Southeast Iowa Regional Airport Authority 2515 Summer St. Burlington, IA 52601

Phone: 319.754.1414 Fax: 319.754.1424 Website: www.flybrl.com

 

October 27, 2011

Mr. Dennis DeVany

Chief, Essential Air Service 

U.S. DOT, Office of the Secretary

1200 New Jersey Ave. SE

Washington, DC 20590

RE: Essential Air Service at Burlington, IA (BRL), Docket OST-2001-8731

Dear Mr. DeVany:

I behalf of the Southeast Iowa Regional Airport Authority Board members, I want to thank you 

for the opportunity to comment on the proposals submitted for air service at Southeast Iowa 

Regional Airport (BRL). We have reviewed the Essential Air Service proposals submitted by Air 

Choice One Airlines and Hyannis Air Service Inc., dba Cape Air. 

Ultimately, it is the Airport Authority’s goal to reach 10,000 enplanements and the best way to 

attain that goal is through Air Choice One’s Option #2, Dual Hub Service, using the Cessna 

Caravan with 30 total round trips per week. Although, Air Choice One’s Option #1 with 2 daily 

round trip flights to Chicago-ORD and 2 daily round trip flights to St. Louis-STL, with a slightly 

decreased schedule on the weekends for a total of 24-round trips per week is not as attractive 

to attaining our 10,000 passenger enplanements, it will serve us as an alternate option. 

With both Air Choice One options, the Authority Board also favors a 4-year contract. By 

extending the contract period to 4-years, it is our expectation that Air Choice One will be in a 

better position to secure inter-line ticketing and baggage agreements. 

Public input meetings were held on Thursday, October 27, 2011 with presentations from both 

air carriers. In addition to the public meetings, Greater Burlington Partnership (Chamber of 

Commerce) surveyed their members with an astounding 97% of all members surveyed selecting 

Air Choice One. Air service to Chicago O’Hare was the number one reason for their selection. 
Southeast Iowa Regional Airport Authority 2515 Summer St. Burlington, IA 52601

Phone: 319.754.1414 Fax: 319.754.1424 Website: www.flybrl.com

 

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Although we realize the financial difference between each airlines bid, we want to stress the 

importance of a Chicago-ORD connection, which Cape Air is not offering. The southeast Iowa 

region has numerous international companies which benefit from a Chicago-ORD connection, 

making this connection a vital part of economic development for our region. 

In order to assist us in remaining below the $200 per passenger subsidy level we have secured 

a grant from the Iowa Department of Transportation to promote commercial air service. A plan 

to market air service through traditional media outlets, newspaper, radio, billboards and 

signage is in place. We will continue to work with Air Choice One to ensure that per passenger 

subsidy levels stay below the cap. 

Past performance has shown that the dual hub option of Chicago O’Hare and St. Louis Lambert, 

results in much great usage of our local airport. The reliability and availability of the Cessna 

Caravan to serve our communities is believed to be a great asset as well. We trust Air Choice 

One will follow through to provide a schedule to allow the best connectivity possible, to 

continue to secure popular web site booking engines, code share agreements, baggage 

agreements and inter-line ticketing agreements. 

 

Thank you for the support we receive through your office and the Essential Air Service Program. 

Sincerely,

Charles E. Walsh

Board Chairman