BUSINESS, INDUSTRY AND TOURISM 

217 Elm Street I Oil City, PA 16301-1412 I 814.677.3152 I FAX 814.677.5206 I 800.483.6264 I www.oilregion.org 

July 22, 2014 

The Honorable Anthony Foxx 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Re: Docket-OST-DOT-1997-2523 

Dear Mr. Foxx: 

The communities of Franklin/Oil City and the Venango County Regional Airport were 

served, on June 24, with the Department of Transportation Order 2014-6-6; Terminating 

EAS Eligibility and Establishing Waiver Procedures for possible continuation or 

reinstatement of commercial air service to the region. 

I write today to express my support for a waiver for Franklin/Oil City so that these 

communities and the Oil Heritage Region, served by the Venango Regional Airport, may 

have reliable commercial air service that is so vital to the area's economy. 

The decline in the numbers of commercial passengers using the local air service goes back 

to the previous carrier, Mesa, Dba Us airways express, who had significant struggles due to 

its financially strapped codeshare partner, the downsizing and ultimate elimination of that 

partner's hub airport and spiking oil prices that dramatically impacted operating costs. 

The airline filed a 90 day notice with the US DOT on May 3 of 2007 to terminate its 

subsidized service to Franklin/Oil City and bids were requested by DOT for a replacement 

carrier while the incumbent was held in. This delay was difficult for the community as the 

service that had deteriorated greatly from 2004 through 2006 became even worse in 2007 

while the incumbent airline grappled with few viable connections remaining and many 

flight cancellations due to maintenance and crew issues. The Airline actually went out of 

business in May of 2008 with two (2) weeks' notice. The community was without air 

service for over three (3) months until September of 2008 when Gulfstream International, 

(now Silver Airways) began operations. This airline, based in Florida, had no experience 

operating in northern climates and delays and cancellations became problematic as 

potential passengers avoided the uncertainty of flying from Franklin. Rebuilding the 

customer base became the sole responsibility of the local Airport as the airline did not 

participate in or cooperate with marketing and promotional efforts. The Airport has 

provided ground transportation for passengers affected by airline flight irregularities many 

times over the past 5 years in an effort to maintain any possible degree of customer 

goodwill for the future. 
There has been so much negative press and headlines during the past few years about the 

possible loss of service through funding and most recently the airline's notice to depart the 

market altogether. This has further exacerbated the problems faced by the Airport and the 

Community trying to attract customers back to the local air service. 

Seeking improvements; the Airport Manager at Venango Regional Airport has represented 

this region on the Pennsylvania Air Service Committee (PASC) since its inception in 2007 

and has worked with colleagues, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation- Bureau 

of Aviation and representatives of the Pittsburgh International Airport to restore service to 

PIT which is the preferred and natural connector for air passengers from this region. There 

is an opportunity now to regain service to PIT with an air carrier committed to this 

community operating a business model that has proven successful in many small 

communities; relatively high frequency, 9 passenger aircraft, reasonable fares and viable 

connectivity to major airlines as well as low cost carriers, (LCCs). 

The three, (3) airlines that bid on Franklin/Oil City service to PIT all presented essentially 

that same business model as the most viable solution to improve passenger traffic and 

allow the community to satisfy EAS minimum requirements of not only the 10 

enplanements per day but also attain and maintain the $200 subsidy per passenger rule. 

We look to the US DOT to allow Franklin/Oil City to start service to PIT under a waiver in 

order to provide reliable, timely air service to the region through the restoration of the 

connection to PIT. 

Thank you. 

Sincerely, 

~----~~~~~--~~~~~~~ 

~. 

J n R. Phillips II 

resident/CEO 

Cc: Senator Bob Casey 

Congressmen Glenn Thompson 

Governor Tom Corbett 

Barry Schoch, P.E. 

Commissioners, County of Venango 

File