A \:)oT~.osT-m^'(^^^7^ 

U.S DeDartment • : l ' --JRI.'AH'- i : Assistant Secretary 1200New Jersey Avenue, SE 

ofnansportation; ,;:;:fGrRrAliCr^ Washington,DC20590 

Office of the Secretary MAR «) 1 onu 

of Transportation ^ H i;,\R 7^1 A ^^ S2 '^^^ ^ 1 2011 

Alberto J. Torruella 

Executive Vice President & Secretary 

Destileri'a Serrallds, Inc. 

Box 198 

Mercedita, Puerto Rico 00715-0198 

Dear Mr, Torruella: 

Thank you for your February 18 letter regarding assistance to the Mercedita Airport under the 

Essential Air Service (EAS) program. As you probably know, Ponce has formally appealed the 

U.S. Department of Transportation's decision to rely on JetBlue's subsidy-free service to the 

mainland and not to renew Cape Air's EAS contract. We are currently evaluating the merits of 

the community's appeal. As is normal practice, we are placing a copy of your letter and this 

response in the Docket, which is available for public viewing at www.regulations.gov by 

entering DOT-OST-1999-6592 in the search field. 

If I can provide further information or assistance, please feel fi-ee to call me. 

Sincerely yours. 

K^uSan L. Kiirland 

. .ssistant Secretary for 

Aviation and International Affairs 
SI 0-1 lo;^()X-()f)5 

.^^^ ^ 

Destileria Serralles, Inc. 

Alberto J. Tomella 

Executive Vice President & 

Secretary 

Febmary 18, 2011 

i 

Honorable Ray LaHood 

Secretary of Transportation 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Ave. SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Dear Mr, LaHood: 

We have been informed that the Essential Air Service Program of the U.S. Transportation 

Dept. is considering to discontinue its existing support of the Mercedita Airport located at 

Ponce. Puerto Rico. 

The air service currently provided by Cape Air and Jet Blue to this airport, and indeed the 

niecessity to receive increased airline services by the communities located in the South 

Coiast of Puerto Rico are well known because having to reach the existing transportation 

hub provided by the Luis Munoz Marin Airport located in San Juan is, of course, difficult 

and cosdy for the more disadvantaged communities which reside in the South Coast of 

Puerto Rico, as well as for Puerto Ricans who reside in the U.S. mainland and desire to 

visit their families located in these areas. In fact we abready experienced the suspension 

of air services some time ago by Continental Air Lines following the loss of existing 

governmental supports. 

The threat of losing the small amount of remaining air services will also seriously 

jeopardize existing efforts to bring to Ponce and its surrounding area the benefits of 

increased tourist activity to the detriment of the local hotels and paradores (small tourist 

hotels). This is of particular necessity due to the recent decrease in hotel occupancy 

brought about by the recent recession which has been affecting Puerto Rico for a period 

of at least four years and whose detrimental effects have only recently shown small signs 

of improvement. 

Needless to say decreased economic activity in Puerto Rico will only lead to an increase 

of Puerto Rican emigration to the continental U.S. in search of jobs which are not 

available here. We are sure that this is not intended by the Federal Government. 

BOX 198. MERCEDITA, PUERTO RICO 00715-0198-TEL (787) 840-1000/FAX (787)840-1155 

WWW.IX)NQ.COM 
SI 0-1 l()3()N'()65 

Honorable Ray La Hood 

Page 2 

February 18,2011 

As one of the principal employers in the South Coast of Puerto Rico, we urge you to 

increase your support of the Mercedita Airport in order to create much needed additional 

air service to our locality, thus contributing to our efforts to industrialize Puerto Rico and 

provide jobs in this sector. 

Cordially, 

DESTILERIA SERRALLES, INC. 

and subsidiary, SERRALLES HOTEL, INC. 

(owners of PONCE HILTON HOTEL) 

cj 

c: Hon. Victor Vassallo