# City of CPYesque I 

# .sie, 9vlaine The Oliice of Airport Director 

## ScottE. Wardwell Email: scottw @fh : lpresqueisle
. com 

## MEMORANDUM TO: Presque Isle City Council and Presque Isle City Manager FROM: Scott Wardwell , Airport Director DATE: April 2, 2014 RE: 2014 Essential Air Service Comments to USDOT

In their last monthly meeting , the Airport Advi sory Committee voted to recommend that the Presque Isle City Council request that the USDOT work with Pen Air to revise the airline schedule for the next two year contract period
. This revised schedule was included as Option 2 in the attached Pen Air proposal. The request to USDOT to adopt the revised airline schedule and the rational i s included in the attached letter addressed to Mr. Kevin Schlemmer, Chief of the Essential Air Service Division
.

RECOMMENDATION

1) Be it resolved by and seconded by to direct the Manager of the Northern Maine Regional Airport to send the attached letter to the United States Department of Transportation on behalf of the Presque Isle City Council.

12 Second. Stree t Presque Isle, ;M ' E 04769-2459 20 7 . 7 64. 4485 Pa;c201.764.2501 j
. iApril 4, 2014



## NORTHERN MAINE REGIONAL AIRPORT

Kevin Schlemmer, Chief Essential Air Service Division Office of Aviation Analysis United States Department of Transportation 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Room 64171 Washington,D.C. 20590 Subject: Comments on Pen Air Essential Air Service Bid
Dear Mr. Schlemmer: Both the Presque Isle City Council and the Airport Advisory Committee have reviewed the single bid received for the next two year contract period from Pen Air
. Both have voted and approved a recommendation for the schedule outlined in Option 2 of the Pen Air proposal. This schedule is similar to that used by Colgan Air dba US Airways Express for the majority of their 11 year tenure at PQI before leaving the market in June of2012. The recommended schedule seeks to address the significant decline in boardings of 20% and several complaints received by the local business community. These complaints stem from the significant shortening of the airline operational day by Pen Air. Both the Council and Committee encourage USDOT to incorporate this revised schedule in their final agreement with Pen Air. Shortly after entering the Presque Isle and Plattsburg markets , Pen Air made the decision to not overnight two crews in the out stations. Having the same crew that flew in the night before fly the first flight the next morning became standard operating procedure. In order to meet crew rest requirements, the first departure in the morning for PQI moved from 6:00 AM to 8:45 AM. In addition, the last arrival at night was moved from 9:10 PM t08:15 PM. Over the last 10 years, the role that Boston Logan plays as a regional air transportation hub has changed significantly. Many of the airports in the New England region no longer use Logan as a mini hub. Instead, Boston Logan operates very much like an O&D airport. None of the legacy carriers with which Pen Air has an interline agreement have Boston Logan as one of their hubs. Therefore many of those connecting out ofPQI are required to fly to a hub from Boston only to catch another flight to their final destination. In addition, connecting to airlines located in terminals other than Terminal B requires the passenger to go through security a second time. Given these two factors, it is imperative to give the business traveler an early departure of 6 : 00 AM out of PQI and a late arrival intoPQl of 10: 10 PM . Under the current schedule, the business traveler must leave the

650 Airport Drive, Suite 11 , Presque Isle, ME 04 769 P h o n e : 2 07- 7 64- 2550 • FAX : 2 07- 7 64 - 2551

www . FlyPresque l sle.com An Equal Oppo rtunity Employerday before any morning meetings and return a day later af ter any afternoon meetings. In short.he can not reach even the largest business markets on the East Coast by 9:00 am and have a full day of meetings and make it back home the same day. Both the Presque Isle City Council and the Airport Advisory Committee thank you for your consideration in this matter. If you have any questions , feel free to give me a call at (207) 764-2550. Best Regards,

Scott Wardwell Airport Director Cc: Michael F. MartinOption 2 Schedule from Pen Air Proposal: PQI BOS KS124 6:00 7 : 40 1234567 KS126 11 : 00 12 : 40 12345XX KS128 16 : 30 18:10 1234567

BOS PQI KS125 8:50 10:30 12345XX KSJ27 14 : 00 15:40 1234567 KS129 20:30 22:10 1234567