U.S. Department of 

Transportation 

Office of the Secretary 

of Transportation 

Mr. Ronald Ciaravella 

President 

Dolphin Aviation, Inc. 

8191 N. Tamiami Trail 

Sarasota, FL 34243 

Dear Mr. Ciaravella: 

. ' ... ·. ·· ... ' 

JUL 

.. ~_._..,.. 

5 2012 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

· Thank you for your letter supporting the proposal submitted by the Sarasota Bradenton 

International Airport for a grant under the U.S. Department of Transportation's Small 

Community-Air Service Development Program. 

The Small Community Air Service Development Program was established to help smaller 

communities address air service deficiencies, particularly issues related to high airfares or 

insufficient service. Under the statute, the Department may make a maximum of 40 grant 

·-· ., -awards each year, although no-more than 4·a:wards may be to communities in. the same State. 

In order to provide communities with latitude in developing solutions to their air service 

deficiencies, the statute provides flexibility in the types of projects that can be funded. 

On May 15, the Department issued an order requesting that communities interested in receiving a 

grant this year file their applications by June 11 .. As these grant requests. are pending before the 

Department, I cannot comment on the merits of any particular proposal. I assure you that the 

Department will give full and fair consideration to all proposals that have been properly filed. 

As is our normal practice, I am placing a copy of your letter and this response in Docket 

DOT-OST-2012-0069 as a contact outside the record ofthis matter. I appreciate your interest in 

this program. 

Sincerely yours, 

Aloha Ley 

Associate Director 

Small Community Program 
...... -s •··:··· 

Ms. Aloha Ley 

Office of Aviation Analysis _ 

1.200 New.Jersey Ave,., SE, W86-31 0 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: Small Community Air Service Development Program 

Docket DOT-OST-2012-0069 

Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) 

Dear Ms. Ley: 

,._. _ .. .• "t! 

I am writing as President of Dolphin Aviatfon to express our strong support for the above 

referenced grant application to the Small Community Air Service Development Program. The 

recent deCision by Southwest Airlines to pull AirTran service from SRQ is a major blow to the air 

service and economic competitiveness of the entire region served by Sarasota Bradenton 

International Airport. AirTran accounted for over 360,000 passengers or nearly 30% of all 

passenger traffic at SRQ in 2011. .. ., ·•. 

·Sarasota· Brac:Jenton also: suffers from a lack of access to a westbou,nd airline gateway. This 

forces local consumers to drive to other airports, thereby inflicting economic damage on the 

local economy. 

A 1997 Economic Impact Study completed as part of the SRQ Master Plan Update revealed 

that 57% of all enplanements. at SRQ were out of area visitors spending an average of $665.00 

· · per visit. Using the CY 2011 · Air-Tran passenger traffic this equates to 102,600 visitors to th·e 

SRQ area. When combined with the 100,000 passengers lost due to no westbound service this 

equates to a loss of over $105,000,000 of direct visitor expenditures annually. When the 

multiplier effect is factored in it equates to a loss of nearly $285;000,000 of economic impact 

and 2,600 jobs to the area. 

The community is partnering with the airport to match the grant funds dollar for dollar on this 

critical matter. We ask the Department consider the serious negative effects the recent 

approval provided to Southwest Airlines to acquire AirTran Airways has had on our community 

and approve the application for assistance. Thank you for your consideration. 

Sincerely, 

Ronald Ciarave/la, President 

Dolphin Aviation, Inc. 

. . " . 

SARASOTA BRADENTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 

8191 N. TA!\1IAMI TRAIL SARASOTA, FLORIDA 34243 PHONE: 941.355.2902 FAX: 941.355.6441