# bcff-osr-mh-n u

Septembe r

6 , 201 0 • 'i| T OFIRATION S Mr
. Denni s J
. DeVany , Chie f -,,;, i r/ , , r

^ o C L Essentia l Servic e Divisio n X-5 3 '- ^ ^^ ^ i n A KJ

: b b Offic e o f Aviatio n Analysi s U S Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Ave. , S E Washington , D C 2059 0 Re : GREA T LAKE S AVIATIO N COMPLAIN T I woul dlik e t o provid e feedbac k regardin g Grea t

Lake s Aviation , whic hcurrentl y ha s th e bi dt o provid e servic e t o Manistee , M I (MBL)
. Grea t Lake s routinel y fail s t o 1 ) properl y maintai n thei r equipment , whic hresult s i n numerou s delaye dand/o r cancelle dflights; 2 ) provid e alternativ e transportatio n t o strande dpassengers , 3 ) provid e adequat e mea l an dlodgin g reimbursemen t for passenger s strande db y mechanica l problems , an d4 ) respon dt o custome r complaints
. I hav e bee n delaye do r

strande db y Grea t

Lake s o n man y occasions , th e mos t recen t o f whic h occurre do n Septembe r

3,2010
. Grea t

Lake s cancelle dthre e consecutiv e flights from Milwaukee , WI (MKE ) t o Maniste e (MI)
. A s aresult , som e passenger s wer e strande dfor nearl y 3 0 hour s i n th e Mitchel l airport
. Grea t Lake s staf

f faile dt o secur e alternativ e transportatio n for passengers . SITUATIO N Thi s mos t recen t inciden t i s typica l o f

Grea t Lake s an dthei r

lac k o f commitmen t

t o th e Maniste e an dMilwauke e markets
. Great Lake s Aviatio n ha s tw o dail y flights fromMilwaukee , WI t o Manistee , MI
. Fligh t

529 6 i s t o leav e MKEat 12:3 0 p man darriv e i n MB Lat 2:1 5 pm , whil e Fligh t 529 5 i s t o leav e at

6:4 5 p man darriv e i n Maniste e at 8:3 0 pm . O n Thursday , Septembe r 2 , Great Lake s cancelle dbothflights t o MB Ldu e t o 'mechanica l problems. ' M y flight

o n Septembe r

3 was t o leav e at

12:3 0 pm , but was als o cancelle ddu e t o th e sam e mechanica l problem
. Wh y wa s thi s no t fixedo n Thursday , o r

overnight ? Again , thre e consecutiv e flights wer e cancelle dt o Manistee , an dother s wer e cancelle dt o Rhinelander
. Fou r RhineJande r

passenger s wer e strande dovernigh t i n Milwaukee , som e mor e tha n 2 4 hours , for a tri p tha t woul dhav e take n onl y 4 hour s b y car . GL A refuse dt o mak e alternativ e arrangement s for transportation
. CONCLUSIO N Great Lake s Aviatio n fail s t o properl y maintai n thei r aircraft , whic hi s dangerou s an dresult s i n frequent delaye do r

cancelle dflights. The y the n fai l t o properl y accommodat e passenger s b y securin g alternativ e mean s o f transportation , fai l t o provid e sufficien t meal s an dlodging , an dfail t o respon dt o custome r

complaints
. Th e solution s t o thi s proble mar e rathe r simple
. First , GL A shoul dhav e mor e tha n on e aircraf t servin g thei r

Midwes t routes . Second , maintenanc e shoul doccu r pro-actively , an dshoul db edesigne dt o correc t problem s before the y occur . Third , GL A staf f shoul dprovid e passenger s withalternativ e transportatio n whe n flights ar e delaye do r cancelled
. An dfourth , staf f shoul d provid e appropriat e servic e t o customer s (mea l reimbursement , communications , etc.)
. Great Lake s Aviatio n i s not

committe dt o servin g th e Milwauke e marke t an dManiste e customers . Thei r

lac k o f prope r aircraf t maintenanc e i s al l th e proo f needed
. A s aseasone d traveler wh o ha s flown mor e tha n 1. 2 millio n domesti c miles , I a mappalle db y thei r behavio r an dappea l t o you r

Divisio n t o forc e GL A t o properl y maintai n it s aircraft , hav e asecon daircraf t available , an dprovid e adequat e custome r servic e (includin g alternat e trave l accommodation s whe n flights ar e delaye do r canceled
. Than k

yo u fo r you r consideration
. Respectfully ,

Dr
. Jerry W
. Gille y 1561 1 C R42 4 Lindale , TX 7577 1 i gilley@uttyler.ed u 970-420-091 9