Dennis DeVaney 

Chief, Essential Air Service Division 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

August 19,2011 

Re: REGIONAL ESSENTIAL AIR ~VICE JOINT RECOMMENDATION 

Dodge City, Kansas t,/ Garden City, Kansas /' 

Docket # OST-1998-3502 Docket # OST-1998-3503 

Dear Dennis: 

As you are aware, in June the City Commission of the City of Garden City, Kansas unanimously 

endorsed the proposal submitted by American Eagle to serve Garden City with regional jet 

service to Dallas-Fort Worth. Following that decision, several discussions between Garden City 

and Dodge City officials ensued to identify opportunities to submit a regional air service strategy 

for your consideration, but in a manner which did not dramatically impact the distribution of 

funds allocated to the Essential Air Service program on a national level. 

To that end, on August 4th the Dodge City Commission was presented with a proposed 

recommendation which would have modified Great Lakes' service to Dodge City, Kansas 

allowing the "remaining" subsidy to assist in funding the American Eagle proposal for Garden 

City. That proposal was rejected by the Commission by a 3-2 vote with the majority of the 

Commission opting to recommend a continuation of the City's present service as proposed by 

Great Lakes which provides four (4) daily round trip flights to Denver. However, in the days 

following the August 4th meeting, there has been considerable discussion regarding a different 

proposal in an effort to provide regional jet service for southwest Kansas. Those discussions 

have focused on the benefits to the traveling public in both Dodge City and Garden City and 

strategies for funding the total amount of subsidy which would be required in order to maximize 

those benefits. 
A new proposal was prepared to again offer an opportUnity to forge a regional partnership aimed 

at securing regional jet service to western Kansas and at the same time provide maximum access 

to the nations air transportation network. The attached proposal, described as the "Joint 

Recommendation", was presented to the Commissioners of the City Dodge City last Monday 

night and was approved by the Commission. 

The Cities of Garden City and Dodge City present this joint letter in support of the service 

described in the Joint Recommendation. This proposal not only has the support of our 

communities' elected leadership, but also State officials who have helped craft this unique 

regional partnership. The City's of Dodge City and Garden City are also supportive of the 

efforts of the BAS office to ''hold the line" on the total amount of Federal subsidy required to 

'provide air service for the geographicaliy isolated subsidy eligible points in western Kansas. At 

the present time Great Lakes Airlines has proposed to provide both Garden City and Dodge City 

with service to Denver at a combined subsidy cost of$4.6 million dollars. By the same token, 

American Eagle has proposed service to Dallas from Garden City at a proposed subsidy cost of 

$3.2 million dollars. 

In conversations with Great Lakes Airlines, it appears that the three (3) nonwstop flights to 

Denver from Dodge City as stated in the Joint Recommendation can be provided at a subsidy 

cost of approximately $1.7 mil1ion dollars. As reflected on the attached computation sheet, 

through the combined efforts of both Dodge City and Garden City, as well as the State of 

Kansas, the total cost to the EAS subsidy program of the Joint Recommendation for service to 

both cities has been reduced, leaving a total EAS subsidy cost for service to both communities at 

the same level as would have been paid under the Great Lakes proposal for both cities. 

As you know, and as indicated on the attached computation sheet, the City of Garden City is 

committing a $333,333 annual subsidy to help lessen the financial impact of this regional plan on 

the Essential Air Service program. We will defer to YOUl'judgment as to how this money moves 

from the community to American Eagle. 

Thank you for your assistance in granting our communities the time to work collectively on this 

unique opportunity and your assistance in analyzing the financial and operational details ofthe 

proposals. Thank you for giving careful consideration to this significant opportunity for 

southwest Kansas. 

Respectfully Submitted Respectfully Submitted 

on behalf of t e City of Dodge City, KS on behalf of the City of Garden City, KS 
DODGE CITY/GARDEN CITY JOINT EAS RECOMMENDATION 

The following is intended to supersede the original recommendations dated June 7, 2011 

and August 6, 2011: 

1. Approve the American Eagle proposal for two (2) daily round trip flights 

to Dallas from Garden City utilizing regional jet aircraft; 

2. Eliminate one (1) Great Lakes proposed flight at Dodge City and apply the 

resulting subsidy savings to the balance of the subsidy requirement for the 

American Eagle regional jet service from Garden City to Dallas; 

3. Retain the proposed remaining three (3) Great Lakes Denver flights as 

non-stop flights from Dodge City to Denver; and 

4. Provide that should American Eagle discontinue its service at Garden City 

at any time the fourth (4th) Great Lakes Denver flight at Dodge City would 

be reinstated. 
August 19, 2011 

Great Lakes Tradition EAS proposal for Denver Service for Both Communities 

Denver/Garden City $2,329,498 

Denver/Dodge City $2,278,126 

Total Cost for Both $4,607,624 

Dodge City/Garden City Joint Recommended Regional EAS 

Proposal for Denver and Dallas Service 

American Eagle/Garden City $3,252,359 

Local & State Funding ($333,333) 

Total Cost for Garden City/Dallas $2,919,026 

Great LakeslDodge City/Denver 

Total Cost for Both 

$1,688,598 

$4,607,624 

Difference in Cost $0