August 2, 2011

Sponsor: Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority, Topeka, Kansas

Eric Johnson, President/Director of Airports

Congressional Code: KS-002

Dun & Bradstreet Number: 150947141

Tax Identification Number (EIN): 48-0878790

Application for Federal Support for New Air Service via:

Revenue Guarantees

Advertising/Marketing Program

Start-Up Cost Offsets

In Support of Non-Stop Service between Topeka and Denver

FORBES FIELD AIRPORT, TOPEKA, KANSAS

Proposal Under the Small Community Air Service Development Program

Docket DOT-OST-2011-0119
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Summary Information – Appendix C 3

Introduction 6

The Topeka Air Service Market 7

Historical Service 7

Air Service Development Efforts 13

Air Service Needs and Deficiencies 14

Strategic Plan for New Air Service 19

Proposed New Route 19

Implementation Timeline 27

Alternate Plan 28

Public/Private Partnership 29

Funding Plan 31

Performance Measures and Financial Controls 33

Legal Sponsor 34

Availability of Alternate Airports 35

Airport Information 36

Community Profile 37

Conclusions 46

INTRODUCTORY LETTERS OF SUPPORT

Section Page Number
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 3

SUMMARY INFORMATION – APPENDIX C

Small Community Air Service Development Program

Docket DOT-OST-2011-0119

A. Applicant Information

 Not a Consortium Community now receives EAS subsidy

 Interstate Consortium Intrastate Consortium

 Community previously received a Small Community Grant

 If previous recipient, date of Grant: ________________________________

expiration date of Grant: _______________________

B. Public/Private Partnership

Public:

1. Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority

2. City of Topeka

3. Shawnee County Commission

Private:

1. Greater Topeka Area Chamber of Commerce

2. Coalition of Topeka Area Businesses

C. Project Proposal

 Marketing Upgrade Aircraft New Route

 Travel Bank Service Restoration Subsidy

 Surface Transportation Regional Service Revenue Guarantee

 Launch New Carrier Start-Up Cost Offset First Service

 Study Secure Additional Service Other (Specify)
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 4

D. Existing Landing Aids at Airport

 Full ILS Outer/Middle Marker Published Instrument Approach

 Localizer Other:

E. Project Cost

1. Federal amount requested: $ 550,000

2. State cash financial contribution: $ 0

Local cash financial contribution:

3a. Airport cash funds: $ 50,000

3b. Non-Airport cash funds: $ 15,000

3. Total local cash funds: $ 65,000

4. TOTAL CASH FUNDING: $ 615,000

In-Kind Contribution:

a. Airport In-Kind contribution: $ Various

b. Other In-Kind contribution: $ Various

5. TOTAL IN-KIND CONTRIBUTION: $ Undetermined

6. TOTAL PROJECT COST: $ 615,000 + In-Kind

F. In-Kind Contributions

For funds in lines 7a (airport in-kind contribution) and 7b (other in-kind contribution), 

please describe the source(s) of fund(s) for each.

Fee waivers: landing and terminal fees (airport)

Advertising and marketing match money (media companies)

G. Is Application Subject to Review by State Under Executive Order 12372 Process?

 This application was made available to the State on ______.

 Program is subject to review, but has not been selected by the State.

 Program is not covered.
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 5

H. Is Applicant Delinquent on any Federal Debt?

 No
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 6

INTRODUCTION

Access to air service in and around Kansas’ capital is getting more difficult. The region 

surrounding Topeka has seen total airline seat capacity cut by 27% in the last two years. The 

result of the seat cuts has been an increase in the average fare paid by Topeka catchment 

area passengers – up 14% in just the last year or $20 each way on average.

Topeka is one of the few state capitals in the country without locally-provided air service. 

Topeka’s closest service is provided at Kansas City, which is more than an hour’s drive from the 

center of the City. Regional air service is also provided in Manhattan, Kansas, but it is also more 

than an hour from Topeka, and destinations are limited.

There is no service from central Kansas to Denver, nor is there effective connecting service to the 

western US. While Kansas City does have Denver service, airlines have cut the average number 

of seats per day each way between Kansas City and 

Denver by 707 in the last two years, or by 32% of all 

airline seat capacity in the market.

Realizing this weakness in local air service, the

Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority has spent 

considerable time building a local coalition of 

support for potential air service. This local coalition 

has pledged $15,000 in cash funding for this application – new from previous applications for 

Small Community Air Service Development Grant funding. 

Additionally, the Airport Authority has met with several carriers in 2011 to talk about Denver 

service, including SkyWest, operating as United Express, and Frontier. In those meetings, the 

airlines made it clear that a risk mitigation program would be a key to their interest in serving the 

route. This application lays out a specific strategic plan to support service to Denver, to replace 

a small portion of the Denver seats eliminated by airlines serving the larger region, and to 

provide the capital of Kansas with its first scheduled, network airline service in eight years.

“[A] local coalition has pledged 

$15,000 in cash funding for this 

application – new from previous 

applications...”
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 7

THE TOPEKA AIR SERVICE MARKET

Historical Air Service

In the context of this application, Topeka may be best known as one of the few state capitals in 

the country without scheduled air service. The Topeka metro area is home to almost a half 

million people. The City is more than 70 miles from its nearest air service – in Kansas City. In 2011, 

Topeka suffers from declining airline seat capacity in the region – with seats down 27% in the last 

two years in the area surrounding Topeka. Subsequently, fares in the region have gone up by an 

average of $20 each way in just the last year.

The 30 minute drive time Topeka catchment area (see within the dotted line in map 1) is home 

to 168,139 people as of

the latest US Census 

estimates. The one hour 

drive time catchment area

(seen inside the solid line in 

map 1) is home to 464,809 

people. 

The areas shaded in green

in map 1 represent areas 

where residents must pass 

the Topeka – Forbes Field 

Airport on their way to 

access air service at other 

airports in the region –

namely Kansas City 

International. The 

population of the total 

area in green is 199,623,

while the population of the area in dark green is 130,134, or 77.4% of the Topeka’s immediate 

catchment area. Topeka is not isolated, but the areas to the north and west of the Airport 

certainly are isolated. 

MAP 1: Immediate (30 Minute) and Extended (60 Minute)

Catchment Areas, Forbes Field Airport, Topeka
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 8

The Forbes Field Airport lost its last scheduled air service in July of 2007. Allegiant Air provided 

non-stop flights, twice per week, between Topeka and Las Vegas from March of 2006 through 

the summer of 2007. The service performed well, from an analysis of all data points, but it was 

ended as Allegiant was beginning to see margins in the 20% to 25% range – slightly higher than 

the projected margin it was likely earning in Topeka.

For the full 17-month operation of Topeka – Las Vegas service, Allegiant averaged a load factor 

of 79% (see figure 1). The carrier averaged 44 available seats per day each way (SDEW), and 

boarded an average of 36 passengers per day each way (PDEW) – despite the fact that the 

service operated just twice per week.

Topeka – Las Vegas service performed best just before it was pulled. In the last two months of 

Allegiant service, the route averages 40.3 passengers per day each way – the highest twomonth average for the entire duration the route was served (see figure 1). In the last two months 

of service in Topeka, Allegiant averaged a load factor just above 91%.

12

40

44

45

44

39

45

44

40

44 44

48

44

45

39

45

44

9.4

20.3

30.0

40.8

39.6

34.2

36.1

34.8

28.5

35.5

31.1

36.5 35.7

32.7

29.9

40.6 40.2

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

2006-03 2006-04 2006-05 2006-06 2006-07 2006-08 2006-09 2006-10 2006-11 2006-12 2007-01 2007-02 2007-03 2007-04 2007-05 2007-06 2007-07

Available SDEW Onboard PDEW Load Factor

77.7%

50.7%

68.8%

90.6% 91.1% 88.5%

80.1% 79.9%

71.2%

81.5%

71.5% 75.7%

82.1%

72.7%

77.3%

90.3% 92.3%

FIGURE 1: Departing Seats per Day, Departing Passengers per Day, and Load Factor

Topeka – Las Vegas Service, March 2006 – July 2007; Source: US DOT T100 Data
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 9

Topeka lost is last commercial hub service in 2003, when the Department of Transportation 

ended its status as an Essential Air Service (EAS) market. The judgment was made due to the 

fact that the average subsidy, per passenger, had topped the $200 cap. Otherwise, Topeka 

would still qualify as an EAS service point today, as it had commercial service at the end of 

deregulation and it lies more than 70 miles from the nearest medium hub airport, in Kansas City.

