Order 20 10

- 2

- 30

Served: February 26 , 20 10



### UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY WASHINGTON, D.C.

Issued by the Department of Transportation

on the 26 th day of February , 20 10

Essential Air Service at

FORT DODGE , IOWA MASON CITY, IOWA

Under 49 U.S.C. 41731 et seq

. DOCKET DOT

- OST

- 2001

- 10682
DOCKET DOT

- OST

- 2001

- 10684



### ORDER APPROVING ALTERNATE SERVICE PATTERN

Summary By this order, the Department is approving the request of Mesaba Aviation , Inc. d/b/a Delta Connection (Mesaba)

, to alter Fort Dodge ’ s service pattern from three daily one

- stop round trips

to two daily nonstop round trips to Minneapolis

.

Background By Order 200 9

- 4

- 20

, April 2 7 , 200 9 , the Department selected Mesaba to provide subsidized

essentia l air service at Fort Dodge, in conjunction with Mason City, IA, for the two

- year period through May 3 1 , 20 1 1 . That order established a combined annual subsidy rate of $ 2,2 2 5, 213

, for

service consisting of 18 round trips per week over a Fort Dodge

- Mason C ity

- Minneapolis routing, with 34

- seat Saab 340 aircraft.

Carrier Proposal On February 23

, Mesaba requested to alter the current service pattern at Fort Dodge from three

one

- stop round trips each weekday and weekend over Mason City, to two daily nonstop ro und trips directly to Minneapolis. In addition, Mesaba proposes to change the timing of the remaining two flights, with the last flight overnighting in Fort Dodge. Service would continue to

be operate d with 34

- seat Saab 340 aircraft.

Community Comments

W e received letters from the Mayor of Fort Dodge as well as the Fort Dodge Airport Commission, indicating that the City Council, City Administration and Airport Commission all

enthusiastical ly support Mesaba ’s request to alter its service pattern to two da ily nonstop round trips to Minneapolis.2

Decision We will approve Mesaba ’s request, 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 patter n 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 Mesaba’s subsidy.

The new service at Fort Dodge calls for 14 round t rips per week rather than 18. We must therefore adjust the subsidy

- per

- flight

, even though the annual subsidy remains the same. Appendix A shows these adjusted calculations

. 1

Because we are simply allowing the alternate service pattern and not requiring it, Mesaba may revert to the original service pattern at any time.

This order is issued under authority delegated in 14 CFR 385.12 ( k ) (4)

.

ACCORDINGLY,

1. We approve the alterna te service pattern requested by Mesaba Aviation , Inc., to serve Fort Dodge, Iowa , with two daily nonstop round trips Minneapolis , at the annual subsidy rate

established by Order 200 9

- 4

- 2 0 , payable as adjusted in Appendix A of this order ;

2. Docket DOT

- OST

- 2001

- 10682 will remain open until further order of the Department; and

3. The Department will serve a copy of this order on the mayor and airport manager of Fort Dodge

, and Mesaba Aviation, Inc

.

Persons entitled to petition the Department for review of this order under the Department’s Regulations, 14 CFR 385.50, must file su ch petitions within ten (10) 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 World Wide Web at www.regulations.gov

1 There is no change to Mason City’s subsidy per flight because its service remains at 18 round trips per week.

### Appendix A

MESABA AVIATION, INC. d/b/a DELTA CONNECTION ANNUAL COMPENSATION REQUIREMENT FOR ESSENTIAL AI R SERVICE AT FORT DODGE, IOWA (ADJUSTED)

Effective period: Upon implementation , through May 31, 2011

Service: 14 non stop round trips per week to Minneapolis

Aircraft type: Saab 340 aircraft (34 seats)

Timing of flights: No upline or intermediate s ervice is permitted without prior Department approval. Flights must be well

- timed and well

- spaced in order to ensure full compensation.

Annual compensation: $2,225,213

Subsidy Rate Per Arrival/Departure: $ 788 1

Weekly Compensation Ceiling: 2 $ 2 2,064 3

___________________________ 1 Annual compensation of $2,225,213 divided by two, divided by 1

, 412 annual arrivals and departures

calculated as follows: 28 flts/week x 52 weeks x 97% completion = 1,412

2 This rate assumes an annua l completion factor of 97 percent. A compensation ceiling is to be applied per calendar week such that service above that ceiling in one week cannot make up for service shortfalls

in another week.

3 Subsidy rate per arrival/depar ture of $ 788 multiplied b y 28 eligible arrivals and departures.