Order 2010-6-7

Served: June 3, 2010

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

 

 Issued by the Department of Transportation

on the 3

rd day of June, 2010

ORDER APPROVING ALTERNATE SERVICE PATTERN 

Summary

By this order, we are approving an alternate service pattern for El Dorado/Camden and 

Hot Springs’ subsidized essential air service (EAS), operated by Alaska Juneau 

Aeronautics, Inc. d/b/a SeaPort Airlines (SeaPort). Service to Dallas Love Field will now

be permitted under the contract.

Background

By Order 2009-7-8, July 9, 2009, the Department finalized its selection of SeaPort to 

provide subsidized EAS at El Dorado/Camden, Harrison, Hot Springs, and Jonesboro, 

Arkansas, for a two-year period beginning when SeaPort inaugurated full service at all

communities.1 SeaPort inaugurated service on October 26, 2009. El Dorado/Camden 

and Hot Springs’ service consists of 18 nonstop round trips per week to Memphis with 9-

passenger Pilatus PC-12 aircraft. The annual subsidy amounts for the first year are 

$2,096,517 for El Dorado/Camden and $1,419,102 for Hot Springs.

Proposal and Community Comments

In a May 21 letter to the Department, SeaPort proposed that El Dorado/Camden and Hot 

Springs receive “two round trips to Memphis (MEM) and one round trip to Dallas (DAL) 

six days per week. This is based on the success Harrison is already showing as a result of 

 

1 Order 2009-6-25, June 26, 2009, had tentatively selected SeaPort.

Essential Air Service at

EL DORADO/CAMDEN, ARKANSAS

HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS

Under 49 U.S.C. 41731 et seq.

 Docket DOT-OST-1997-2935 
having additional choice of destinations.

2” SeaPort also states it reserves “the right to 

change the service back to the original pattern if after six months enplanements have not 

improved.”

Mike Dumas, Mayor of the City of El Dorado, submitted a letter giving“El Dorado’s full 

support for service change as proposed by SeaPort Airlines.” He states, “we are 

extremely excited about the possibility of adding a flight daily to Dallas. As you know, 

this community has had Dallas as our Hub for many, many years.” He understands that a 

morning and evening flight to Memphis will remain.

A June 1 letter cosigned by Mike Bush, Mayor of the City of Hot Springs, and Lance 

Hudnell, City Manager, supports SeaPort’s proposal for two round trips a day to 

Memphis and one round trip to Dallas. They “feel that service to Dallas has always been 

in demand from our public and it will be a welcome addition by all using air service out 

of Hot Springs Memorial.”

Decision

We will approve the alternate pattern, which meets the three conditions necessary for 

approval under authority assigned under 14 CFR 385.12(k)(3) of the Department’s

Regulations: (1) the alternate service pattern is equal to or greater than that determined to

be essential; (2) the community does not object to the alternate service pattern; and (3) 

the alternate service pattern will not increase SeaPort’ subsidy.

Because we are simply allowing the alternate service pattern and not requiring it, SeaPort

may revert to the original service pattern at any time.

The weekly compensation ceilings and subsidy rates per flight remain the same as issued 

in Order 2009-7-8.

This order is issued under authority assigned in 14 CFR 385.12(k)(3).

ACCORDINGLY,

1. We approve the alternate service pattern for Alaska Juneau Aeronautics, Inc. d/b/a 

SeaPort Airlines to serve Dallas, Texas ( Love Field), in addition to Memphis, Tennessee;

2. This docket will remain open until further order of the Department; and

 

2 Order 2010-4-3, April 7, 2010, approved an alternate service pattern at Harrison, allowing SeaPort to 

serve Kansas City, in addition to Memphis.
- 3 -

3. We will serve a copy of this order on the mayors of Camden, El Dorado, and Hot 

Springs, Arkansas, the airport managers of South Arkansas Regional Airport at Goodwin 

Field (El Dorado/Camden), and Memorial Field Airport (Hot Springs), and Alaska 

Juneau Aeronautics, Inc. d/b/a SeaPort Airlines.

Persons entitled to petition the Department for review of this order under the 

Department’s Regulations, 14 CFR 385.30, must file such petitions within ten days after 

the date of service of this order.

This order will be effective immediately, and the filing of a petition for review shall not 

preclude its effectiveness.

By:

TODD M. HOMAN

Director

Office of Aviation Analysis

(SEAL)

An electronic version of this document is available on the Internet at

http://www.regulations.gov