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t NATIONAL AIRPORT I p 417.868.0500 f 417.868.0501 ------------------------ ------------------------------ -·-···------------------''""'''-'----------------------------·---- ---+--------------------·---·-------------·····------------------------------------------- ------ ---------·-

June 29, 2012 

Ms. Aloha Ley 

Associate Director 

Small Community Air Service Development Program 

United States Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

1 

i 

Re: Small Community Air Service Development Program 

Docket# DOT-OST-2012-0069 

Dear Ms. Ley: 

This letter is to raise objections to an application submitted to the United States Department of 

Transportation (USDOT) for federal grant funding to support air service development efforts at 

the private Branson Airport, Branson, Missouri. 

The City of Springfield, Missouri, owns and operates the Springfield-Branson National Airport 

(SGF), which is classified as a small hub airport by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 

SGF has direct service to ten destinations from American, United, Delta, and Allegiant Airlines, 

including multiple daily flights to four major hubs. There were 365,698 enplanements in 2011. 

We have no problem with fair competition as it helps keep air fares in check, increases options to 

the public, and is good for the region's economic growth. We also have no desire that the private 

Branson Airport fail even though no federal, state, or local governmental entity asked that it be 

built. We simply raise a question of fairness. 

The private Branson Airport has touted itself from day one as a completely new business model 

that does not want or need federal aviation funding to be successful. They have stated publically 

they want the competitive advantage of not having to follow the same rules and grant conditions 

all public airports must follow to receive federal aviation funding, known as Grant Assurances. 

We understand they have used this advantage to enter into agreements guaranteeing exclusive 

rights, diverting airport revenue to pay private shareholders, and to subsidize airline service with 

airport revenue, all of which are prohibited under FAA Grant Assurances. However, none ofthis 

can be readily verified since they are not required to disclose this information as a private airport. 

We feel federal aviation funding should not be granted to the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of 

Commerce and the Convention and Visitors Bureau, even as public entities, because any grant 

funds would be used exclusively to market the private Branson Airport. It would be using public 

funds to promote a private for-profit business . 

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Page2 

June 29, 2012 

Ms. Aloha Ley 

If approved, it would set up an unfair playing field where SGF would be severely disadvantaged 

and could jeopardize the significant public investment made to develop SGF into the state-ofthe-art facility that it is today. Thank you for your consideration of these comments. 

Respectfully Submitted, 

Brian C. Weiler, A.A.E. 

Director of Aviation