Previous scheduled hub service was not ideal, as service was provided only to Kansas City. 

There was virtually no value to the local segment, so all traffic was connecting. The service was 

not altogether operationally reliable, which led many to conclude a drive to Kansas City was 

easier than the flight. This is what caused the EAS subsidy per passenger to spike. Any future 

service in the market must connect through a hub farther away than Kansas City, to ensure 

there is value for a local passenger.

The Topeka area currently makes up a small portion of the Kansas City International Airport 

catchment area, as there is no current scheduled air service in Topeka. The Topeka – Forbes 

Field Airport 30-minute 

catchment area represents 

6.59% of the total 

population of the 90-

minute Kansas City 

catchment area (see map 

2). The immediate Topeka 

catchment area, 

represented in map 2 in 

purple, includes 168,139 

people. 

Only those living in the 

immediate, 30-minute 

Topeka catchment area 

are considered in the

origin and destination 

passenger analysis

included in this proposal, as Forbes Field would be significantly more convenient for them than 

Kansas City International Airport (MCI). For the purposes of these projections, it is assumed 

Topeka Would Be Significantly 

More Convenient for 6.59% of 

the Kansas City International 

Airport Catchment Area

MAP 2: Topeka’s Catchment Area Relative to

the Kansas City International Catchment Area
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 10

service at Topeka would draw passengers only from its 6.59% share of the Kansas City catchment 

area (see map 2).

When these assumptions are taken into account, it becomes apparent that even the immediate 

Topeka catchment area generates enough passengers to support local air service. The Topeka 

catchment generated an estimated 593,820 origin and destination passengers in calendar year 

2010, or an average of 813 passengers per day each way (see figure 2). Passengers generated 

in the Topeka catchment area in 2010 were flat over 2009, despite regional fares increasing by 

14%. The average fare paid by passengers from the Topeka catchment area went up by $20 

each way in 2010, to $168 each way.

Passengers generated in the immediate Topeka catchment area have fallen by an estimated 

13% since 2007, or an average of 121 passengers per day each way (see figure 2). A 

combination of volatile fares and reduced capacity in the region – namely at Kansas City 

International – have caused the passenger decline.

FIGURE 2: Estimated O&D Passengers from the Topeka Catchment Area

CY2002 – CY2010; Sources: US DOT Table OD1A, Sixel Consulting Group Analysis

557,297 550,836 574,748 584,886

621,753 643,839

606,891

560,762 555,340

26,662 26,782

31,203

34,300

37,249

38,552

39,184

36,012 38,480

799.9 791.3

830.1

848.2

902.7

934.8

885.0

817.5 813.5

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

450,000

500,000

550,000

600,000

650,000

700,000

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

PDEW International Domestic

$132 $132

$138

$146

$153 $154

$167

$148

$168
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 11

Nonetheless, at 2010 passenger totals, the Topeka catchment area generates plenty of air travel 

to support local air service – even when taking into account only the immediate, 30-minute 

catchment area for Forbes Field Airport. The region’s average of 813 passengers per day each 

way would be enough to support 17 50-seat regional jet departures per day from the Forbes 

Field Airport at a load factor of 96%.

Passengers generated in the Topeka 

catchment area travel to destinations in 

both directions from the market. Of the 

top 20 origin and destination passenger 

markets from the Topeka area as of 

calendar year 2010, eight are west of the 

market while 12 are east of the market 

(see figure 3). In 2010, it is estimated that 

Chicago ranked as Topeka’s number one 

origin and destination domestic 

passenger market, generating more than 

37,600 annual passengers or an average 

of 51.6 passengers per day each way 

(PDEW). Chicago was followed by 

Denver, with an average of 37.4

passengers per day each way; Dallas/Ft. 

Worth, with 37.1 passengers per day each 

way; New York/Newark, with 32.7

passengers per day each way; Orlando, 

with 28.5 passengers per day each way; Las Vegas, with 27.5 passengers per day each way; 

and Atlanta, with 24.8 passengers per day each way.

As previously noted in this proposal, the average fare in the Topeka region is up 14% in just 

the last year. The 2010 average one way fare was $168 each way – up from $148 each way 

in 2009 (see figure 4). The reason for the regional fare increase is the loss of airline capacity 

in the region surrounding the Topeka catchment area – with total available seats down 27% 

since the summer of 2008.

FIGURE 3: Topeka’s Estimated Top 20 O&D Passenger Markets,

CY2010; Sources: US DOT Table OD1A, Sixel Consulting Group Analysis

37,664

27,302

27,097

23,841

20,801

20,076

18,091

17,377

17,268

16,697

12,815

11,677

11,249

11,005

10,508

9,778

9,390

9,150

8,961

8,761

51.6

37.4

37.1

32.7

28.5

27.5

24.8

23.8

23.7

22.9

17.6

16.0

15.4

15.1

14.4

13.4

12.9

12.5

12.3

12.0

0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 35000

Chicago, IL

Denver, CO

Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

New York/Newark, NY

Orlando/Sanford, FL

Las Vegas, NV

Atlanta, GA

Washington, DC

Los Angeles, CA

Phoenix/Mesa, AZ

Houston, TX

Baltimore, MD

Tampa, FL

Seattle/Tacoma, WA

San Diego, CA

Milwaukee, WI

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Nashville, TN

Philadelphia

Boston, MA

Annual Passengers 

PDEW
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 12

Average fares to most 

markets west of Topeka 

are well above $300 

roundtrip, while eastern 

markets generally have 

lower fares (see figure 

4). For example, the 

average fare to 

Orlando is $228 

roundtrip as of 2010, 

while the average fare 

to Los Angeles is $314 

roundtrip. It should be 

noted that these fares 

do not take into 

account the cost of a 

Topeka catchment 

area passenger

accessing air service at 

other airports in the 

region. The cost of 

driving from Topeka to Kansas City’s airport has increased by more than 50% in the last year, 

as gas prices have gone up.

With rising fares and decreasing capacity in the region surrounding Topeka, access to air 

service is more difficult than it has been at any time since the end of 2001. This fact gives 

new emphasis to the goal of the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority in its effort to bring 

local air service to Forbes Field.

FIGURE 4: Average One Way Fare at Topeka’s Top 20 O&D Passenger Markets,

CY2010; Sources: US DOT Table OD1A, Sixel Consulting Group Analysis

$109

$95

$127

$176

$114

$138

$128

$167

$157

$153

$155

$134

$115

$158

$154

$89

$128

$100

$167

$149

$0 $20 $40 $60 $80 $100 $120 $140 $160 $180

Chicago, IL

Denver, CO

Dallas/Fort Worth, TX

New York/Newark, NY

Orlando/Sanford, FL

Las Vegas, NV

Atlanta, GA

Washington, DC

Los Angeles, CA

Phoenix/Mesa, AZ

Houston, TX

Baltimore, MD

Tampa, FL

Seattle/Tacoma, WA

San Diego, CA

Milwaukee, WI

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Nashville, TN

Philadelphia

Boston, MA

Average Fare: $168
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 13

AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS

The Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority is dedicated to doing whatever it can to bring viable, 

sustainable air service to Kansas’ capital. Since Allegiant Air left the market in 2007, the Airport 

has begun a process to bring a network air carrier to the market, to offer connectivity to the 

majority of cities Topeka-area business travelers need access to. The Airport has hired a 

consulting firm to work on the recruitment of additional service.

The Airport Authority has also spent considerable time building a local coalition of support for 

potential air service. This local coalition has pledged $15,000 in cash funding for this application 

– new from previous applications for Small Community Air Service Development Grant funding. 

The coalition will be of tremendous value in 

marketing the new service at Forbes Field Airport 

and in ensuring local businesses use the service.

