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From : Yamamoto , Ala n (Inouye ) fmailto-'Ala n Yamamoto@inouve.senate.Qov ] Sent : Tuesday , January25 , 201 1 03:4 6 PM To : Kim , Davi d (OST ) . ^ Cc : Cummisky , Margare t (Appropriations ) <Maraare t Cummisj^v^appro.senate.gov > Subject : Essentia l Ai rServic e a t Kalaupap a '-' : L: ^ v^ J David : '= o :^ ^ O n Decembe r23 , 2010 , U S DO Tissue d a n orde rt o prohibi t th e suspensio n o fservic e an d request:H=^ ^ proposal s fo rEA S (se e attachment) . Carrier s ar e requeste d t o fil e thei rEA S proposals , wit^T^^ rwi1^^- n subsidy , n o late rtha n Januar y27 , 2011 . Ou roffic e ha s share d th e orde rwit h th e ai rtranspQrtatiort) 5 communit yi n Hawaii . Whil e w e understan d tha t onl ytw o ai rcarrier s (Pacifi cWing s an d MoRfilele ) i n Hawai i currentl ymee t th e requirement s t o submi t a proposal , w e ar e hopefu l othe rHawai i base d carrier s wil l obtai n th e necessar ycertificatio n an d submi t a proposal . Pleas e advis e whethe ran yadditiona l Hawai i ai rcarrier s hav e th e certificatio n t o submi t a proposal . A s yo u ma yknow , Pacifi cWing s i s th e incumben t carrier . I t i s ou runderstandin g i n 2006 , whe n U S DO T issue d a n orde rrequestin g proposal s t o provid e EA S a t Hana , Kalaupap a an d Kamuela , bot h Pacifi c Wing s an d Mokulet e responded . Pacifi cWing s wa s th e incumben t carrie ran d the yoperate d previousl y wit h th e EA S subsid ybu t i n thei r200 6 proposal , the ypropose d t o operat e withou t furthe rEA S subsidies . Thi s actio n byPacifi cWing s allowe d them t o retai n th e ai rroute s b ynullifyin g th e othe rapplicant . Today , Hawai i an d th e Kalaupap a communit yhav e bee n adversel yaffecte d b yPacifi cWings . Airfare s hav e increase d dramatically . I n Octobe r2010 , whe n Senato rInouy e visite d Kalaupap a i t wa s reporte d tha t th e roundtri p t o Honolul u o n Pacifi cWing s cos t $48 8 an d roundtri p t o Mau i cos t a littl e ove r$700 . Kalaupap a resident s expresse d thei rdissatisfactio n wit h th e curren t ai rcarrier . Th e Senato rals o heard tha t Pacifi cWing s remove d th e ram p tha t residents , i.e . patients , use d t o acces s th e aircraft . Th e patient s rang e i n ag e fro m 6 9 t o 8 8 years , wit h th e averag e ag e bein g 78 . Th e healt h statu s ofth e patient s ar e constantl ychanging . Al l ofth e remainin g 1 9 patient s hav e on e o rmor e medica l condition s fro m thei rlong-ter m Hansen' s disease . Man yhav e los t finger s o rtoe s throug h re-absorptio n du e t o th e disease . Som e hav e facia l disfigurement s a s wel l a s activ e foo t ulcer s simila rt o diabetics . Th e group , a s a whole , i s dealin g wit h th e sam e chroni cdisease s tha t an ygeriatri cpopulatio n i s afflicte d wit h suc h a s cancers , diabetes , congestiv e heart failure , etc . Senato rInouy e continue s t o b e veryconcerne d abou t th e community' s ai rservic e an d want s t o ensur e Kalaupap a receive s ai rservic e tha t meet s th e need s of th e community . A s th e proces s continues , w e expec t U S DO Tt o perfor m du e diligenc e an d conside ral l factor s whe n makin g thei rdecision , an d base d o n Pacifi cWing s pas t experience , w e woul d wan t t o kno wwha t recours e i s availabl e i fth e incumben t ai rcarrie rchoose s t o submi t a n EA S proposa l withou t subsid yjus t t o kee p th e ai rroutes . Also , ifonl yth e incumben t ai rcarrie rsubmit s a n EA S proposal , wit h o rwithou t subsidy , wil l the yretai n th e ai rroute s o rwil l U S DO Treques t publi ccomment s o n th e proposa l and/o r exten d th e tim e t o accep t additiona l proposals . W e ar e als o awar e tha t a Decembe r1 8 emai l inquiryfro m thi s offic e o n th e proces s an d timelin e fo r consideratio n ofth e reques t fro m Pacifi cWing s wa s share d wit h Pacifi cWings . Whil e w e d o no t objec t i f inquirie s fro m ou roffic e ar e subjec t t o publi cdisclosure , i t mus t b e don e fairl yan d no t onl yshare d wit h on e ai rcarrier . Ala n T . Yamamot o Senio rLegislativ e Assistan t Offic e o fSenato rDanie l K. Inouy e 30 0 Al a Moan a Boulevan d Roo m 7-212 , Honolulu , H ( 9685 0 80e.541.254 2 mai n | 808.541.202 1 direc t | 808.541.254 9 fax httD-..i'innuve.senalo.qQ v| Sig n u p lo rS'-'nato rIpouyo' s nc-wslellc r