S. Department of'rranspm1ati.on 1200 Nevi"' Jerseys Ave. SE Washingtcm, DC 20590 Dear 

### Mr. Faulk: On October23, 2013 I senta letter, onbehalfofthe Kalaupapa Settlementto theEssentia1 AirService 

### & Domestic Analysis Division related to the Federal Aviation Administration's advertisement 

### for an Essential Air Senrice (.EAS) provider for service to and from Kalaupapa Settlement on the Is.land ofMolokai in Ha-vvaii, Order 2013-10-3 for service beginningJanuary 14, 2013. Because the EAS hasbeen such a critical element in providing the opportunity fhr Kalaupapa residents and visitors totravel to and from the Settlement, the comrnunity '"'ants to support the current carrier Makani Kai/Schuman Aviation. Afteranalysis and discussionofthe 4 applications tbr the E,.\S contract, Kalaupapa Settlementresidents signingthis letter supportthe Mak:ani Kai application sinceitis requesting a subsidy almost simHar to the closest competitorbut offers many services residentshave come to cherish, such as free airportparking, no bag fees, limited wait time tor boarding and getting bags immediately on anivaJ, no ticket canceHation orchange fees and guaranteed rapid wheelchair access at 

### Flonolu.lu and Kalaupapa. .And the schedule is one ofouro1:vn creation in cooperation \:vith Makani Kai. The applications submitted indicatepassengerloads. Mak:ani Kai uses rcali.stic numbers based on experience while the otherthree applicantstry to showexpanded service by including trips to Maui, trips that are infrequently used

### by Kalaupaparesidents. The contract is for ••essential" 

### servkes, and those arc located topside and in Honolul.u

. Fife

.tv1akani Kai has guaranteed the same fares as

### Vie ha:ve today. Others offerteasel' 

### Jares much Like PaciHc \Vings did and vvithin a year oftheir service theteaser fare of$25 \Vent to $503. None ofthe three new applicants provide any guarantees offare stabilization, and 

### it \Vas that lack ofstabilization under Pacific \Vingsthat drove passenger enplanements fro.m 3200

### annuall•i to 900 annuall)' before Makani Kai took <rver. ]'hat was an extremelv difficult time



### . 

# . for Kalaupapa residents that we do not -vvish to experience ever again. Makani Kai has provided superior service to 

### tl1e Kalaupapa Settlement for the pa"lt 2 

### years. l'vtakani Kai worked closely with the community to provide optimum service and allowed a resident rate for travel that has allovved and encourages connectionto both topside h·1olokai and Honolulu. Both locations are vital links to medka.l services, normal government services and other shopping and entertainment activities. Those locations serve ourneeds, not routes to Maui. Knowledge ofKalaupapa and trust are critical consideratjons fbr 

### the people ofKalaupapa. We have that withl\ifakani 

### Kai One of

### the applicants says they wi.U \Nork

### \Vith our Chamber ofComrnerce (\ve have none) and others say they '<Nill 

### work out a schedule with the Commtmity after they get the subsidy. liard to trust those promises \vhen Kalaupapa already receives the exact service we ret1uested and our experience \:v·ith Padfic Wings ·v.ms exactly the opposite. Makani Kai has provided EAS service to Kalaupapa vvith a subsidy, but they have maintained and exceeded all theirpromises to provide aff(m.iable services and this has brought trip numbers back to pre-Pacifi.c \:Vings le·vels as the EAS is expected to pnrvide. Their currei1t application does not artificially innatethe passenger numbers like the other 3 applicants but relies on proven per.formance to forecast future performance. Makani Kai has ·done everything the)l promised and done so very well for residents and visitors to 

### Kalaupapa. Please give .Y·our most serious consideration to Makani Kai's fine record operating under the EAS and av•.rru·d the nevv contract to them for 

### the fbreseeable future. It is imperative for 

### the health and ,;v·elfare ofthis community that you do so to provide kmg tenn security to this community ihr access to and t1:om Kalaupapa Settlement to locations vve need to survive this most remote location. Sincerely,

r..·tark Miller Administrator Kalaupapa Settlement And attached residents who supportthis letter