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OST-1999-6244

http://www.portalexander.com/

EAS Docket

Essential Air Service at Port Alexander, Alaska

By:  Taquan Air, Gail S. Mathers

By:  John Coleman

By:  David Castle, 907.747.6110, eyak@ptialaska.net

Counsel:  Taquan, Jerry Scudero, 907.225.1010

Counsel:  Wings of Alaska, Robert Jacobsen, 907.789.9863

By:  Jane Langley

By:  Port Alexander, Jayle Young

By:  Haida Corporation, Michele L. Loughead

By:  Bradley Mims

By:  Randall Bennet

Order 2000-2-19 selects Harris Aircraft Services, Inc., d/b/a Harris Air, to provide subsidized essential air service at Port Alexander, Alaska, for the two-year period beginning with the carrier's inauguration of service, through February 28, 20002, at an annual subsidy rate of $24,583. 

By:  Bradley Mims

Order 2000-2-23 Extending Taquan Air's Service obligation at Port Alexander and Hydaburg, Alaska, for an additional 30 days, through March 20, 2000. 

By:  Randall Bennett

By:  Randall Bennet

By:  Bradley Mims

By:  Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, Bob Trotter

By:  Bradley Mims

By:  City of Port Alexander, Laura Rideout

Order 04-04-11
OST-99-6244

Issued and Served April 16, 2004

Order Reslecting Carrier

We will tentatively reselect Harris to provide essential air service at Port Alexander as detailed in Appendix C, for an additional two‑year period. Harris will continue to provide two round trips a week to Sitka with a Cessna 185. Harris's service continues to be satisfactory and the community has informally stated that it is pleased with their service. We find that the proposed rate of $35,206, an increase from the current rate of $20,735, is reasonable for the level of service to be provided. Since Harris's contract expired on February 29, 2004, the rate will be effective March 1, 2004, and run for two years through February 28, 2006.

In the event any carrier other than the incumbent is interested in filing proposals, with or without subsidy requests, it should file them within 30 days of the date of service of this order. At the end of that period, our staff will notify the incumbent of such a proposal, and provide it an additional 15 days to modify its proposal, if it so chooses. At the end of those 15 days, we will docket all proposals, thereby making them public, and direct each carrier, including the incumbent, to serve a copy of its proposal on the civic parties and other applicants. Shortly afterwards, we would provide a summary of the proposals to the community officials and ask them to submit their final comments, including ranking their preferences for the various options, while giving full consideration to all proposals that are timely filed.

By: Karan Bhatia

Order 2005-12-8
OST-1999-6244

Issued December 14, 2005 | Served December 19, 2005

Order Requesting Proposals

By this order, the Department is requesting proposals from carriers interested in providing essential air service at Port Alexander, Alaska, for a new two-year period, with or without subsidy.

As the end of the current rate term approaches, we are here requesting proposals from carriers interested in providing service at Port Alexander, with or without subsidy, for the two-year period beginning March 1, 2007. Carriers should file their proposals within 30 days of the date of service of this order.

Proposals should provide sufficient capacity to accommodate historical traffic levels. Specifically, we request proposals for two nonstop round trips a week to Sitka, with small aircraft (10 seats or less). Harris Air has provided service at the community for a number of years. In calendar year 2004. Port Alexander generated a total of 341 passengers. This represents a significant increase from 2003, when there were a total of 209 passengers. Unlike most communities in Alaska, Harris Air reports that it carries only minimal cargo, and no mail because that is transported via barge..

By: Todd Homan

January 16, 2006

Proposals of Harris Aircraft Services, Inc.

We are submitting three options for consideration:

• Option 1 is providing two flights per week year round, as we have in the recent past.
• Option 2 is providing 2 flights per week from mid-September through mid-May and 3 week mid-May through mid-September.
• Option 3 is providing 2 flights per week September through May, and 5 flights per week June through August.

We have increased the Seat Fare rate from $85 to $95. This is a 12% increase over a two year period for the traveling passenger. The overall operating expenses have increased 20% in this same time frame.

By: Harris, Mark Hackett

February 1, 2006

Re: Request for Comments from Mayor of Port Alexander

Harris Air proposes to continue to provide service between Port Alexander and Sitka, with 3-seat Cessna 185 aircraft.  However, the carrier proposes the following three service options for consideration:

• Option 1 – two nonstop round trips a week at an annual subsidy rate of $48,746;
• Option 2 – two nonstop round trips a week mid-September through mid-May, and three nonstop round trips a week mid-May through mid-September, at an annual subsidy rate of $59,525; and
• Option 3 – two nonstop round trips a week September through May, and five nonstop round trips a week June through August, at an annual subsidy rate of $70,970.

My purpose in writing to you at this time is to request any final comments you might have on the carrier’s subsidy proposal before we submit a recommendation to the Assistant Secretary on the carrier selection issue.

By: Office of Aviation Analysis, Dennis DeVany

February 17, 2006

City of Port Alexander Support of Option 3

This letter is in regards to your letter to the City of Port Alexander dated February 1 , 2006, requesting comments on the options proposed for our Essential Air Service provided by Harris Aircraft Services in Sitka, Alaska.

The City of Port Alexander would like to recommend that the Assistant Secretary select Option 3: two nonstop round trips a week September through May, and five nonstop round trips a week June through August, at an annual subsidy rate of $70,970.00.