So far in 2011, the Airport has been able to 

secure one-on-one meetings with three airlines, 

including SkyWest/United Express, Frontier and 

SeaPort Airlines. In these conversations airlines did express interest in serving the Topeka market. 

The primary target of discussion with these airlines was service to Denver, which is why Denver 

has been made the target of this application for federal support.

“This local coalition has pledged 

$15,000 in cash funding for this 

application... of tremendous 

value marketing the new service.”
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 14

AIR SERVICE NEEDS AND DEFICIENCIES IN TOPEKA

There are a number of challenges to the successful recruitment of a new airline to Forbes Field 

Airport in Topeka, just as there are several challenges for Topeka catchment area passengers 

accessing air service at other airports in the region. In regard to challenges with access to 

service for area passengers, airlines have cut regional capacity by more than a quarter since 

the fuel spike of 2008. This has resulted in rising fares – up 14% in just the last year. Moreover, it is 

much more expensive now for Topeka catchment area passengers to drive to other airports in 

the region due to the increased gas cost.

Detailing, perhaps, the most significant air service deficiency in the region, in just the last three 

years Kansas City International Airport has seen its most significant seat cuts in more than a 

decade. These seat cuts have the impact of making air service more difficult to access for 

those in the Topeka catchment area. Since the summer of 2008, Kansas City has lost an 

average of 72 daily departures – a loss of 31% of that Airport’s daily flights (see figure 5). During 

that same time period, Kansas City has lost an average of 6,146 daily outbound available seats, 

or 27% of all the market’s available airline capacity.

FIGURE 5: Available Seats, Flights, and Passengers per Day at MCI

June 2008 – February 2011; Source: US DOT T100 Data

22,653

21,923

21,113

19,968 19,818

18,906 18,810

18,122 18,125 18,209

18,784

19,127

20,349 20,317

19,575

18,841

19,205 18,942

18,274

17,369 17,261

18,332 18,364

18,735

19,553 19,272 19,239

18,678 18,658

19,039

18,475

16,983

16,507

18,542

17,783

16,211

14,271

15,152

13,231

13,916

11,534

12,198

13,925 13,802

14,874

16,711 17,027

15,034

13,915

14,882

14,012

13,541

11,591 11,860

14,059 13,802

14,877

16,702 16,399

14,951

14,280

14,934

14,397

13,859

11,778 11,813

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

20,000

22,000

24,000

Available SDEW Onboard PDEW Flights DEW

232.4

213.9

206.3

187.2 186.4 183.4 181.6 177.5 181.4 183.6

191.1 190.3

199.9 198.3

190.3

181.0 182.5 182.8

175.4

166.6 167.5

179.0 178.0 180.7

189.4 186.5 187.5

180.4 180.6 181.2

175.9

162.7 160.0
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 15

Cuts in available seats in Kansas City had begun to level off, until November of 2010 (see figure 

5). Since then, airlines have cut an additional 2,532 seats per day each way on average – or 

13% of total capacity at Kansas City. Since summer 2008, airlines have cut the equivalent of 123 

50-seat regional jet departures per day from Kansas City International Airport.

These air carrier flight and seat losses not only hurt the immediate Kansas City catchment area, 

but also Topeka. Topeka catchment area travelers have had to rely more on service provided 

at Kansas City for access to the national air transportation system. This access is becoming more 

difficult as the region, as a whole, sees cuts in airline service.

It has been established in this proposal that the Forbes Field Airport in Topeka has a sufficient 

passenger base in its local catchment area to support commercial air service. Despite this, 

airlines have found the region unattractive due to the relative proximity of Kansas City 

International Airport (MCI). While this, in and of itself, represents a hardship for the Airport and 

the community it serves, there are additional extenuating circumstances regarding seat loss and 

flight declines to consider in the larger region.

To gauge the general 

strength of the Topeka 

metropolitan statistical 

area (MSA), and its ability 

to support commercial 

flights, the Airport 

produced an analysis of 

the market’s position in 

the region, and an 

estimated determination 

of the number of local 

Topeka MSA passengers 

using other airports in the 

region. This analysis also 

included a projection of 

regional travel based on 

the economies of the 

area’s main airportFOE

MCI

ICT

Regional Population

Kansas City (MCI) 2,070,544 70.5%

Wichita (ICT) 637,781 21.7%

Topeka (FOE) 229,619 7.8%

Population Share

 

FIGURE 6: Regional Population Distribution

Source: US Census Estimates
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 16

served metropolitan areas. This analysis helps to validate the projected numbers for new service. 

At the same time, the analysis also points out just how underserved the Topeka market is.

The Topeka metropolitan statistical area (MSA) had a population of 229,619 as of the latest US

Census estimates (see Figure 6). The larger region comprised of the metro areas of Kansas City 

and Wichita has a current population of 2,937,944. Topeka’s share of that population is 7.8%.

In many markets, an Airport draws a number of 

passengers proportional to its overall population in the 

region. If that were to be the case in the Topeka 

market, one could reasonably expect the Airport to

retain about 8% of the total passengers using all three 

airports in the larger region. While the Topeka metro 

area is home to almost 8% of the region’s total 

residents, without current service, its Airport retains 

none of the region’s passengers (see figures 7 and 8). 

If the Airport had been able to retain the number of 

regional passengers proportional to its share of 

population in the region, it would have been used by 

805,653 origin and destination passengers as of 

calendar year 2010.

The largest beneficiary of Topeka’s passenger 

leakage is Kansas City – which is more than an hour 

away, on a drive of 74 highway miles by the most 

direct route. Kansas City had “reverse leakage” as of 

calendar year 2010, when it drew 24% more passengers than its proportion of the regional 

population. While Kansas City makes up 70.5% of the region’s population, it boards more than

87% of the region’s total origin and destination passengers (see figures 7 and 8). If Kansas City 

retained a number of origin and destination passengers proportional to its regional population 

share, it would be expected to generate 7.3 million passengers annually. In 2010, Kansas City 

saw a total of 9,010,920 O&D passengers – again, almost a quarter above its regional share. 

Many of those “extra” passengers came from the Topeka catchment area.

FIGURE 7: Regional Population Share

Source: US Census Estimates

FIGURE 8: Regional O&D Passenger Share

Source: US DOT Table OD1A, CY2010

Kansas City 

70.50%

Wichita 

21.70%

Topeka 

7.80%

Kansas City 

87.24%

Wichita 

12.76%

Topeka 

0.00%
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 17

Another way of determining passenger leakage from the Topeka catchment area is by 

comparing the economy of Topeka to the economies of the nearest cities with commerciallyserved airports. The easiest way to gauge each catchment area’s contribution to the economy 

of the region is to compare the gross metropolitan products (GMP) of each. A GMP is much like 

a gross national product – an overall gauge of economic activity in an area in dollars earned.

The United States Council of Mayors reports the Topeka metro area produced a GMP of $8.7 

billion, which represented 6.4% of the total gross regional product (GRP) of the area including 

Kansas City and Wichita 

(see figure 9). Kansas City 

generated the largest 

portion of the GRP, with 

$101.2 billion, or 74.6%, 

while Wichita produced a 

GMP of $25.7 billion – good 

for 19.0% of the GRP. 

Despite producing 6.4% of 

the total gross regional 

product (GRP), the Topeka 

area doesn’t retain its 

share of passengers due to 

the fact the Airport has no 

current airline service (see 

figures 10 and 11). If the 

Airport had been able to 

retain the number of regional passengers proportional to its share of the GRP, it would have 

been used by 661,048 passengers as of calendar year 2010.

 

FOE

MCI

ICT

Kansas City (MCI) $101.2 Billion 74.6%

Wichita (ICT) $25.7 Billion 19.0%

Topeka (FOE) $8.7 Billion 6.4%

Gross Metropolitan Product (GMP)

GMP Share

FIGURE 9: Regional Gross Metro Product (GMP) Distribution

Source: US Council of Mayors
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 18

The major beneficiary of Topeka’s passenger leakage 

is, again, Kansas City. Kansas City experienced 

“reverse leakage” as of the year ended first quarter 

2010, when it drew 16% more passengers than its 

proportion of the gross regional product (GRP). While

Kansas City generates 74.6% of the GRP, it boards 

more than 87% of the region’s total origin and 

destination passengers (see figures 10 and 11). If 

Kansas City retained a number of origin and 

destination passengers proportional to its GRP share, it 

would be expected to generate 7.7 million 

passengers annually. In 2010, Kansas City saw a total 

of more than nine million O&D passengers.

