# CIN 

# OF ANGOON
P.O. BOX 189 • ANGOON, ALASKA 99820 • (907) 788-3653 • FAX (907) 788-3821

Mr. Todd Homan Director, Office ofAviation Analysis US Department ofTransportation 

### 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 

### 20590 Dear 

### Mr. Homan, September 

### 26, 2014 

## DOT- 

## 0 

# ST- 200(:,- 

# 2554 2.

! am writing to**regi~;ter** my strong objection to Order 

### 20H-·9-13 to the**e:,~tentthat~t** indicates that the 

### Department may be considering the termination of subsidized Essential Air Service between Angoon and Juneau, Alaska-our community's critical air service connection. Order 

### 2014-9-13, issued on Monday, September 

### 22, 2014, under your signature, requested proposals from air carriers interested in providing essential air service to Angoon, Tenakee Springs, Pelican and Elfin Cove. Footnote 1

, in**t~e Orde.q;.t~J~~**  .the following: · . · .: ; 

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" 1 Harris Aircraft Services (Harris Air) currently provides non-EAS air service from Angoon, Pelican, and



## .,**T~r!fll<.e.e. to.Sitka:(SIT);~han:meets**  frequency minimums for EAS. Harris Air also has an application with the Department for a certificate of public convenience and necessity. If Harris Air's application is approved, we may revisitthe.need fo·r requesting proposals atthose three

### !~cations. The purpose ofth,e ,EAS program is to ensur.e .thatcommunities have 'air service access where there would not otherwise be access. If Harris

· .. Air, 'as a certificated carrier, is providing

## subsidy~free'EP.s;:~~e neeg for

## subsidi~e9 EASls moot."

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### C()I'Ylm~,JniW,**~nd )i,meau~Angoon'~**  R'l'ost important

### destln'atron~irdavor**ofi~ss** freq"ue'nt

### se~ice to an inferior destination. 

### Angoon's Essential Air Service connection must be to Juneau While our community values tremendously the regular service to Sitka (capably provided by Harris Air) as an important ancillary connection for Angoon, that service cannot substitute for the daily EAS service to Juneau that we depend on. juneau is our state capit.al,:the headquarter's for'our 

### two native corporations (Seaiaska arid KootznooV:,oo, Inc.), the dispatch

### cent~r for O!.IJ 

### U.S.Mail, the prlmarrorigin ofgroceries and:.othe·r commodities, and the regional hub for Alaska Airlines and now Delta Airlines-providers of our connections to the air transportation network. The idea that Angoon-June(l.l;l·service; which has ovetSOyears of established'history, could suddenly

### disapp,~ar. in favor of less

### frequent)i~:IYk~·to a:satellite cit'{ such as Sitka is totally 'unacceptable. Angoon-Juneau air ser:viGe

### )s~essentipl to Angoon, and

### must:be~c.ontinu~to;be pro\iii:led·under the subsidized EAS

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### · .. ;... But beyond contemplating the substitution ofJuneau service for Sitka service, the Department's order adds insult to ,injury by_suggesting that a significant diminishment in air service frequency is also acceptable. It is not. The

# CITY OF ANGOON
P.O. BOX 189 • ANGOON, ALASKA 99820 • (907) 788-3653 • FAX (907) 788-3821

service offered to Sitka by Harris Air, while again oftremendous value to our community, cannot replace the frequency and capacity currently offered between Angoon and Juneau. Under the Department's current Essential Air Service orders, the minimum service stipulated, and provided by Alaska Seaplanes, is as follows: Angoon: 10 roundtrips per week in the 18-weeksummertime peakseason, 

### 7 RTs in the off-peakperiod Tenakee: 7 roundtrips per week in the 18-weeksummertime peak season, 3 RTs in the off-peakperiod Pelican: 6 roundtrips per week, year-round
Based on Harris Air's current and proposed future flight pattern\ the frequency to Sitka amounts to: Angoon: 

### 7 roundtrips per week, a reduction of30% overminimum peakservice level Tenakee: 3 roundtrips per week, a reduction of 57% over minimum peakservice level Pelican: 3 roundtrips per week, a reduction ofSO% overminimum peakAND oft-peakservice level
The abandonment of service to Juneau in favor of less frequent and reduced capacity2 service to Sitka would be economically devastating to our communities. 

### The objective ofthe EAS program is to provide a critical link from small remote communities to the national air transportation system. Is it the Department's intent to interpret "Essential Air Service" to be merely a token level of connectivity to any 

### City? Unlike many ofthe communities you subsidize in the lower

### 48, where air service is maintained primarily to save passengers from the inconvenience of driving more than a couple hours to board a flight, 

### air service to our communities is a critical lifeline. The communities ofAngoon, Tenakee Springs, Pelican and Elfin Cove are all on islands. We have no road access, and only infrequent ferry service. We depend on Seaplanes as our connection for basic goods and services in Juneau, and to access the larger airline network beyond. 

### Please understand that our needs here are different. Air service is not merely a convenient frill, it is a basic necessity. 

### It is essential, precisely what the "essential air service" program was designed to fulfill. We hope you 

### will appreciate that difference and ensure that service to Juneau at historic frequency levels is maintained.

Matthew Kookesh, 

### Jr. Mayor

cc: US Senator Mark Begich US Senator Lisa Murkowski Rep. Don Young

1 Harris Air application for Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, Exhibit HAS-13 Illustrative Service Proposal, August 25,2014 2 Currently, Angoon-Juneau air service is provided by Alaska Seaplanes using a fleet ofthree DHC-2 Beavers, one Cessna 206, and one Cessna 180 all on straight floats (greater carrying capacity} in the summertime. Sitka service provided by Harris Air is operated using one DHC-2 Beaver and one Cessna 185 on amphibious floats year-round. Harris states in its Certificate application that it has no intention to acquire additional aircraft.