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u s . Deportmen t o f ) 20 0 Ne w Jsrsey Avenue , S E Transportatio n ^ „ Washington , D C 2059 0 Offic e O f th e SecfBfar

y ' ' ''^ ' o f Transportatio n Apri l 8 , 201 0
VI A FACSIMIL E Th e Honorabl e Mayo r

Johnn y Dupre e Mayo r Cit y o f Hattiesburg P.O
. Bo x 189 8 Hattiesburg , Mississipp i 39403-189 8 Dea r Mayo r Dupree : I woul d like t o updat

e you o n th e essential air

servic e situatio n a

t Laurel/Hattiesbur g an

d giv e yo u a n opportunit

y to submi t

comments , i

f you wish
. A s yo u know , in anticipatio n o f

the end of

th e cuiren t

contrac t o n Jun e 30 , 2010 , b

y Orde r 2010-2-29 , issue d Februar y 26 , 2010 , th e Departmen t solicite d proposal s fromair carrier s intereste d in providin g essentia l ai r servic e a t Laurel/Hattiesburg
. In respons e to tha t order , w e receive d proposal s fro mMesab aAviation , Inc
. (th e incumbent) , an d Sovereig n Air , Inc
. I n additio n to ou

r brie f descriptio n below , th e proposals , a s wel l a s Order 2010-2-29 , ca

n b e viewe d onlin e a

t www.regulations.gov , b y doin g asearc h o n Docke t DOT-OST-2001-10685
. Mesab apropose s t o continu e operatin g it s curren t leve l of service , i.e. , 1 4 nonsto p roun d trip s pe r wee k to Memphi s International Airport , operatin g a s Delt aConnection , wit h 34-sea t Saa b 34 0 aircraft , at

th e annual subsid

y rat e o f $1,398,798

. Sovereig n Ai r

propose s t o provid e fou

r nonsto p roun d trip s pe

r da y to Loui s Armstron g Ne

w Orlean s International Airpor t wit h 19-sea t Jetstream3 2 aircraf

t a t th e annua l subsid y rat e of $999,248

. W e note tha

t Sovereig n doe s no t

currentl y hav e th e requisit e operatin g authorit y fro meithe r th e Department

or th e Federa

l Aviatio n Administratio n to operate th e servic e i t proposes , althoug h i

t ha s applie d fo

r suc h authority
. Pleas e not e tha

t propose d schedule s ar e illustrativ e an d th e carrier s ma

y mak e schedul e change s t o reflec t changin g conditions
. Th e Departmen t expect s subsidize d air

carrier s t o maintai n well-time d an

d well-space d flight s t o ensure ful l compensation
.M

y purpos e i

n writin g to yo

u a t thi s time i s t o giv e you a

n opportunit

y to submi t

an y final comment s you might

hav e o n th e propose d service
. W e reques t tha t yo u revie w thi s informatio n a s expeditiousl y a s possibl e an d submi t an y comment s yo

u ma y hav e as soo n a s possible , but

i n an y cas e n o late r

tha n Ma y 7,2010
. W e wil l carefully consider you r comment s befor

e w e submi t

arecommendatio n to th e Assistant Secretar y for afina l decision
. I f yo u hav e questions , or

i f yo u fin d tha t yo u nee d additiona

l tim e to draf

t you r comments , pleas e le t u s know
. Pleas e submi t

you r comment s t o m

e at : EAS@dot.po v I n addition , w e woul d appreciate i f yo u woul d emai l you

r comment s t o bot

h dennis.devanV@dot.go v and renee.william s ©dot.gov
. Yo u shoul d als o sen d acop y of you r comment s t

o bot h applicants
. I

f yo u hav e an y questions , pleas e feel fre e to contac t me or Rene e William s of

m y staf f a t 202-366-1058
. A n identica l lette r ha s bee n sen t

t o th e Mayo r

o f Laurel , MS , a s wel l a s th e Executiv e Directo r o f th e Hattiesburg-Laure l Regiona l Airpor t Authority , Sincerely , 

# lOJ ^

• ^ Denni s J
. DeVany , Chie f EA S & Domesti c Analysi s Divisio n Offic e of Aviatio n Analysi s