These statistics illustrate that the Topeka market is 

strong enough in both population, and in its economic

health, to generate at least 660,000 annual origin and 

destination passengers. If none of Topeka’s 

passengers “leaked” to other airports in the region, it 

would generate enough local passengers to fill 19 50-

seat regional jet departures per day at a 95% load factor. 

While these estimates illustrate the relative strength of the Topeka catchment area, challenges 

remain in the successful recruitment of a new airline to Forbes Field Airport. Foremost, in its 

meetings with various airlines in 2011, Airport leadership has learned that many airlines are 

worried about breaking passenger habits in the catchment area, and convincing those 

passengers to use their local airport instead of driving to Kansas City to access service. This 

Grant application is a key to funding an adequate marketing program to accomplish the goal 

of retaining passengers, and to convincing airlines the proper amount of funding is available to 

achieve this goal.

FIGURE 10: Regional GMP Share

Source: US Council of Mayors

FIGURE 11: Regional O&D Passenger Share

Source: US DOT Table OD1A, CY2010

Kansas City 

74.60%

Wichita 

19.00%

Topeka 

6.40%

Kansas City 

87.24%

Wichita 

12.76%

Topeka 

0.00%
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 19

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR NEW AIR SERVICE

In order to address the challenges to air service in the region surrounding the Topeka catchment 

area, the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority has developed this plan for local service 

provided at Forbes Field Airport. The strategic plan aims to correct deficiencies in service that 

include the lack of access to the air transportation system within 70 miles of the Topeka area, the 

decline in available airline seats and capacity in the region, and the increased cost of flying to 

and from Topeka through other airports.

Under this plan, the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority proposes to use a combination of 

$65,000 in locally raised funding in conjunction with federal Small Community Air Service 

Development Grant money in support of the addition of scheduled network airline service to the 

market. The proposed route 

is between Topeka and 

Denver, based on direct 

airline feedback from oneon-one meetings in 2011 (see 

map 3). It is believed this 

route will have the best 

chance of success due to 

the fact it is not duplicated 

at the nearest regional 

airport, in Manhattan, 

Kansas. It is proposed the 

route be operated by a 

United Express carrier, to 

access the widest potential 

array of one-stop 

destinations beyond Denver.

The Airport proposes two daily flights on the route in each direction. The route between Topeka 

and Denver would cover 486 miles in a block time of one hour and 40 minutes, on average, 

assuming an average groundspeed of 400 knots on a Canadair CRJ200 regional jet aircraft 

seating 50 passengers in an all-economy layout.

MAP 3: Proposed Route:

Topeka – Denver
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 20

The proposed schedule would allow for the overnight of an aircraft at the Forbes Field Airport, 

which positions the aircraft for an early morning departure to Denver to connect to the first 

departing block of flights of the day on the United Airlines network (see figure 12). This schedule 

connects into the main midday and evening banks at Denver, as well, with a late evening 

arrival. The schedule is designed for the Topeka area business traveler to be able to make a two 

day trip to most Intermountain and West Coast markets – providing the best possible 

competition with the schedule at Kansas City.

Origin Destination Departs Arrives Block Time Equipment

FOE DEN 6:30am 7:10am 1:40 CRJ

DEN FOE 10:15am 12:55pm 1:40 CRJ

FOE DEN 1:55pm 2:35pm 1:40 CRJ

DEN FOE 8:10pm 10:50pm 1:40 CRJ

The Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority seeks a Small Community Air Service Development 

Grant, in the amount of $550,000, to help mitigate the initial monetary risk in serving the Topeka –

Denver route, primarily for a United Express carrier. In addition to the federal portion, the Airport 

Authority has developed local cash commitments of $65,000 in support of this project. The total 

project cost is projected to be $615,000

The Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority projects that the bulk of the grant money be available 

to provide insurance in case the new carrier incurs a loss during the first year of operations. With 

demonstrated demand for service in the Topeka market, and demand for connectivity over the 

Denver hub, the Airport projects the new flights will be profitable within one year. A total of 

$550,000 will be available for this revenue guarantee. The additional $65,000 in funding will be 

used in support of marketing and advertising programs. Start-up expenses will be provided to 

the new carrier outside of this proposal, with additional airport cash.

If, for some unforeseen reason, service is not commenced in a timely manner by a carrier serving 

the United Airlines hub at Denver, the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority proposes to use 

federal grant money awarded under the Small Community Air Service Development Program for 

FIGURE 12: Proposed Schedule:

Topeka – Denver
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 21

service to another hub with wide-ranging connectivity. Among the options the Airport will 

consider would be service to Denver on Frontier or another affiliated carrier; service to Memphis 

on Delta or one of its affiliated carriers; service to Dallas/Ft. Worth on American or one of its 

affiliated carriers; service to Minneapolis/St. Paul on Delta or one of its affiliated carriers; service 

to Chicago on a United Express or American Connection carrier, or service to Detroit on Delta or 

one of its affiliated carriers.

Should these options, for an unforeseen reason, not be available for new service at the Forbes 

Field Airport, the Airport will continue its discussions with all other carriers that can provide 

service. Since the community has never before received a Small Community Air Service 

Development Grant, it will have no limitations on which new hub the DOT could fund.

Route Specific Data: Topeka – Denver

The United Airlines Denver hub would provide Topeka area travelers the most wide-ranging 

collection of one-stop destinations of any hub to the west of the market. There is no current 

service from 

central Kansas to 

Denver on any 

airline. The 

Metropolitan 

Topeka Airport 

Authority has had 

recent discussions, 

in the spring of 

2011, with SkyWest, 

about serving the 

Topeka – Denver

market under the 

United code. It 

was made clear in 

these discussions 

that a risk 

mitigation program 

MAP 4: One-Stop Connections over Denver on United

August 2011; Source: Sixel Consulting Group Hub Builder
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 22

would be a key to new service.

United Express service from Topeka to Denver on the United code would connect to 66 one-stop 

cities throughout the western US, Mexico, Canada, Hawaii and Alaska (see map 4). Denver

provides the best possible connectivity to destinations on the West Coast – which rank as some 

of the region’s largest origin and destination passenger markets.

It’s important to understand the dynamics of current Denver service from other airports in the 

region surrounding Topeka. In the last two years, the Kansas City – Denver route has seen major 

flight and seat reductions, outpacing national averages. As of June of 2009, airlines offered an 

average of 2,209 seats per day each way between Kansas City and Denver (see figure 13). By 

February of 2011, the average number of seats per day each way between Kansas City and 

Denver dropped to just 1,502 – a loss of 707 seats per day each way, or 32% of all airline seat 

capacity in the market.

FIGURE 13: Available Seats, Flights, and Passengers per Day between MCI and DEN

June 2009 – February 2011; Source: US DOT T100 Data

2,209 2,185

2,086

2,015 1,994 1,994 1,982

1,938 1,967 1,972

1,900

1,856 1,892 1,868

1,922 1,936

1,894 1,898

1,825

1,494 1,502

1,739

1,867

1,641

1,509 1,509

1,325

1,381

1,210

1,258

1,437

1,319

1,400

1,664 1,681

1,578

1,500 1,485

1,437

1,384

1,075

1,154

500

700

900

1,100

1,300

1,500

1,700

1,900

2,100

2,300

2,500

2009-06 2009-07 2009-08 2009-09 2009-10 2009-11 2009-12 2010-01 2010-02 2010-03 2010-04 2010-05 2010-06 2010-07 2010-08 2010-09 2010-10 2010-11 2010-12 2011-01 2011-02

Available SDEW Onboard PDEW Flights DEW

16.5 16.3

15.6

15.0 14.6

15.0 15.2 15.0 15.3 15.4 15.4 15.0

15.8 15.6 15.9 15.7 15.4 15.1 15.1

12.4

13.9
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 23

At the same time, airlines have cut Denver flights from the region surrounding Topeka. Between 

June of 2009 and February of 2011, airlines have cut an average of 2.6 flights per day each way 

between Kansas City and Denver, or 16% of all flights in the market (see figure 13). The impact 

of these flight and seat cuts has been increased difficulty for local travelers heading to 

destination west of the market. It should also be noted, the number of daily average seats 

between Topeka and Denver, as noted in this proposal, is just 100. In the last two years, 707 seats 

have been cut from the Kansas City – Topeka market. The seats proposed in this application will 

replace only a small proportion of those already cut from the local region.

