Order 2010-4-3

Served: April 7, 2010

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

 

 Issued by the Department of Transportation

on the 7th of April, 2010

ORDER APPROVING ALTERNATE SERVICE PATTERN 

Summary

By this order, we are approving an alternate service pattern for Harrison, Arkansas’s

subsidized essential air service (EAS), operated by Alaska Juneau Aeronautics, Inc. d/b/a 

SeaPort Airlines (SeaPort). Service to Kansas City International Airport will now be

permitted, effective April 19, 2010.

Background

By Order 2009-7-8, July 9, 2009, the Department finalized its selection of SeaPort to 

provide subsidized EAS at El Dorado/Camden, Hot Springs, Jonesboro, and Harrison, 

Arkansas,1 for a two-year period beginning when SeaPort inaugurated full service at all

communities. SeaPort inaugurated service on October 26, 2009. Harrison’s service 

consists of 18 nonstop round trips per week to Memphis with 9-passenger Pilatus PC-12 

aircraft. The annual subsidy amount for the first year is $1,695,929, and $1,591,119, for 

the second year.

Proposal and Community Comments

In a March 16 letter to the Department, SeaPort requested to change one of Harrison’s 

three round trips a day from Memphis to Kansas City, effective April 19, 2010. A

schedule was presented that, after discussions with officials in Harrison, was deemed not 

acceptable because it offered few connecting opportunities at Kansas City in one 

direction due to the flight being scheduled to leave Kansas City before 8:00 a.m., thus 

 1 The Order tentatively selecting SeaPort was 2009-6-25, June 26, 2009.

Essential Air Service at

HARRISON, ARKANSAS

Under 49 U.S.C. 41731 et seq.

 Docket DOT-OST-1997-2935 
eliminating many of the benefits of the service change. After further discussions with 

SeaPort and the community, SeaPort submitted a revised schedule on March 26 that was 

more favorable for connecting opportunities and the community finds acceptable. 

Decision

We will approve the alternate pattern, which meets the three conditions necessary for 

approval under authority assigned under 14 CFR 385.12(k)(3) of the Department’s

Regulations: (1) the alternate service pattern is equal to or greater than that determined to

be essential; (2) the community does not object to the alternate service pattern; and (3) 

the alternate service pattern will not increase SeaPort’ subsidy.

Because we are simply allowing the alternate service pattern and not requiring it, SeaPort

may revert to the original service pattern at any time.

The weekly compensation ceiling and subsidy rate per flight amounts remain the same as 

issued in Order 2009-7-8.

This order is issued under authority assigned in 14 CFR 385.12(k)(3).

ACCORDINGLY,

1. We approve the alternate service pattern for Alaska Juneau Aeronautics, Inc. d/b/a 

SeaPort Airlines to serve Kansas City, Missouri, in addition to Memphis, Tennessee;

2. This docket will remain open until further order of the Department; and

3. We will serve a copy of this order on the mayor of Harrison, Arkansas, the airport 

manager of Boone County Regional Airport, and Alaska Juneau Aeronautics, Inc. d/b/a 

SeaPort Airlines.

Persons entitled to petition the Department for review of this order under the 

Department’s Regulations, 14 CFR 385.30, must file such petitions within ten days after 

the date of service of this order.

This order will be effective immediately, and the filing of a petition for review shall not 

preclude its effectiveness.

By:

TODD M. HOMAN

Director

Office of Aviation Analysis

(SEAL)

An electronic version of this document is available on the Internet at

http://www.regulations.gov