December 29,2010 

Mr. Dennis DeVany 

Chief, EAS & Domestic Analysis 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Office of Aviation Analysis, X-53 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Via Facsimile: (202) 366-7638 

. ~:.' ., ({ D If.' I, 3 "' !, '-.." I .... 

Electronic Mail: Dennis.DeVany@ost.dot.gov 

Dear Mr. DeVany: 

On behalf of the Hall County Airport Authority Board, I want to thank you for the 

opportunity to submit our recommendation for air service as part of the Essential Air 

Service program for Grand Island, NE (GRI). 

The Airport Authority board was pleased to see five (5) bids from four (4) different air 

carriers, including bids from regional jet providers. On Monday, December 20th a 

special board meeting was called to review and make a recommendation on the bids 

received. The Hall County Airport Authority Board voted (5-0) to recommend the bid 

from American Eagle with non-stop regional jet service to Dallas/Fort Worth 

International Airport (DFW). A copy of our resolution is enclosed. This 

recommendation was then brought before the City of Grand Island City Council on 

Tuesday, December 28th for approval. The City Council approved the bid from 

American Eagle with non-stop regional jet service to Dallas/Fort Worth International 

Airport. 

The Hall County Airport Authority is appreciative of the five bids received from the four 

various airlines. The bids from Seaport Airlines were not considered since they did not 

meet the fifteen (15) seat aircraft requirement. 

The Chicago O'Hare bid from SkyWest Airlines was also very popular and would be 

successful however the Airport Authority felt the bid would not be considered by the 

Department of Transportation because of the cost of the bid. The Airport Authority 

would like to thank SkyWest Airlines for submitting their bid. 

The bid from Great Lakes Aviation was the lowest bid SUbmitted. The Airport Authority 

3743 swotllt!P4ike to thank Great Lakes Aviation for the service provided to GRI for the past two 

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December 29,2010 

Mr. Dennis DeVany 

Page 2 

years. Despite being the lowest bid, the Airport Authority feels Great Lakes Aviation 

does not offer Grand Island the best solution to accomplish our primary goal of 

becoming EAS subsidy free. With numerous cancelled flights and an average of about 

550 enplanements each month it is clear that the market will not improve if we continue 

the service with Great Lakes Aviation. 

The proposal from American Eagle Airlines is the bid the Airport Authority and the City 

of Grand Island are recommending to the Department of Transportation. We believe 

this option provides a significant improvement in service and supports the Airport 

Authority's ultimate goal to become subsidy free. 

American Eagle's recent success in Manhattan, KS and Roswell, NM, taking previously 

subsidized communities and making them subsidy free speaks for itself. Bringing in 

regional jet service to a major hub like Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport has 

increased enplanements substantionally to the point of subsidy free air service. 

Columbia, MO has experienced the same with Delta regional jet services. These 

communities have responded to the regional jet hub service and we feel strongly that 

Grand Island has the same potential. 

The Airport Authority would like to submit the following reasons why the DOT should 

consider the American Eagle bid: 

1) S U b Sl 'd Iy require . d per :>assenger: 

American Eagle $57.00 Lowest 

Great Lakes Aviation $136.00 

SkyWest Airlines $143.00 

2) E sima t' t d A e nnua I P assengers: 

American Eagle 38,856 Highest 

'-Great Lakes Aviation 14,750 

SkyWest Airlines 21,000 

3) American Eagle, through Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport connects to 19 of 

our to 20 destinations: 

American Ea Ie i 19 

Great Lakes AviatioI1jJO~ ____ ~ 

SkyWest Airlines ! 12 : 

'Factored circuity 

4) Non-stop service to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is service our 

surrounding airports do not have. 

• Kearney - Denver (EAS) 

$ Lincoln - Denver, Minneapolis , Chicago 
December 29,2010 

Mr. Dennis DeVany 

Page 3 

This would increase our enplanements while Kearney, an EAS airport 45 miles 

west of Grand Island, would not be competing for the same passengers as we 

are now. 

5) American Eagle's proven success at Manhattan, KS and Roswell, NM of making 

airports once heavily subsidized into subsidy free airports with a tremendous 

increase of passengers. 

6) The Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport experiences less weather related 

delays than Denver and Chicago. Less delays equates to higher reliability for 

GRI. 

In closing, the Airport Authority and the City of Grand Island elected officials are 

recommending the American Eagle bid to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. With 

the tremendous growth Grand Island has experienced in population and business, we 

feel we can support this service. The American Eagle service will help us accomplish 

our primary goal of becoming subsidy free and provide reliable regional jet service to a 

major hub connecting us to the national transportation system. We ask the Department 

of Transportation to award the bid to American Eagle Airlines with regional jet service to 

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. 

Sincerely submitted, 

HALL COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY 

Michael J. Olson, ME 

Executive Director 

Central Nebraska Regional Airport 

Enclosure: Resolution 10-72 

MJO:ars 
Hall County Airport Authority 

December 20,2010 

Resolution 10-72 

Essential Air Service (EAS) Request for Grand Island, NE 

AUTHORITY ACTION TAKEN: Resolving that the Hall County Airport Authority 

makes the following recommendation to the Department of Transportation (DOT) 

for air service for the Central Nebraska Regional Airport under the Essential Air 

Service program: American Eagle Airlines to DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) Texas on 

an Embraer (37-50 seat) Regional Jet and the Airport Authority agrees to waive 

the right to hold in American Airlines upon issuance of 120 days notice to 

terminate services. 

t;n4 wern/,~oard Chair 

"~I I /i 

,:~~}~j:jJ7t/f}l 

Michael J.Olson, Executive Director 

ORIGINAL