www.fly-rhi.org 

May 29, 2012 

U. S. Department of Transportation 

Office of Aviation Analysis 

Essential Air Service Division 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Robert G:!Hetk, CommiSsion Chair 

Joseph J. Brauer," Di'rector 

Attn: Mr. Dennis J. DeVany, Chief Essential Air Service Division 

RE: Docket OST-2011-0109 Rhinelander, Wisconsin 

Dear Mr. DeVany, 

The Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport Commission is concerned about the 

replacement of air service in a timely manner by Great Lakes Airlines because of 

a shortage of aircraft availability. 

Great Lakes Airlines was selected to provide subsidized Essential Air Service 

(EAS) at Rhinelander Wisconsin, for a two-year period by Order 2012-3-5 on 

March 7, 2012. Since the Order was issued we have been working closely with 

Great Lakes Airlines to establish a transition date to relieve Chautauqua Airlines 

d.b.a. Frontier Airlines of its obligation at Rhinelander, Wisconsin. 

We believe Great Lakes Airlines has diligently been trying to obtain additional 

aircraft to serve Rhinelander. However, the community finds itself on a month to 

month basis with Frontier Airlines with no estimated time in the future for 

transitioning both airlines. Because of this uncertainty we have seen a major 

decline in passenger ridership at Rhinelander- Attachment 1. The other reality 

our community faces is the decline of Frontier Airlines presence at Milwaukee 

Mitchell International Airport effective June 1, 2012 whereby the airline will only 

serve the cities of Washington, DC; Orlando, FL; Denver, CO; Milwaukee, WI; 

and Rhinelander, WI. 

Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport 3375 Airport Road Rhinelander, WI 54501 

Office: 715-365-3416 Fax -365-3439 Email: rhiarpt@newnorth.net 
The reality of our situation is the traveling public has been in a state of 

uncertainty since Frontier Airlines filed on September 9, 2011. Because of the 

lack of confidence in future airlines service at Rhinelander and lack of 

connectivity at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport into the national 

transportation system, we find our travelers using alternate airports or avoid 

traveling at all. Further, the financial impact on our .revenues and those of our 

concession partners is devastating with the eminent possibility of furlough in the 

very near future - Attachment 2. 

Therefore, the inability of Great Lakes Airlines to commit to a specific date to 

implement the order selecting them, the failure to acquire additional aircraft for 

Rhinela er, WI EAS; and the financial impact because of the uncertainty of 

future irline service we respectfully request the Department of Transportation to 

open a new the Request for Proposals at Rhinelander, WI in the next 30 days. 

, Si cerely, 

Lkert G. He k - Airport Chair 

CC: Michael Matthews - CFO - Great Lakes Airlines 

Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport Commission 

Rhinelander/Oneida County Airport 3375 Airport Road Rhinelander, WI 54501 

Office: 715-365-3416 Fax -365-3439 Email: rhiarpt@newnorth.net 
Attachment 1 

Month 

January 

February 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September 

October 

November 

December 

Totals 

TEN YEAR HISTORY OF REVENUE ENPLANEMENTS 

RHINELANDER/ONEIDA COUNTY AIRPORT 

:::::2oo3:>: 2oo4 ::>:zoos::::: 2oo6 :: :2001: 2oo8 >:2PO!L: 201 o : 2011: : 2012 ·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·. 

· ... '21:13 

... 

>::::<1:868: 

>:;;j(·f26 

-:-:-:-:-:.:.;.:-:-·. 

.;.; :: 19.6i ........... 

-: :::zo49 .. 

:::: :251:7: 

4543 

>>:4soo: 

.. . .. ······ <:::<z896: ........... 

:>:<28if 

.; ::2162: 

: >:: 2344 

2368 ::: >z~z~ 

2337::: 246;t 

2421 :::;:::2~:7:6 

2549 ::: ::2376 

2433 <:~57~: 

3425 ::::: >:3503: 

. ·.· .. ·.·.·.·.·.·.· 

5125 ::::<ss43 

5275 ::::5!>96 .. . ..... 

368o>:::Js~1 :-:-. . : :.: :-: 

3015 ·:: ::::3~:9~ 

2476 ::::: )~41: 

2459 >:<2~62: ........... 

. ' .... ,. 

32070 : :: :37563: 39277 

2681 ::: :zs:$a. .......... 

2448 ? : :t453· 

2780 :::::zs78 

2440 : ::: 2175: 

2798 :::: :<zs:sii . ......... . 

3311 }<)1j9 

.... 

4316 <:: '417~ ......... 

4595 >: . . . . . . :4&!2 . . . . 

.... 

3306 : : 3:1:{}:2 

3442 <.:::;~31( 

2781 : :::<:2538 

2566 >>~1:~~: 

2179 >>19.31: ........... 

>>>>:····.:-·-:-:-

1926 ?>2iJs~ 

1632 :))~i# 

1828 :;::: j.~s~ 

zo8o :.:U:fio!i 

2972 :::::3288 

3040 < :· 3~P~. 

1908 <<21:~8 :::::::::::::::::::-

1923 0::<19.~4 . ' . . . . . 

1726 > :j$"fZ: .... . ...... . ... ... .. .. . ...... . 

1683 :::::: 1:~~~. 

1470:: }1405 

<· <<<<<< 

1823 ·:i)>J~~~ 

1531 :::aog1: 

.. ·.·.·.·,·. ·.·.·.· 

1548 :: 2389 

2316 :::::)1:£6 

.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.· . 

3288 <<479~: 

3609 > 4so9· ......... 

2152 <::.ts42 

2101 .. A~~~: 

1875 ::: :: 1084 

2646 :::-:::·~~~4 1984 ::>f~~~ 1710 < <1.8~1:' 

37544:: >34944 25764 :: 269oz: 25112 <2s$4a: 

1037 

980 

937 

752 

773 

4479 
Attachment 2 

RHINELANDER/ONEIDA COUNTY AIRPORT 

Statistical Profile 

Statistics %Change %Change 

-- Month 2012 2011 YTD 

Total Enplanements 812 2458 -67.0% 4613 9178 -49.7% 

Revenue Enplanements 773 2389 -67.6% 4479 8877 -49.5% 

Airline Revenue $13,935.42 $17,791.22 -21.7% $97,447.84 $116,221.36 -16.2% 

Auto Rentals (1) $1,839.87 $3,347.71 -45.0 ... /o $6,398.93 $9,894.94 -35.3% 

Parking lot $4,069.08 $17,056.00 -76.1% $27,339.15 $65,515.15 -58.3''/a 

FBO Fuel Revenue $206.86 $346.91 -40.4%. $977.87t $1,520.66 -35.7";(, 

( 1) April Data.