Greenbrier Valley Airport 

and Industrial Park 

P.O. Box 329 •Lewisburg, WV 24901 

(304) 645-3961 • Fax (304) 645-4683 

"Longest Runway In West Virginia" 

May 9, 2012 

Mr. Dennis DeVany 

Chief, Essential Air Service Division 

Office of Aviation Analysis 

Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, D.C. 20590 

Reference; DOT -OST-2003-15553. 

JERRY O'SULLIVAN 

Manager 

•. J.;) 

Essential Air Service at Greenbrier/White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia 

Dear Mr. DeVany, 

This letter is the response of the Greenbrier Valley Airport in Lewisburg, West Virginia to the Essential 

Air Service request for proposals. The airport appreciates the ability to respond and the consideration 

that the Department gives to our response. 

Our Endorsement 

The Airport strongly endorses, without reservation, that Silver Airways is awarded the Essential Air 

Service contract at Greenbrier Valley Airport. 

The Only Bidder 

Silver Airways was the only carrier to offer a bid for Essential Air Service to Greenbrier Valley Airport. As 

we outline below, we believe this bid is acceptable and fits the selection criteria and precedence 

established by the Department in relationship to Essential Air Service. Finally, should this bid be 

rejected and another request for proposals be issued, the likelihood of a stronger bid is low. 

Funding Level 

We recognize that the funding level requested by Silver Airways, when considered ind-ividually, is 

unusual. However, in its bid Silver has indicated that its bid for service to Greenbrier Valley Airport is 

inseparable from its bid for ser:vice to Greenville, Laurel/Hattiesburg, and Tupelo, Mississippi, and 

Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Therefore, our view is that Option 1 represents a subsidy request of $3.35 

million per community and Option 2 represents a subsidy request of $2.95 million per community. 

These per community subsidy levels are significant, but are likely driven by the soaring cost of fuel and 

other costs such as high airport fees. 

Silver Airways' "All or Nothing" Apgroach with Mississippi and Alabama Cities 

Closest major airport to The Greenbrier, The Homestead and Snowshoe resorts 
The Greenbrier Valley Airport is supportive of the multi~airport "all or nothing" proposal of Silver 

Airways. To the extent that joint proposal with Greenville, Laurel/Hattiesburg, and Tupelo, Mississippi, 

and Muscle Shoals, Alabama creates a network which can be economically supported by Silver Airways, 

we support Silver's bid for the other cities. In fact, many of the advantages Silver brings to the bid for 

service to Lewisburg it also provides to the other four cities making this a strong proposal for all five 

communities. 

Service to Atlanta, Georgia 

Silver proposes service to Atlanta, Georgia under its own independent brand with a "close Interline 

relationship" with Delta Air Lines. This arrangement is acceptable to the Airport for numerous reasons: 

1. Atlanta provides an excellent gateway to most of our major markets and most of the national 

and international air service network via the world's largest single airline hub. 

2. Silver's proposed "close Interline relationship" will allow for single tickets, baggage transfers, 

and SkyMiles accrual similar to the service we've had recently. 

3. Atlanta is an important market to our community. 

Option 1 Versus Option 2 

For the reasons stated above, Greenbrier Valley Airport is strongly encourages the Department to 

accept the Silver Airways proposal for Essential Air Service at Greenbrier/White Sulphur Springs. 

However, because our service levels are identical in Option 1 and Option 2, which option is chosen is 

largely inconsequential to our community. We prefer Option 2 only because it requires a lower subsidy 

per community ($2.95 million) versus Option 1. However, Option 1 is acceptable to Greenbrier Valley 

Airport should th~t option be preferable to the other airports, communities or the Department. 

Service Alternative 

In the event that Silver Airways and the Department decide to negotiate a service alternative, the 

Airport will support certain proposals. Specifically, the Airport will support a proposal which includes 

one daily roundtrip flight to Atlanta, Georgia and one daily roundtrip flight to Washington Dulles 

International Airport in Chantilly, Virginia ("Dulles"). The flights to Atlanta should operate under the 

same conditions as in Silver's Lewisburg proposal. The Airport only supports a new flight to Dulles if 

Silver can operate the flights via a code share with United Air Lines in an arrangement similar to other 

EAS proposals Silver has recently filed with the Department for service from Dulles International Airport. 

Conclusion 

The Greenbrier Valley Airport strongly recommends that the Department award the Essential Air Service 

contract for Greenbrier/White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia to Silver Airways. There were no other 

bidders for service to our community, and the likelihood of a superior bid through an additional RFP is 

low. The flights to be provided under this proposal will adequately serve our largest markets. Through 
marketing relationships with the major carriers, Silver will be able to offer single-ticket itineraries to 

hundreds of destinations through its partners' large hubs. 

We look forward to a successful conclusion to the Essential Air Service bid for Greenbrier/White Sulphur 

Springs, West Virginia, and beginning to work with Silver Airways to establish service as soon as possible. 

Best regards, 

J ry O'Sullivan 

Airport Manager 

Greenbrier Valley Airport