### Swanson , Bria n (OST) Dc?PO^-ZOO ^ - Grf-'^ S



# - 

# -mi mO r From : LeAnn a Dixo n [lbdixon65@gmail.com ] : NiQPfy^'y^yii^j? ' Sent : Wednesday , Januar y 18 , 201 2 9:3 6 PIVI .'••:'-;T^cAtii/'"' " To : Devany , Denni s (OST) ; EA S (OST ) Subject : Answe rt o Pacifi c Wings ' Petitio n fo rReconsideration . U i L i I f 

# m ? S P | : 2 ^ Th e followin g i s i n regar dt o Pacifi c Wings ' petitio n for reconsideratio n o f

th e awar do f th e Essentia l Ai r

Servic e subsid y t o Makan i Kai , citin g deficiencie s i n th e awar dprocess . I arrive do n th e peninsul amid-Augus t an dmak e barel y $30,00 0 pe r year . I coul dneve r hav e afforde dnearl y $50 0 roun dtri p for an 8-minut e flight

topside which , i n my opinion , i s criminal . An ddu e t o severa l medica l issues , hikin g topside wa s (an dstil l is ) a dauntin g tas k

for me . Whil e Pacifi c Wing s wa s th e carrie r for th e Kalaupap apeninsul a (August-Decembe r

2011) , I mad e zer o flight s an donl y hike dth e trai l on e time . Nearl y everyon e livin g dow n her e woul dhik e th e trail , i f the y ar e able , ove r

payin g th e exorbitan t price s bein g charge db y Pacifi c Wings . I amTHANKFU L tha t Makan i Ka i wa s awarde dth e EAS . I amno w abl e t o ge t t o Honolul u for

my medica l appointment s an dd o no t

hav e t o worry abou t

bankruptin g mysel f

for airfare . Thi s i s especiall y importan t for m e sinc e I wa s recentl y diagnose dwit h cance r an dwil l b e flyin g ther e often . I wa s very worrie dtha t I woul dhav e t o hik e topside an dcatc h afligh t fro m Ho'olehu aevery tim e I neede dt o go . It i s arelie f t o kno w tha t

no w I ca n easil y fl y fro m m y hom e an dback . I hav e bee n bac k

o n th e peninsul afor

littl e ove r

awee k no w afte r bein g ou t

for surgery . Th e mos t strikin g thin g tha t

I hav e notice dsinc e I'v e com e bac k i s tha t th e tou r bu s i s no w nearl y full instea do f nearl y empt y whe n I se e i t g o by . I d o no t

kno w th e breakdown , bu t

I canno t hel p but thin k tha t Makan i Kai' s affordabl e airfar e i s a t leas t partiall y responsibl e for

this . I suspect , therefore , tha t Pacifi c Wings ' clai mtha t ridershi p ha s NO T bee n affecte db y thei r pricin g i s no t

completel y accurat e - if

no t an outrigh t

lie . I rea di n th e origina l awar dtha t on e o f Pacifi c Wing s claim s wa s tha t ther e wer e n o complaint s agains t

them . Interesting . I don' t kno w abou t

"official complaints " but , whe n the y wer e th e onl y carrier , an y tim e thei r nam e cam e u p i n conversatio n aroun dher e ther e wa s certainl y nothin g BU T complaint s abou t the m- primaril y for

thei r pricing , bu t

als o for takin g awa y th e ramp use db y th e patients . Really ? It seem s a s thoug h Pacifi c Wing s i s citin g deficiencie s i n th e awar dproces s mor e tha n anything, however . I hav e hear dtha t the y wer e lat e i n filin g thei r petition . I

f thi s i s true , thei r appea l shoul db e throw n ou t o n tha t alon e - i f on e want s t o cit e followin g th e rule s o f th e proces s a s th e failure , i t shoul dappl y i n bot h directions . Th e peopl e o f

Kalaupap aar e excite dabou t th e change. I

t ha s reall y revitalize dou r community . Ther e i s als o peac e o f min dknowin g that

w e ar e abl e t o ge t

ou t mor e easily .

### mor

e often , an dmor e affordabl y tha n ou r previou s option allowed . Thi s als o mean s tha t mor e peopl e will b e abl e t

o visit thi s very , ver

y specia l plac e an dlear n abou t it s history . Makan i Ka i ha s bee n ver y receptiv e t

o ou r need s i n makin g their schedule , allowing u s t

o b e abl e t o ge t t o an dfro mwor k an dto/fro mHonolulu . Pleas e don' t

rewar dPacific Wings ' bullyin g behavior

by takin g thi s ne

w lifeline awa

y fro mus . LeAnnaLang , PO Bo

x 29 , Kalaupapa , H

I 9674 2 lbdixon6 5 @ gmail.com