Before the United States Department of Transportation January 6, 2015

Essential Air Service at
VISALIA, CALIFORNIA
Under 49 U.S.C. 41731 et seq. Docket OST

- 2004

- 19916

REQUEST OF SEAPORT AIRLINES TO CHANGE SERVICE

PATTERN AT VISALIA, CALIFORNIA

By Order 2014

- 12

- 7 , the Department selected SeaPort Airlines, Inc. (“SeaPort”) to provide subsidized scheduled Essential Air Service (“EAS”) at Visalia, California

. That
selection , for a two year period, was to provide 12 weekly roundtrip flights to Burbank and 12 weekly roundtrips to Oakland.
SeaPort hereby requests the Department’s permission to change the service pattern
at Visalia by replacing the 12 weekly roun dtrips to Oakland with 12 weekly roundtrips to
Sacramento. This request includes no change to the 12 weekly roundtrips to Burbank.
We have presented the change in service pattern to the Visalia City Council. A letter in support of this request will be fi led on their behalf and under separate cover by the Mayor
of Visalia

. SeaPort Airlines is scheduled to begin service at Visalia on February 9, 2015. As such, we respectfully ask that the Department approve the requested change in service on an expedited basis. In support of this request, SeaPort states the following:

#1. Sacramento provides comparable connectivity t o Oakland. Sacramento International Airport (“SMF”) would provide Visalia travelers with connectivity that is reasonably comparable to Oakland International Airport (“OAK”)

. The table on the page illustrates this point using multiple measures.SeaPort Airlines, Inc.

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### Comparison of Scheduled Airline Service Oakland v Sacramento

Where difference s do exist , they are largely attributable to low

- fare airlines at Oakland that provide service to leisure destinations and target price

- sensitive customers. Some of these carriers, such as Volaris and Allegiant Air, offer less

- than

- daily schedules and/or very late night/early morning departure times (effectively “red

- eye” flights ) . SeaPort believes such traffic would have comprised a very small percentage of the overall demand
on the VIS

- OAK sector. Sacramento, while sti ll providing access to low

- fare carriers such as Southwest and jetBlue, offers greater worldwide connectivity by providing travelers with access to all three of the major global alliances: SkyTeam, OneWorld, and Star Alliance. Customers that would
most lik ely benefit from this access typically represent business travelers and therefore help drive economic growth in the San Joaquinn Valley. This connectivity and contribution to economic growth is consistent with the overall goals of the Essential Air Servi ce program.

#2. Local traffic demand exists between Visalia and Sacramento

. As the capitol of California, there is demand for travel to Sacramento related to the
business of state government. The service pattern requested herein would meet the needs of travelers in the immediate area around Visalia Municipal Airport, but also has the potential to draw travelers
from the southern end of of Fresno Air Terminal’s catchment area and northern end of
Meadows Field’s catchment area in Bakersfield. Neither of th ese airports have service to the state capitol.SeaPort Airlines, Inc.

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#3. This request includes no change in subsidy.
This request for change in service pattern does not include a request for change in subsidy or frequency

. The number of weekly roundtrips to Sacramento would be 12, the same frequency to Oakland that the Department awarded to SeaPort in Order 2014

- 12

- 7

. Our schedule in the Visalia market, including service to both S acramento and Burbank, is provide below.

The distance between Visalia and Sacramento (204 statute miles) is approximately 10% greater than the distance between Visalia and Oakland (184 statute miles).

# 4

. SeaPort requests that the Department expedite this request

. SeaPort requests that the Department approve this request in an expeditous manner. We are scheduled to begin service at Visalia Municipal Airport on February 9, 2015, slightly more than one month from today. Until such approval is formally granted by the Department, and on the basis of conversations with Department staff, SeaPort will notify customers that service between Visalia and Sacramento is “Subject to Government Approval.”SeaPort Airlines, Inc.

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SeaPort Airlines appreciates the Department’ s consideration of this request and are available answer questions or provide additional information.

Respectfully Submitted,

Timothy Sieber Executive Vice President SeaPort Airlines, Inc. 7505 NE Airport Way Portland International Airport Portland, Oregon 97218 Office: (971) 340

- 1716 email: tsieber@seaportair.com

DATE: January 6, 2015