### JOHN 

## H. Cox Ill Mayor

# ~-i)·**·~** .__ 

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### S<>ul ·,:.-.,of IlK' 

### -:: Ddl<l CiTY COUNCIL 

### Tommy L. 

### Benson, Ill, Ward 1 Lois Hawkins, Ward 2 Carolyn Weathers, Ward 3

Betty

### J. Watkins, Ward 

### 4

Ann Hollowell, Ward 5

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### D. Simmons, Ward

### 6 

# CITY OF**GREENVILLE~**

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### 1 , __**i~_: !~L;**  

### P. 

### 0. Box 'i§J7 • 

## 340MainSt • Grrenville,**~~i** 

### 38701 • Telephone: fiJZ-378-1501 • Fac;imile: fiJZ-378-0276 • Email:johnrox@grrenvillems.org

April 3, 2015

Mr. Michael Martin Transportation Industry Analyst Office ofAviation Analysis ·u.s:-o·epartm'ent of-Transportation-

-

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Room W86-472 Washington D.C. 20590

Reference: DOT-OST-2008-0209, Greenville, Mississippi Essential Air Service

Dear Mr. Martin,. 

## - 

## -----

# ____..,.__ 

# ____

Tt)is l_etter is tp

### advi~e the Ul)it_ed States_ Departme9t of

### T~anspori:ation thatthe startup·ofGreenville Essenti_al Air Service (EAS) by Seaport Airlines has thus-far been very disappointing.-

- .- - -- .·.

. . . . . . . . 

# .**~**



### .. :**~** ·. . . . •.**~** ·: ...

## . · .

A new start date of March 161h was designated after Seaport and the Memphis Airport reached an

- -·agreementon-rriaYriterminal access-.-However, in the first two

### ~eeks of Seaport_service thecarriercancelled 9 out of 72 scheduled flights. In addition, numerous flights operated significantly behind schedule.

This poorly executed start ofthe new service, coming on the heels ofthe very disappointing service for two years of Silver Airways almost intermittent flights to Atlanta and a dormancy between the end of Silver**servic~** and the delayed start.ofSeaport service, is ofsignificant concern to our elected officials as well**as.th~:c<;>_rn_mul')ity** in**g~n~raL.** __ ,... : :.-

.

•:• •**~** ; .'' • .·: • ··,•,:•:.'., II**~** o 'o .I•**~-'** -• o• •**~~-** :' ',• o ·• •'**'-~-•** -•:·,, G-reenville has ·always worked hard to be a

### re~ponsible participant in the EAS program. When the Silver**Airway~** service**ess~ntia_lly.co_llap_~ed_due_to pilo~** **~h_ort~ges** in .late**2013,-w~** partnered with Tupelo to

### g~in**Depa~ment.·approval** for,-5ilve_r. 

### t_q

### red!-!~~**s~r:v:ice fr~m.~6.trip_s_to.** 2_4:trips pe!Mteek.·We felt.th_at a reduced schedule would have a better chance of operating reliably and would also reduce the high subsidy outlays the Department was paying to Silver at that time. Despite our best efforts to work withSilver, fiscal year 2013 enplanements fell below 10 per day and Greenville was issued a termination notice of EAS eligibility.

After Silver's service contract expired on September 30, 2014, we allowed the carrier to leave, knowing they had no interest in staying and based upon an assumption that our new carrier (Seaport) would be able to promptly begin reliable and low fare service to Memphis. Due to a delay in gaining our 10- enplanement waiver, another delay in Order 2014-10-21**~eing** issued and then Seaport's inabilityto gain access to the Memphis main terminal, our airport was dormant from October 1, 2014 until March 16, 2015.

To Seaport's credit, Greenville officials and representatives ofSeaport participated in a conference call regarding the startup issues on March 30, 2015. Although Seaport provided spme explanation about this mferruption and u'i'lr'ellaOIITtyof service, passen-gei'S-an<:i-potential-customers·will**find·s~eh---~- ,~**  -·**--~~­** nonperformance hard to excuse.

We are hoping that Seaport can quickly become a reliable carrier serving our community. We have committed significant local funding for advertising the false startup in January. We committed further funding to advertise the actual startup on March 16. At the time ofthis letter, we have suspended all marketing and promotional outlays until we see a reliable schedule performance.

The purpose ofthis letter is to keep the Department fully advised as to our air service status. We also want the Department to understand that none ofthe above described problems with air service are due to anything we, as a community, have done. We need reliable air service. Our airport enplanement history demonstrates clearly that there is local demand for air service. Between 2004 and 2011, with service to Memphis from Delta or Northwest, we averaged nearly 15,000 annual passengers. As was previously noted, with unreliable Silver service, our enplanements fell to below 6,000 annual passengers.

We are a relatively isolated city in an economically disadvantaged region ofthe country.where reliabie air service is essential to retention and recruitment of business and industry. Unless Seaport can rapidly improve their operational performance, we will be challenged to stay belowthe $200 subsidy cap per passenger that the Department has indicated it will enforce in this fiscal year. We will continue to keep the Department fully apprised of our efforts to gain reliable air service from Seaport. Thank you for yo_JJr -----consideratiOn ofttilSietter:·- . - -- - --- --- - - - -**---~-** -

Best regards

# 't{j,;~

cc: Timothy Sieber, Executive VP, SeaPort Airlines, Inc. Greenville City Council Lane Rodgers, Airport Director, City ofGreenville Cary Karlson, Executive Director, Washington County Economic Alliance Mike Mooney, Esq.