As regional fares have stabilized over the last five years, the number of passengers traveling 

between Topeka and Denver, itself, has grown by more than 50%. In 2010, the local Topeka –

Denver market generated an average of 37.4 passengers per day each way, on average, at an 

average one way fare of $95 (see figure 14).

Since 2005, the local Topeka – Denver market has grown by an average of 12.4 passengers per 

day each way, or 50% (see figure 14). In that time, the average fare paid in the Topeka 

FIGURE 14: Estimated O&D Passengers from the Topeka Catchment Area to/from Denver

CY2001 – CY2010; Sources: US DOT Table OD1A, Sixel Consulting Group Analysis

23,086

20,145

16,694

18,200 18,267

25,619

31,121

28,472

26,759 27,295

31.6

27.6

22.9

24.9 25.0

35.1

42.6

39.0

36.7

37.4

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Estimated DEN PDEW Estimated DEN Pax

$124

$113

$126 $125

$137

$99

$87

$97

$91 $95
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 24

catchment area for local travel to Denver has gone down by 30%. In 2010, the local Topeka –

Denver market is large enough to support one regional jet flight per day in each direction with a 

75% load factor – not taking into account any connecting traffic or any traffic stimulation with 

new non-stop service.

The Topeka catchment area currently generates an estimated average of 211 origin and 

destination passengers per day each way to destinations that naturally connect over the United 

Airlines Denver hub. As of calendar year 2010, Topeka is estimated to have generated 154,253

total origin and destination passengers that would flow over Denver on United and the Star 

Alliance (see figure 15). In all, the Topeka – Denver route has the potential to capture 26% of the 

passengers currently estimated to be flying to and from the Topeka catchment area through 

other airports, without taking into account any passenger stimulation through the addition of 

local non-stop service. 

At the same time, the United Airlines Denver hub could capture 23% of the current estimated 

revenue generated in Topeka catchment area (see figure 15). It is estimated that markets from 

Topeka that flow over the United Denver hub generate more than $22.8 million in annual airline 

revenue, or $31,240 in revenue per day each way (RDEW).

FIGURE 15: Estimated Topeka O&D Passengers and Revenue Flowing over Denver on United

CY2010; Sources: US DOT Table OD1A, Sixel Consulting Group Analysis

Denver 

26%

Other 

Hubs 74%

Denver 

23%

Other 

Hubs 77%

Estimated Topeka O&D Revenue $99,807,439 100%

Revenue Flowing Over Denver $22,804,881 23%

Estimated Topeka O&D Passengers 593,820 100%

Passengers Flowing Over Denver 154,253 26%
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 25

The United/Star Alliance hub at 

Denver has potential to capture 

large portions of traffic in many of 

Topeka’s largest estimated origin 

and destination markets. The 

Denver hub is especially well 

positioned to capture traffic 

traveling to the West Coast and the 

Intermountain West, along with 

many destinations in Mexico and 

Canada. Among the large markets 

that would be served over Denver

on United is Denver, itself, which is 

estimated to have produced 37.4

passengers per day each way 

(PDEW) to and from Topeka in 2010; 

Los Angeles, which produces 29.8 

PDEW; Las Vegas, which produces 27.5

PDEW; Phoenix, which produces 22.9 PDEW; 

Seattle/Tacoma, which produces 15.1

PDEW; and San Diego, which produces 14.4

PDEW as of calendar year 2010 (see figure 

16).

Should it launch service between Topeka 

and Denver, United, or one of its affiliated 

carriers, would be adding service in markets 

that have current fares averaging $148

each way at Kansas City International 

Airport (see figure 17). United Express would 

provide another alternative in many 

markets where fares are above the Midwest 

regional average. Examples include Los 

FIGURE 16: Topeka’s Top 20 Passenger Markets over DEN on United

CY2010; Sources: US DOT Table OD1A, Sixel Consulting Group Analysis

FIGURE 17: Average One Way Fare at Top 20 Passenger Markets

Over DEN on UA, CY2010; Sources: US DOT Table OD1A

27,302

21,785

20,076

16,697

11,005

10,508

8,069

6,316

5,731

5,096

4,720

4,040

2,735

1,681

1,448

1,277

1,130

980

819

532

37.4

29.8

27.5

22.9

15.1

14.4

11.1

8.7

7.9

7.0

6.5

5.5

3.7

2.3

2.0

1.7

1.5

1.3

1.1

0.7

0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000

Denver

Los Angeles Basin

Las Vegas

Phoenix

Seattle/Tacoma

San Diego

San Francisco Bay Area

Portland, OR

Salt Lake City

Cancun

Sacramento

Albuquerque

Tucson

Spokane

Boise

Puerto Vallarta

Anchorage

Los Cabos

Colorado Springs

Billings

PDEW

$95

$156

$138

$153

$158

$154

$172

$171

$153

$202

$157

$138

$142

$147

$162

$223

$283

$253

$155

$182

$0 $50 $100 $150 $200 $250

Denver

Los Angeles Basin

Las Vegas

Phoenix

Seattle/Tacoma

San Diego

San Francisco Bay Area

Portland, OR

Salt Lake City

Cancun

Sacramento

Albuquerque

Tucson

Spokane

Boise

Puerto Vallarta

Anchorage

Los Cabos

Colorado Springs

Billings

Average Over DEN: $148
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 26

Angeles, where the average roundtrip fare was $312 in 2010; Phoenix, where the average 

roundtrip fare was $306; Seattle/Tacoma, where the average roundtrip fare was $316 in 2010; 

San Francisco, where the average fare was $344 roundtrip; and Portland, Oregon, where the 

average roundtrip fare was $342 in 2010.

The Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority believes there is sufficient passenger traffic and 

revenue that would flow over United’s Denver hub to make the service profitable. United would 

not be forced to offer rock-bottom fares in Topeka to be competitive – even fares slightly higher 

than those found in other regional markets, such as Kansas City, would be low enough to 

capture local traffic and end some of the leakage the market experiences today. The Airport 

Authority believes this is the best plan for local, network air service, moving forward.
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 27

IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE

The proposed implementation timeline for the project assumes the Department of Transportation

will award Small Community Grant Funding in September of 2011. Once the award is 

announced, the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority will conduct additional airline meetings 

to secure new service. Based on airline planning lead times and the need for advance 

bookings, we assume the new carrier would not be able to begin service until at least June of 

2012.

The first three milestones on the Airport's timeline are to execute the grant agreement with the 

Department of Transportation, meet with prospective airlines to negotiate for service, and sign

the minimum revenue guarantee agreement with the appropriate airline partner. Once service 

is announced and schedules are published, the Airport would begin marketing the new route 

and working with the new carrier to monitor advance bookings. The Airport will continue its 

marketing program and continue to work with the new carrier to monitor the route once service 

begins. The Airport would submit grant status reports on a quarterly basis to the Department 

throughout the proposed two year term of the minimum revenue guarantee.

While the estimated dates are targets, it is possible service could be secured and launched on a 

more aggressive timeline once Grant funding is awarded. It is also possible that new service 

could slip to 2013 should an airline require additional risk mitigation, beyond that included in this 

proposal, from the community.

