I am filing my concern over the lack of due notification of hearing offered to midcoast Maine residents by the August Airport Commission prior to making its 

decision to change carriers serving the airport.

I live about 45 miles east of Augusta in the coastal community of Rockport. Our closest 

airport is in Owl's Head (RKD) and is served by Cape Air. When the Knox County 

Commissioners held hearings a couple of years ago about the change of carriers at the 

Knox County Regional Airport, I spoke out against giving the contract to Cape Air.

Unfortunately, the Commissioners decided to award the contract to Cape Air and I 

understand they are renewing it this year. Why did I oppose the award to Cape Air? I 

fly a lot for my work and I need reliable large plane service to make my connections out 

of Logan in Boston. Cape Air flies 9-seat Cessnas which are workable for resort areas 

with high summer traffic, but in the off season they are edgy and less than reliable and 

uncomfortable, and in my opinion on the verge of being unsafe for high volume 

passenger service. I also opposed the change as I am an elite flyer with USAir and like 

being able to connect in Terminal B at Logan without a hassle. However, more 

importantly, I can rely on a legacy carrier like USAir to cover me in the event of flight 

disruptions by ensuring that I will make my connections on the out-bound and get me 

home on the return -- something that Cape Air, from my experience flying them a few 

times, has failed to do. My opposition to the change at Knox County Airport did not 

have an effect and we are now saddled with second rate service. However, being a 

resort area, I can understand why we have this type of service... you get what you pay 

for!

Augusta, Maine, on the other hand is another issue. Since the switch to Cape Air at 

RKD, I have been driving the 45 miles to August to make my connections on USAir to 

Boston. I did this for several reasons, primary of which is the safety and comfort of the 

SAAB 340s that USAir uses for that route. I also do so as it relieves me of much 

hassles in Logan over having to change terminals when I connect to my cross-country 

or overseas flights ( and not worrying about my luggage not making it into the 

Cessnas). That is my personal concern over the proposed change at Augusta - and I 

would have laid this out at the hearings if I had been given notice that they were being 

held. 

My general concern is that due process was not followed in informing people most 

affected by the Augusta Airport Commission's decision - the frequent flyers who use the 

airport. It is analogous to a highway commission deciding to eliminate a interchange on 

a highway without consulting with the affected highway users.

I did send a letter to the Governor about my concerns after finding out that a decision 

was to be made without formal notification of all users of the hearings and laid out a 

number of more general concerns, which I have repeated below.

I am in opposition to Cape Air being awarded the contract and ask that DOT give 

due consideration to the consumer's perspective about what may occur in 

Augusta. If nothing else, I ask the airport to comply with ADA requirements and 
force Cape Air to use larger and accessible aircraft or renew the USAir contract 

and its history of providing accommodations to flyers with disabilities.

M. Janicki

7 Reflection Pond Drive

Rockport, ME 04856

cell 1 518 421 3520

.......................................

"I live in Rockport and have gone through the experience with the Owl's Head Airport 

switching over to Cape Air a couple of years ago. At the time, I spoke out against the 

Knox County Airport Commission's decision to switch to Cape Air from USAir. During 

the first year after the switch, I used Cape Air a number of times and finally decided to 

change my flying and go out of Augusta. Obviously, the 15 mile drive to Owl's Head is 

much more convenient, but Augusta at least has a large engine plane with what I would 

consider minimal safety features and greater reliability from a legacy carrier. The fact 

that I'd rather drive the extra hour to Augusta to not use Cape Air must tell you 

something in itself.

I fly often, both domestically and international and starting and ending my extensive 

travel in a Cessna is not my idea of a joyful experience. Let me lay out why I think the 

Augusta Airport Commission's decision to go with Cape Air is a bad idea.

1. Foremost, Cape Air does not offer ADA complaint service. Last year I had a 

colleague from overseas who has a disability visit us and she was unable to get to 

Rockport via Cape Air. With Augusta nearby, at least someone with a significant 

disability in the Mid-Coast region has an option if USAir continues to provide service. If 

you approve Cape Air, that option will be gone. The only option will then be a lengthy 

drive to Portland. Our state capitol should be an example of ADA compliance and not a 

setting that disregards it.

2. Secondly, the protection offered by a legacy carrier, such has USAir, is invaluable to 

anyone who flies frequently. Several times, when using Cape Air, between Owl's Head 

and Boston, I was stranded because of their erratic flight schedules and lack of back-up 

for canceled flights. A case in point, is when I was returning from Singapore last year 

and found that my flight home on Cape Air was canceled and I had no way to get from 

Boston to the mid-Coast by air. I asked the Cape Air station person at Logan for a 

reasonable accommodation, as I was just off an international flight and quite tired. I 

asked that they 'Rule 240' me over to USAir so I could be delivered to Augusta where I 

could arrange for a ride home to Rockport. The outcome was 'nada' - I ended up having 

to buy a new ticket on USAir to get to Augusta.

3. Third, is the safety factor. While the plane from Owl's Head to Boston is mostly over 

water and always a roll of the dice, granted the flights from Augusta will be less 

perilous. However, there is still the issue of a single pilot and lack of security on the 

plane which protects the pilot from an errant passenger. There is also the equipment 

factor. On a rainy night flight back from Boston last year, I spent most of the time 
stuffing tissues in the door frame next to my seat to prevent from getting wet. It was not 

a pleasant flight.

4. Fourth, Cape Air lacks the common courtesy to treat passengers as someone paying 

to be transported and not to be abused. Many times their plane has landed in Boston 

and in inclement weather we passengers are forced to stand outside by the plane until 

all the baggage is removed from the wings - even if we do not have any checked 

baggage. This means standing in open rain or snow without the courtesy of being given 

an umbrella or permitted to quickly enter the terminal building.

5. For casual flyer, and one who may not really care about their comfort or safety, Cape 

Air is suitable, but to another who has to fly for their living, having the Saab 340-B's at 

Augusta is a joy. There is leg room, a reasonable seat, safety with two pilots and an 

attendant, and size when the weather is inclement.

Those are my reasons why Cape Air is not the airline to bring into Augusta from a flyer's 

perspective.

From an economic perspective, if Augusta is trying to sell itself as a attraction for new 

business, one cannot serious gain the attention of corporations or businesses when 

they find out the City is only served by 9 passenger Cessna 402s.

Further, much has been made by the Augusta Airport Commission about Cape Air's 

success in Owl's Head with its passenger loads. Comparing Owl's Head with Augusta is 

like comparing apples and oranges. Owl's Head is seasonal and has many people 

using it who are not year-round frequent flyers between it and Boston. The load factor 

increase cited by Cape Air and the Owl's Head airport manager is an artifact 

and reflection of the Mid-Coast location where vacationers and 'summer people' come.

For those of us who live here year around, we fly for a different reason. Given 

reasonable fares out of Augusta on sizable aircraft I would predict the load factors will 

increase significantly. Certainly, if USAir retains competitive fares from Augusta, I - and 

I predict countless others - will abandon the long drive to Portland's airport.

I understand that my voice is not the only one you are hearing in opposition to the 

decision to have Cape Air come to Augusta. I would hope that you listen those our 

voices -- as consumers -- and come down on the side of the users of the airport.

M. Janicki