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OPERA! 

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City-County Building 

300 West Ash Street 

P.O. Box 736 

Salina. KS 67402-0736 

CITY COMMISSION 

SAMANTHAANGELL, MAYOR 

NORMAN M. JENNINGS 

BARB SHIRLEY 

AARON HOUSEHOLTER 

KAYE J. CRAWFORD 

CITY MANAGER 

JASON A. GAGE 

DEPUTY CITY MGR. 

MICHAEL D. SCHRAGE 

TELEPHONE C785) 309-5700 

FACSIMILE (785)309-5711 

EMAIL: dtvcommissioniSialinaom 

WEBSITE: www.salina-ks.gov 

December 9, 2011 

Mr. Todd M. Horman 

Director 

Office of Aviation Analysis 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Wasliington, DC 20590 

RE: Essential Air Service at Salina, Kansas 

Docket DOT-OST 2002 -11376 

Dear IVIr. Horman: 

Tine Salina community welcomes tlie opportunity to submit comments 

regarding SeaPort Airlines' proposal to provide essential air service at 

Salina, Kansas. A work group comprised of representatives of the City of 

Salina, Saline County, tlie Salina Airport Authority and the Salina Area 

Chamber of Commerce has reviewed the SeaPort proposal. 

It is the opinion of local political and civic leaders that the SeaPort Airlines 

proposal meets Salina's scheduled air service needs. The SeaPort 

proposal provides DOT the opportunity to select an air carrier that will 

provide the following: 

1. Frequency of flights for the Salina market with three nonstop round 

trips a day (Sunday - Friday) to the Kansas City International Airport. 

2. An aircraft (the Pilatus PC-12) that is "right-sized" for the Salina 

market. 

3. Access to the KMCI hub that is served by low-cost airlines and nonstop flights to 51 destinations. 

4. An SLN-MCI fare structure that will encourage area residents to fly 

rather than drive. 

5. An aggressive marketing and customer service plan for the Salina 

market. 

6. An airline that will be actively involved in community events and 

contribute to economic growth. 

In submitting these comments, Salina requests that the U.S. DOT again 

waive the EAS program requirements for service at Salina with a multiengine aircraft of at least 15 passenger seats. Salina agrees to ongoing 

SeaPort EAS flight operations in the 9-seat Pilatus PC-12 aircraft. 

MEMBER... LEAGUE OF KANSAS MUNICIPALITIES . NATIONAL LEAGUE OF aTlES 
Page 2 

Mr. Horman 

December 12, 2011 

Salina leadership is committed to partner with SeaPort to make significant 

improvements to our local air service. Our joint efforts will result in total 

passenger enplanements (enplaned plus deplaned passengers) above the 

current six month average of 500 total passengers per month, to an 

average in excess of 625 per month. A total passenger count greater than 

625 per month will lower the federal subsidy to less than $200 per 

passenger. 

Please take into consideration that SeaPort entered the Salina market 

following extremely poor performance by the 2008 - 2010 EAS contract 

provider. It has taken time, effort and resources by SeaPort to rebuild the 

Salina market. I expect the current trend of increasing passenger 

enplanements to continue. 

Thank you for considering our comments as your office finalizes the 2010 

- 2012 EAS contract for Salina. 

Respectfully submitted, 

CITY OF SALINA 

Samantha Angell 

Mayor 

SA/TFR/ge