Activity/Project Milestone Estimated Date

SCASD Grant Award Announcement September 2011

Executive Grant Agreement with DOT October 2011

Meet With Prospective Airlines Oct/Nov 2011

Negotiate Minimum Revenue Guarantee (MRG) With Airline Jan - Mar 2012

Announce Service March 2012

Publish Schedule March 2012

Begin Marketing of New Route March 2012

Monitor Advance Bookings March - June 2012

Service Launch June 2012

MRG Available for Service June 2012 - October 2014

Monitor Route Performance June 2012 - October 2014

Submit Grant Status Reports to DOT Quarterly Q4 2011 - Q4 2014

Close Grant October 2014
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 28

ALTERNATE PLAN

If, for some unforeseen reason, service is not commenced in a timely manner by a carrier serving 

the United Airlines hub at Denver, the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority proposes to use 

federal grant money awarded under the Small Community Air Service Development Program for 

service to another hub with wide-ranging connectivity. Among the options the Airport will 

consider would be service to Denver on Frontier or another affiliated carrier; service to Memphis 

on Delta or one of its affiliated carriers; service to Dallas/Ft. Worth on American or one of its 

affiliated carriers; service to Minneapolis/St. Paul on Delta or one of its affiliated carriers; service 

to Chicago on a United Express or American Connection carrier, or service to Detroit on Delta or

one of its affiliated carriers.

Should these options, for an unforeseen reason, not be available for new service at the Forbes 

Field Airport, the Airport will continue its discussions with all other carriers that can provide 

service. Since the community has never before received a Small Community Air Service 

Development Grant, it will have no limitations on which new hub the DOT could fund.
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 29

PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

A number of local partners will be working with the Airport to promote participation in this air 

service development project. The Airport has already generated $15,000 in non-Airport cash 

matching funding for this proposal. Additionally, contacts will be made to all Topeka members 

of chambers of commerce and similar organizations, and those with an interest in growing the 

economic base of the community through local business growth, attraction of new businesses 

and the promotion of tourism and visitor traffic via the Airport. 

Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority

The Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority owns and operates Forbes Field Airport in Topeka. The 

Authority has long been advocating for increased commercial air service at the Airport, and this 

application is just part of that advocacy. The Airport Authority has already approved the money 

to be spent to match this Grant, recognizing how important the addition of viable air service is to 

the region.

Greater Topeka Area Chamber of Commerce

The Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce has the mission of working to get the things done 

that a company cannot do alone. A Chamber membership is seen as an investment in both a 

company's and the community's future.

The membership of the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce represents the entire 

community with members from business and industry, private associations, civic organizations, 

home based businesses, social service agencies, education, government, and individuals. Over 

1,200 member firms, representing over 1,900 individuals, are Chamber members, joining in their 

support of the Forbes Field Airport in Topeka.

City of Topeka

As the State’s second largest city, and Kansas’ capital, the City of Topeka is glad to have the 

opportunity to partner with Forbes Field Airport to bring competitive air service to the City. 

Community leaders have long been working to recruit additional air service to the region.
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 30

Shawnee County Commission

This three person board oversees the operation of Shawnee County, the home of the City of 

Topeka and Forbes Field Airport. The Commission is publically elected, and in charge of a multimillion dollar annual budget. The Commission has a current emphasis on economic 

development and, as such, supports the effort to bring air service to Forbes Field.

Coalition of Topeka Area Businesses

Dozens of local businesses will work together to support the push to bring air service to eastern 

Kansas. These businesses will not only pledge to use new service at Forbes Field Airport, but also 

work to make sure the air service marketing message is spread throughout the community.
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 31

FUNDING PLAN

Revenue Guarantee

The Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority proposes to make available $550,000 in funds for a 

revenue guarantee to the new carrier, to cover start-up losses that may occur during the first 

twelve months of service. Subject to negotiation, payments will be made to the new carrier 

quarterly when income derived from passengers and cargo is less than agreed expenses on the 

route. Revenue generated that exceeds expenses will be carried forward and tapped before 

any grant funds are used.

Marketing and Advertising

The Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority proposes to spend at least $65,000 in funds on 

marketing and advertising promotions in support of new service introductions. The goal is to 

increase ridership and usage of new local service through targeted regional campaigns.

In-Kind Services

The following organizations will help promote the new service through their various membership 

groups. There is no estimated value to these services.

• Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce

• City of Topeka

• State of Kansas

• Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority

• Coalition of Topeka Area Businesses

Startup Cost Offsets

The Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority proposes to spend only existing airport funds and 

matching funds to pay for start-up costs in support of new service introductions. The Airport, and 

its partners, will provide essential terminal space and equipment to handle the new service.
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 32

Additional Costs

As part of this program, the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority understands that additional 

expenses will be incurred, such as monitoring the results of the program and reporting those

results back to the US DOT. In addition, the Airport Authority expects to incur some expenses in 

the recruitment of a new airline to serve the region. The Airport will not use DOT funding in these 

efforts – but instead, will use its own internal funding.
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 33

PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND FINANCIAL CONTROLS

The success of new service in the Topeka market will be based on three measurable variables: 

the increase in available seats in the market, the number of enplanements on the route, and the 

average airfares charged in the affected city pairs. The first two measurements will include a 

monthly comparison once the program begins to post numbers. The second measurement will 

be derived from US DOT OD1A reports.

The sponsor, the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority will be the responsible party for all fiscal 

matters and DOT reporting requirements. As a public entity the DOT can be assured that proper 

financial controls are in place to guarantee that the DOT’s grant will be used in accordance 

with any subsequent agreement. The Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority understands that 

the grant is a reimbursable grant, meaning the Airport is responsible for program expenditures 

and will submit invoices to the DOT for reimbursement, based on a percentage of the total grant 

request.

The Airport has developed this proposal as a one-time grant. The advertising and marketing 

program will commence a few months before service starts and last for at least twelve months. 

The revenue guarantee program will also be in place for twelve months, with two additional 

twelve-month periods available for negotiation. It is projected that the service on the new route 

will be financially self-sustaining within the second twelve months of service. 
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 34

LEGAL SPONSOR

The Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority is the legal sponsor responsible for administering the 

program. The Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority is a government entity.

Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority 

Forbes Field Airport

PO Box 19053

Topeka, Kansas 66619

Eric Johnson, President/Director of Airports

785.862.2362

ejohnson@mtaa-topeka.org
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 35

AVAILABILITY OF ALTERNATE AIRPORTS

Currently, the Topeka catchment area is only served by its alternate airports, as Forbes Field 

Airport has no scheduled air service. The primary alternate for Topeka travelers is Kansas City 

International, which lies 71 miles from downtown Topeka (see figure 18). The drive to Kansas 

City’s Airport can take as long as two hours in normal traffic.

A smaller percentage of 

Topeka catchment area 

travelers use Wichita’s 

Mid-Continent Airport as 

an alternate (see figure 

18). Mid-Continent isn’t 

as popular as Kansas 

City, due to the fact it lies 

a two and a half hour 

drive from most of 

Topeka. Other alternates 

include Salina and 

Manhattan, but neither 

airport offers truly 

competitive service, so 

neither draws significantly 

from the Topeka market.

FIGURE 18: Alternate Airports in the Topeka Area

As of August 2011
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 36

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Forbes Field Airport in Topeka was built as a military outpost, located in the heart of America, 

and has remained so for many years. In 1976, commercial air services moved from Topeka’s 

“other” airport, Billard Municipal, to Forbes Field, largely due to its available infrastructure, 

including a 12,000-foot runway and an 8,000-foot runway. Work to build Forbes Field began 

weeks after the Japanese 

bombing of Pearl Harbor, 

in 1941, when the military 

sought an air base in 

middle America. It 

operated solely in a 

military role, hosting the 

Strategic Air Command, 

until 1976. The military left 

behind an outstanding 

physical plant, capable 

of becoming an air-hub 

for all of eastern Kansas 

and western Missouri.

FIGURE 19: Aerial Photo of

Forbes Field Airport, Topeka, Kansas 
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 37

COMMUNITY PROFILE

Topeka is the capital of the State of Kansas, the economic and cultural center of all of east 

central Kansas, and one of Money Magazine’s “Best Places to Live.” The City of Topeka has a 

population of roughly 125,000 people, according to statistics from the US Census Bureau. 

Topeka’s Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), as defined by the Census Bureau, includes the 

counties of Shawnee (where Topeka is the County Seat), Jackson, Jefferson, Osage, and 

Wabaunsee. Roughly, 230,000 people live within the Topeka MSA.

