Friends: Once again, the Visalia City Council has run away from the reality ofthe runway. In choosing this weekto support SeaPort Airlines' concept to provide subsidized service to, ofall places, Burbank and Oakland, it'stime to check-in with reality. The council is doing the wrong thing. The right thing would be to walk away from the mind-numbing Essential Air Service program. The program pays airlines to serve small communities with connections to major hubs, such as San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport. By a3-2 vote, the council recommended service to Burbank, where passengertraffic fell 5.34% in 2013, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Oakland lost 3.14% in 2013. These are second-rate airports with no meaningto Visalia. Here's why:

• Bob Hope Burbank Airport's nonstop flights are dismal. Itserves Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Seattle- all ofwhich are available nonstop from Fresno Yosemite International Airport. Bakersfield serves Sacramento, San Francisco, andironically, Oakland- all ofwhich mean nothing to Visalia travelers. The only bright spot is nonstop service to NewYork, known as "the studio express" because ofits popularitywith the entertainment industry in Burbank and New York. • Metropolitan Oakland Airport's nonstop flights are equally discouraging. After losing several majorcarriers in the past fewyears, its duplication ofservice from Fresno involves five ofthe 11 airlines nowflying from the East Bay. The only highlights are the enormously popular- yet seasonal, non-daily- charterflights tothe Azores Islands via Boston. A new entrant with upcoming seasonal nonstop service to Norway and Sweden, but Isuggest that hardly broadens optionsfor dailytravel from the Central San Joaquin Valley. There's a myth thatflying from Fresno is more expensive. But when you calculate time, fuel, possibly parking, weather and a big-city airport environment, it's generally equal. The only problem is thatflights depart Fresno with significant passenger counts so any bookings within 14 days appear to be more expensive. Because ofthe capacity available at major airports, a 7-day window normally can suffice. As long as Iam talking about expense, Iwould ask every taxpayer who's had the nerve to read this far consider these facts:

• The proposed fare by SeaPort is $59. Even ifa miracle occurs, and each 9-passenger plane is full in each direction every day, that would amount to $775,260 from travelers.• The airline is requesting an annual subsidy of$1,857,912 to provide the service. Given the best-case scenario, the cost shared by afull-flight potential ofannual 13.,140 travelers- and everytaxpayer- is $2,633,172 peryear, about $200.39 per passenger. Yet only 3,521 passengers boarded from Visalia Municipal Airport in 2013, according to the FAA. Even if one disregards the shrinking seat availability underthis plan, the stakes soar skyward: The proposed plan would create an effective cost ofabout $586.66 per passenger- in asingle-engine, non-pressurized plane. That is going to be atough sell. And let's notforget the cost taxpayers sufferto provide afully staffed Transportation Security Administration staff in Visalia. Those costs are unknown within the depths ofthe federal budget. Sometimes those costs can be addressed by landing at a non-secure area ofthe destination airport, requiring security procedures before gaining access tothe terminal; that has not been addressed. Make sure yourseat belts are fastened:

• Governments cannot run airlines. • Greed (forairport improvements) inevitably gets in the way. Itwould be far betterto directly workwith FedEx, UPS, and very important local operatorsto understand their needs. The challenge is to retain and value their business atthe airportwithout a crushing and mindless burden on taxpayers. • The idea for community access to airtransportation is noble, butwe don't need to perpetuate a system that is already underfire in Congress, forgood reasons. Fresno is merely 30 miles away, and offers nonstop destinations to Guadalajara, Dallas, and San Diego. A bitfurther away, Bakersfield offers similar service. The idea, however noble, to suggest subsidized ground transportation to regional airports is astart. But Visalia has avibrant, well-respected private company that already does that, door-to-door. Government should stay out ofthe way. Private enterprise has to prevail- in airlines, in transportation, and in common sense.

Steve Griffiths is a travel writerbasedin New York. He workedin Tulare Countyfor25years, andhe has 36years ofexperience in the global travelindustry.