CIN OF ANGOON 

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

Mr. Todd Homan 

Director, Office of Aviation Analysis 

US Department of Transportation 

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: · . · .: ; '.L:: ! ,·.. > . .. . .l 

;...,. .... ' . ;:. ':·· .. ;. ;. . .. 

" 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 at those three !~cations. The purpose of th,e ,EAS program is 

to ensur.e .that communities 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." - ... .'' . : .. . ·' ·-· . ' . . . ~ . 

This statement is:~ ~~·r~i~~·b:~,~~se it th reate~s· Arigcioh' s longstahdirig ·and. i.inp~rt~·~t"~s~~~tlal air. ~~rvi~e between 

our 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 of groceries 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 progr:~nn: .··. ·· · , .. .' .>~,, .... ·· · . .::·· "'. . . . . . .· . _. ::: . ; : : - ';: ~ .· ., . ' ; :. . . . ~ . . .. . . . ' . • l :;,, ., ! •· :,.:' ~ •.l· ~ :· :· .: \·:: . :· ._; ; ..• ·. :·:· f~ ~·~<~ .. \.:- ·-.J· . ~ . 

Current frequency ~~~.t:b~ maintained ... ::-.: ' ·. - ·:·"'· 

1 l-.:' .. ~,.:· t: .• .. :::.:.~,~..:· ~!~~~J .. ~- ·:~:::: '~,~·:• :.:..:·: ~:;";-! t ·>~ ... ~~~ .. -: i :_ -:~ · ..; ... 

But beyond contemplating the substitution of Juneau 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-week summertime peak season, 7 RTs in the off-peak period 

Tenakee: 7 roundtrips per week in the 18-week summertime peak season, 3 RTs in the off-peak period 

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% over minimum peak service level 

Tenakee: 3 roundtrips per week, a reduction of 57% over minimum peak service level 

Pelican: 3 roundtrips per week, a reduction of SO% over minimum peak AND oft-peak service 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 of the 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 of the 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 of Angoon, 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 of three 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.