Government and related services jobs comprise more than half of the Topeka job base. 

Additionally, a number of Fortune 500 companies have major offices or facilities in the Topeka 

MSA, including Goodyear, Frito-Lay, Hallmark Cards, Payless ShoeSource (headquarters), Westar 

Energy 

(headquarters), 

and Burlington 

Northern Santa Fe.

The cities 

surrounding Topeka 

are home to some 

of the world’s truly 

great universities, 

including the University of Kansas at Lawrence, Kansas State University at Manhattan, Washburn 

University, and Emporia State University. Together these schools enroll more than 65,000 full-time 

students, and employ more than 15,000 highly educated, and nationally regarded faculty and 

staff members.

Topeka is increasingly becoming a regional tourist destination. In addition to high profile, and 

highly attended Division I collegiate athletics at the University of Kansas and Kansas State, the 

region offers new and original historical and cultural destinations that can’t be found anywhere 

else. The National Park Service has opened a museum commemorating the Brown vs. the Board 

of Education decision, desegregating schools in Kansas. In addition, Topeka’s rose gardens and 

botanical parks draw visitors from around the country.
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 38

What’s New in Topeka

Topeka isn’t the largest City in the State of Kansas, but new developments have made it the 

fastest growing economy in the State. With a total of 1,575 retained jobs, 463 new jobs with an 

average wage of $50,000 and corporate investment of $352.25 million the Topeka area 

economy continues its stability from 2010 to 2011. 

• The announced projects include a new Home Depot rapid deployment center, the 

purchase of the former Payless ShoeSource distribution center by PTMW, Inc. and 

expansions at the existing U.S. Foodservice, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and FritoLay plants. 

• The benefits will continue to grow over the next ten years, with 3,770 direct and indirect 

jobs added, resulting in 762 new residents in Shawnee County.

• The salaries to be paid to direct and indirect workers over the next ten years exceeds $2 

billion, with nearly $777 million worth of taxable sales and purchases expected in the 

county over that decade.

The following companies have made major new investments in the Topeka economy:

The Home Depot 

 Jobs: 300 

Investment: $25 million

Frito-Lay

Investment: $60 million

U.S. Foodservice

Retained Jobs: 175 

New Jobs: 24

Investment: $13 million

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Retained Jobs: 1,400 

Investment: $250 million

PTMW, Inc.

New jobs: 138

Investment: $4.25 million
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 39

Topeka Economic Overview

As the capital of Kansas, Topeka also serves as the economic capital of the region. Almost half 

of the Topeka-area workforce has jobs in state and federal government. Almost all of the State 

of Kansas’ service offices are located in Topeka. Additionally, the federal government has more 

than a thousand employees based in Topeka, in administration-related jobs. Topeka is also 

home to high finance companies, major manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers.

While Money Magazine reports the annual average family purchasing power for a family in 

Topeka was $65,000, just below the national average of $68,000, Topeka offers a much lower 

cost of living than most other 

cities of equal or greater size. In 

the same report, Money reports 

the national average cost of a 

home was $260,000, while the 

average home in Topeka sold for 

just $95,000. Thus, the annual 

“family income” of $65,000 in 

Topeka goes much further in east 

central Kansas than it would in 

most other comparable cities.

The US Census Bureau reports the 

median income for a Topeka 

household is $36,000, while the 

median family income is $46,000. 

The per capita income for Topeka was $20,000, as reported in current US Census Bureau 

estimates.

The City’s location, near the geographic center of the US, makes it the perfect location for 

almost any industry. Flour mills, printing and publishing companies, medical providers, iron 

foundries, food processing plants, and rail and highway transportation companies have all 

realized the value of Topeka’s location, opening major operations, employing tens of thousands 

of highly skilled workers.
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 40

STATE OF KANSAS 8,074 

GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY 1,600 

TOPEKA CITY GOVERNMENT 1,500

BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD 1,362

U.S. GOVERNMENT 1,192 

DILLON STORES DIVISION 1,170 

BNSF RAILWAY COMPANY 1,100 

HILLS PET NUTRITION, INC. 919

WESTAR ENERGY 881

FRITO-LAY, INC. 840

PAYLESS SHOES 810

JOSTENS PRINTING & PUBLISHING 703

RESER’ S FINE FOODS 700

HALLMARK CARDS, INC. 680

ALORICA, INC. 600

SECURITY BENEFIT 600

TARGET DISTRIBUTION CENTER 600

JOINT FORCE HEADQUARTERS & NATIONAL GUARD 556

MIDWEST HEALTH MANAGEMENT 550

VETERANS HEALTH RESOURCE CENTER 468

AT & T KANSAS 460

COREFIRST BANK & TRUST COMPANY 408

190th AIR REFUELING WING KANSAS AIR GUARD 361

Bold indicates headquarters location 

Select Company Profiles

Payless ShoeSource

The nationally recognized provider of designer shoes at discount prices, Payless ShoeSource was 

founded in Topeka in 1956, and it still has its corporate headquarters in the City. In 2005, Payless 

sold more than 182 million pairs of shoes, at a value of $2.7 billion, 

at retail stores in all 50 states and in a number of foreign 

companies. Payless currently employs more than 1,730 people in 

its corporate administration and distribution offices in Topeka, 

and, as such, is one of the City’s most important private 

employers.

FIGURE 20: Top Employers in Topeka 

Source: Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce 
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 41

Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF)

Created by a merger of six major railways, Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad is the nation’s 

second largest, in terms of the number of track miles. BNSF is one of just four true national 

transcontinental railways in the US. The company is 

based in Fort Worth, Texas, but it operates one of its 

largest rail yards in Topeka, where it has a major 

transcontinental transfer hub. BNSF also has major rail 

yards in Los Angeles, Kansas City, and Alliance, 

Nebraska.

Jostens Printing and Publishing

Jostens is the country’s leading provider of school portraits, class rings, 

and yearbooks, along with graduation caps, gowns, and diplomas. 

The company is headquartered in Minneapolis, but it has its major 

printing and publishing division headquarters in Topeka. Jostens’ Topeka facility not only prints 

school photos, but also diplomas and yearbooks, with more than 1,000 employees in east 

central Kansas.

Frito-Lay

Frito-Lay is a wholly owned subsidiary of Pepsi-Co, best known for its snack foods. Frito-Lay had 

2008 revenue of $43 billion, while the company employed more than 

198,000 people nationally, including more than 800 in Topeka. Frito-Lay’s 

Topeka plant currently produces a number of its brands of chips, along 

with cookies, and some of Pepsi-Co’s soft drinks.

Hallmark Cards

Hallmark is one of the best known companies, with one of the most 

recognized service marks in corporate America. The company was 

founded in 1910, in Kansas City, and has grown to become with 

world’s foremost designer, printer, and seller of greeting cards. Hallmark currently has more than 

43,000 retail outlets around the world. Hallmark’s Topeka plant currently produces about 46% of 

the company’s greeting cards. It also includes Hallmark’s largest export center. Together, those 

two Topeka operations employ 750 people in east central Kansas.
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 42

Goodyear Tire and Rubber

One of the most admired companies in the world, 

according to Fortune Magazine, Goodyear employs more 

than 1,700 people at its rubber manufacturing plant in Topeka. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, 

Goodyear has major facilities in North Carolina, Virginia, California, Alabama, Arizona, New York, 

Florida, and Texas – not to mention overseas facilities in Canada, Belgium, France, Germany, 

Turkey, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, China, India, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, and Australia. 

Goodyear is one of the largest users of the national and international air transportation system.

Westar Energy

Westar ranks 936 on the Fortune 1000 list, as of the year ended 2007. The 

company has its corporate headquarters in Topeka. Westar is the largest 

energy provider in Kansas, and one of the largest in the Midwest, with more than 675,000 

customers. Westar employs more than 2,200 people in the region.

Higher Education in the Topeka Area

The region surrounding Topeka is a center for higher education that is 

recognized around the world. Two of the best universities in the United 

States are located just miles from Topeka: the University of Kansas (KU) and 

Kansas State University (KSU). The region is also home to the smaller, and well 

regarded Washburn University, which is located in Topeka itself, and Emporia 

State University, which lies less than 50 miles from the State Capitol. 

