September 20, 2011 Michael Martin United States Department ofTransportation Office ofAviation Analysis Essential Air Service Program Washington, D.C.
Dear Mr. Martin: 

## CODYYELLOWSTONE AIR IMPROVEMENT RESOURCES 

## 1131 13 1h 

## Street Suite 106**Cody~** 

## WY 82414 (307) 5-87-3] 36

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We appreciate the opportunity to express oursupport for SkyWest Airlines proposal to prov'ii:fe Essential Air Service to Cody, Wyoming. As you might expect, we strongly encourage you to select them as a provider for our community. Our local community is served by the Cody Yellowstone Air Improvement Resources organization (CYAIR), a collection of local government officials and business leaders committed to enhancing air service to ourcommunity. As a collective body, we plan forour community's future air service needs and work to solve emerging challenges in an ever changing aviation industry. The group has considered SkyWest's proposal and herein, offeroursupport forthe proposal as one united voice. This letter serves as ourofficial community response to the EAS Proposal as requested in your communication last week. Cody has enjoyed a long relationship with SkyWest and Delta, beginning in 1994. Many ofour community residents have agreat allegiance to that carrier, primarily**duet~** its hub in Salt lake City. This hub has become afocal point for many residents ofour community seeking advanced medical services, educational opportunities and also for religious purposes. The Salt lake Hub has also played a key role in Cody having year round, stable, and reliable air service in the past. losingthis connection would be extremely detrimentalto many people in our region. Cody is a community with strong tourism attractions and as such, relies on inbound air service to support many ofour local small businesses. In recent years; however, we have seen growth in businesses that also rely on air service as a means to sustain and growtheir enterprises. These businesses have specifically statedthatconsistent airservice connections are critical in maintaining a viable business presence. In addition, airservice is one ofour leading business recruitment tools and key to ourfuture economic success.The potential loss ofthe connection to the Salt lake hub also threatened ourability to maintain quality competition in the market and as a result, competitive fares and schedules. The SkyWest proposal creates an equal playing field with the otherair seriice available in the community. SkyWest's inclusion ofjet service and a schedule that enables good east/west connections atthe hub, will ensure that passenger targets will be met and allow us to continue growingthe users in this market area. Finally, in December of2010, Yellowstone Regional Airport opened a new $12 million dollarterminal in Cody. We were making great strides in growing the usage ofthis airportand anticipate a record number ofenplanements in 2011. We believe that commercial air service will**con~inue** to grow in our region. Awarding SkyWest this Essential Air Service contractwill allow us to continue ourwork in creating passenger demand and establish a market base which will eventually be able to operate independent of subsidy programs. We strongly encourage you to support the SkyWest proposal.

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owstone Air Improvement Resources

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