April 7, 2015 

Tom Bibb, A.A.E. lAP 

Director of Properties 

Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority 

One Terminal Drive, Suite 501 

Nashville, TN 37214 

Dear Tom, 

SeaPort Airlines seeks your assistance in its search for a permanent ticket counter space at 

the Nashville International Airport at a rate that is equitable and allows SeaPort to meet the 

terms of our Essential Air Service (EAS) agreements with the U.S. Department of 

Transportation. We have been a member in good standing of the community of airlines at 

Nashville for some time now and, while not a large airline, we are nonetheless committed to 

our role in the success of the airport. 

Currently, we are operating out of the "EAS/Charter" counter at a rate of $200 per turn. With 

our current level of flight activity this is not economically sustainable. At your direction, we 

have reached out to other airlines to secure a sublet agreement. These efforts have not 

yielded a solution. In fact, United Airlines informed me that the airport authority was looking 

at assuming their excess space. 

Being told to seek relief and assistance from the airlines while the authority is in the process 

of taking back excess space is sending us on a fool's errand. Additionally, I am told that there 

are three (3) vacant counter positions currently under airport control that are being held for 

future use. 

It appears to SeaPort Airlines that the airport is, in essence, creating a real estate drought. 

This provides the airport with the benefit being able to charge higher rates for the space 

which authority elects to release for use. 

Holding counters out of the pool of available spaces for potential business flies in the face of 

reason when a current airline is being forced to pay the same rate charged for a "one-off' 

charter operation. Moreover, we wonder if the upcoming negotiation for a new Master 

Operating Agreement is merely coincidental with the airport's interest in assuming excess 

space from carriers. 

To be clear, SeaPort Airlines is not asking for a discount or special treatment in any other 

form, but rather asking that the pricing of an open and available counter space be charged at 

a reasonable rate based on the nature of our business: scheduled air service. 

Hometown service. Worldwide connections. 7505 NF Airport Way, Portland, Oregon 97218 S8S-57 3-2767 
Tom Bibb, A.A.E. lAP 

Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority 

April 7, 2015 

Page 2 

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We ask that serious consideration be given to both our predicament and our request. If the 

airport charges "X" for a scheduled air carrier to lease a counter position, we would hope that 

the airport authority would apply such an established and equitable charge to one singular 

position of the EAS/Charter counter, rather than levying a $200 per turn charge unilaterally. 

Paying such an exorbitant rate for a ticket counter, at time when the Authority is holding back 

space, could very well force SeaPort Airlines to request that US DOT reopen our EAS markets 

to a new bid that could result in a) subsidy levels that exceed statutory limits and thereby 

cause our EAS communities to lose all air service or b) rethink our strategy to build Nashville 

as gateway to the national air transportation system for rural communities. 

We anxiously await your reply. 

Sincerely, 

--~.., ~~~ 

< /~~( ~/ 

David Perlitz 

Director- Airport Operations, US & Mexico 

cc: U.S. Department of Transportation, Essential Air Service Division