Together, these four universities employ more than 15,000 people, and enroll 

more than 65,000 full-time students. Moreover, KU and KSU draw hundreds of 

thousands of alumni and fans every year to their outstanding Division I 

athletic programs, as the “Jayhawks” and the “Wildcats” fight for Big XII Conference 

championships.
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 43

The University of Kansas

The University of Kansas at Lawrence sits less than 40 miles to the east of Topeka. The University is 

widely regarded as one of the nation’s preeminent teaching and research universities, currently 

enrolling almost 30,000 full-time students. KU is the State’s flagship liberal arts institution. KU’s 

mission is to serve as a “center for learning, research, scholarship, and creative endeavor” for 

the State of Kansas, the country, and the world. Kansas offers what students and alumni call an 

“ideal campus,” historic, yet wireless at the same time, close to the State’s capital, yet bordering 

the prairie, with high-tech labs, interactive classrooms, and world-class performing arts venues.

The University of Kansas is best known as a “basketball school,” with its Jayhawks continually 

battling for championships in the Big XII Conference and in the NCAA’s Division I. The University 

offers outstanding athletic facilities, and its sports programs draw several hundred thousand fans 

each year, from all over the country.

Kansas State University

Kansas State (KSU) is the State’s flagship engineering and technology institution. Its main 

campus is located in Manhattan, which lies less than 50 miles to the northwest of Topeka. KSU 

currently enrolls more than 23,000 full-time students from all 50 states 

and more than 90 foreign countries. KSU is known as one of the “best 

buys” in a college education. Princeton Review ranks Kansas State as 

the fifth best buy in the country, while Consumers’ Digest ranks it 16th. 

KSU offers more than 250 different undergraduate programs, and it 

grants doctoral degrees in 45 areas of study. Each year the University 

grants more than $150 million in scholarships and grants.

Like the University of Kansas, Kansas State is a member of the Big XII athletic conference. The 

Wildcats compete in more than two dozen sports, and draw a few hundred thousand fans to 

on-campus sporting events each year.

Washburn University

While no match for the University of Kansas or Kansas State, in terms of the size of the student 

body, Washburn University in Topeka is considered one of the Midwest’s best master’s level 

institutions. US News and World Report ranks Washburn the sixth best Midwest liberal arts college. 

Washburn currently enrolls more than 7,000 full-time students. Washburn provides a broad-based 

liberal arts education, with special emphasis on professional skills. The University offers small class 

sizes, accomplished faculty, one-on-one instruction, and state-of-the-art technology.
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 44

Emporia State University

The University is located just 50 miles from Topeka, in the town 

of Emporia, which lies in heart of northeastern Kansas’ 

Bluestem region of the Flint Hills, Emporia State University enrolls 

6,400 full-time students, who study in more than 100 different majors. Emporia State provides the 

community with not only an outstanding institution for higher learning, but with a pair of libraries, 

a museum, recreational facilities, and other cultural offerings.

Topeka Tourism

As a quintessential piece of America’s heartland, Topeka offers the very best of Midwest culture. 

As the capital of Kansas, Topeka offers a number of government-related attractions, as the City 

provides families the best, hands-on opportunities to learn about how government really works. 

Topeka also has a number of regionally recognized attractions that draw hundreds of thousands 

of visitors each year, including a national park dedicated to the Brown vs. the Board of 

Education decision desegregating public schools. Topeka is home to a dozen art galleries, five 

performing arts centers, two botanical gardens, a zoo, a number of nationally known museums, 

dozens of unique restaurants, and some of the best shopping in the Midwest.

Brown vs. Board of Education National Historic Site

Opened in May of 2004, on the 50th anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education 

decision to desegregate public schools in Kansas, this National Historic Site offers a 

unique look back at what led up to the decision, and insight into how the decision 

was made. It’s a story of hope and courage, and the plaintiffs in the case never 

knew the impact they would have on the history, not just of Kansas, but of the country. This 

museum tells the story of these “ordinary people” who stood up for what was right, and 

changed history.

Kansas Museum of History

The Kansas Museum of History offers a true “look back” at how the State was settled, 

and what life was really like when Kansas was the western frontier of the United States. 

The museum has award-winning exhibits about the colorful characters, and the 

everyday folks, who helped to turn the prairies of the region into the most fertile 

agricultural area in the world. The museum has restored a full-scale wagon from the 

Oregon Trail, along with a full-size Cheyenne tipi, as a tribute to those who called the 

land home long before any European settlers arrived. The museum is home to one of 
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 45

the few remaining 1880 locomotives, displayed in an exhibit that explains the Topeka, Atchison, 

and Santa Fe railroad.

Reinisch Rose Garden and Doran Rock Garden

The Reinisch garden features more than 400 varieties of roses, amidst more than 6,500 species of 

plants. The garden is one of 23 test plots in the country for “hybridizers,” or cross-bred roses. The 

garden was conceptualized in 1926, and it opened in 1930, at a cost of $30,000. The garden 

typically blooms from late-May through mid-September.

Ward-Meade Park Botanical Gardens

The Ward-Meade gardens compliment the Reinisch Rose Garden, 

offering more than 500 varieties of flowers, shrubs, and trees on a 

2.5 acre area of land. Each individual plant is labeled, making the 

garden a perfect place to learn botany and horticulture. WardMeade Park is also home to Topeka’s only “water garden.”

Topeka Zoo

The Topeka Zoo is the passport to discovering hundreds of species of 

exotic animals, without ever leaving east central Kansas. The zoo 

offers innovative animal exhibits such as “Discovering Apes,” the 

tropical rain forest, “Lion’s Pride,” the children’s zoo, and the “Black 

Bear Woods.” The zoo also offers exhibits featuring animals commonly 

found in the region surrounding Topeka.

Combat Air Museum

Much more than a mere collection of aircraft, the 

Combat Air Museum, located at Forbes Field, houses 

a wide variety of aviation artifacts dating back to the 

First World War. The museum offers one of the world’s 

best collections of aircraft engines, with descriptions 

and explanations as to how they were developed 

and how they work. The museum also offers 

battlefield dioramas, which are full-scale mock-ups of 

World War One and World War Two battlefield installations.
Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority • Small Community Air Service Development Grant Proposal • August 2, 2011 46

CONCLUSIONS

In its meetings with airlines in 2011, the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority has learned that 

one of the biggest challenges it faces in recruiting local air service is the fact that many airlines 

are worried about breaking passenger habits in the catchment area. Passengers in the Topeka 

catchment area are conditioned to drive to Kansas City to access air service. This Grant 

application is a key to funding an adequate marketing program to accomplish the goal of 

retaining passengers, and to provide an airline with a revenue guarantee to cover potential 

losses during the start-up phase of service.

This application takes on new importance in 2011, as airlines have cut regional capacity by 

more than a quarter since the fuel spike of 2008. This has resulted in rising fares – up 14% in just 

the last year, or $20 each way. Moreover, it is 

much more expensive now for Topeka 

catchment area passengers to drive to other 

airports in the region due to the increased gas 

cost.

Denver has the potential to serve as an excellent 

hub for service for much of central Kansas. There 

is no other Denver service offered in either the Topeka or Manhattan catchment areas. 

Moreover, the number of daily average seats between Kansas City and Denver has been cut by 

32% in the last two years. The Kansas City – Denver market has seen a loss of 707 available seats 

per day each way. The 100 available seats per day each way proposed in this application will 

replace only a small portion of those already cut from the region.

The Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority has spent considerable time building a local coalition 

of support for the air service proposed in this application. This local coalition has pledged 

$15,000 in cash funding for this application – new from previous applications for Small 

Community Air Service Development Grant funding. Additionally, the Airport will contribute 

$50,000 in cash funding as part of this project. With this funding in place, the DOT can be 

assured it has a committed partner in Topeka.

“This application takes on new 

importance in 2011, as airlines 

have cut regional capacity by 

more than a quarter since the fuel 

spike of 2008.”