By: Mayor Debra Gifford

Order 2006-4-12
OST-1999-6244

Issued April 7, 2006 | Served April 12, 2006

Order Selecting Carrier and Establishing Subsidy Rates

By Order 2004-4-11, issued April 16, 2004, the Department selected Harris Air to provide EAS at Port Alexander for the two-year period through February 28, 2006, at an annual subsidy rate of $35,206, consisting of two nonstop round trips a week to Sitka with 3-seat Cessna 185 aircraft.

In anticipation of the end of the rate term, the Department issued Order 2005-12-8, December 14, 2005, requesting proposals from carriers interested in providing replacement service at Port Alexander, with subsidy support if necessary, for a new two-year period beginning March 1, 2006.

In response to our request, Harris Air (the only carrier to respond) submitted a proposal offering the following three service options for consideration. All service would be provided to Sitka with 3-seat Cessna 185 aircraft, as follows: Option 1 - two nonstop round trips a week at an annual subsidy rate of $48,746; Option 2 - two nonstop round trips a week mid-September through mid-May, and three nonstop round trips a week mid-May through mid-September, at an annual subsidy rate of$59,525; and Option 3 - two nonstop round trips a week September through May, and five nonstop round trips a week June through August, at an annual subsidy rate of $70,970.

By this order, the Department is selecting Harris Aircraft Services, Inc. to continue providing essential air service at Port Alexander, Alaska, for a new two-year period, through February 29, 2008, at an annual subsidy rate of $48,746 (Option 1).

By: Michael Reynolds

Order 2007-10-9
OST-1999-6244

Issued October 5, 2007 | Served October 11, 2007

Order Requesting Proposals

By this order, the Department is requesting proposals from carriers interested in providing essential air service at Port Alexander, Alaska, for a new two-year period, with or without subsidy, beginning March 1, 2008.

Specifically for Port Alexander, we request proposals for two nonstop round trips a week to Sitka with small aircraft (10 seats or less). In order to assist carriers in making their traffic and revenue forecasts, we have included historical traffic in Appendix B. Typically in Alaska, mail and freight flows are asymmetrical, with up to 90% of total mail and freight flowing outbound from the hub to the EAS communities. However, that is not the case with Port Alexander. Harris Air reports that it carries only minimal cargo and no mail, because those items are generally transported via barge. Historical traffic data (Appendix B) show that two round trips a week is sufficient to fulfill the EAS needs of the community.

By: Todd Homan

December 3, 2007

Email Message - Proposal of Harris Air

EAS with C185 and 52 weeks @ 2 trips/week $95/seat fare.

In general our proposal is the same service that we are currently providing to Port Alexander. The minor changes to this proposal are a slight increase to the overall cost and passenger Seat Fare.

Harris Aircraft Services, Inc. is located in Sitka, Alaska. Harris Air has provided EAS service to Port Alexander for the last eight years. We have performed this service in a efficient and safe manner. Harris Air has worked hard to accommodate and develop a good working relationship with the traveling community members of Port Alexander.

By: Harris Aircraft, Mark Hackett, flyhackett@hotmail.com

December 6, 2007

Request for Community Comments of:

• Mayor of Port Alexander

Harris Air proposes to continue to provide its current level of service between Port Alexander and Sitka, consisting of two nonstop round trips each week with 3-seat Cessna 185 aircraft, at an annual subsidy rate of $49,739.

My purpose in writing to you at this time is to request any final comments you might have on the carrier's subsidy proposal before we submit a recommendation to the Assistant Secretary on the carrier selection issue. We request that you review this information as expeditiously as possible and submit any comments you may have on the carrier selection case as soon as possible, but in any case no later than December 14, 2007.

By: Office of Aviation Analysis, Dennis DeVany

December 11, 2007

Re: Comments of The City of Port Alexander

Thank you for your letter concerning our Essential Air Service. The only comment that J have is to say how important our essential air service is to our small isolated community. We have no road system or other access for transportation therefore we rely heavily on our essential air service to be able to travel in and out of Port Alexander. The current level of service seems to be adequate for our community at this time.

By: Mayor Debra Gifford

Order 2008-1-5
OST-1999-6244

Issued January 11, 2008 | Served January 16, 2008

Order Selecting Carrier and Establishing Subsidy Rates

We have decided to select Harris Air to continue to provide service at Port Alexander for the two-year period through February 28, 2010, at the aimual subsidy rate of $49,739. The carrier will maintain its current level of service, consisting of two nonstop round trips to Sitka each week, with 3-seat Cessna 185 aircraft, a service level that the community supports.

By: Todd Homan

Order 2008-2-25
OST-1999-6244 - Chisana
OST-1998-3546 - Healy Lake

Issued February 20, 2008 | Served February 25, 2008

Order Requesting Proposals

By this order, the Department is requesting proposals from carriers interested in providing essential air service at Chisana and/or Healy Lake, Alaska, for a new two-year period, with or without subsidy, beginning June 1, 2008.

By Order 2006-4-11, April 7, 2006, the Department selected 40-Mile Air, Ltd., to provide EAS at Healy Lake for the two-year period through May 31, 2008. That order established an annual subsidy rate of $71,105, for service consisting of two nonstop round trips each week to Fairbanks with 5-seat Cessna 206 or 207 aircraft.

By Order 2006-6-29, June 23, 2006, the Department selected 40-Mile Air to provide EAS at Chisana for the two-year period through June 30, 2008. That order established an annual subsidy rate of $75,743, for service consisting of two nonstop round trips each week to Tok with Cessna 185 (3 seats) or Cessna 206/207 (4 seats) aircraft.

We request proposals for two nonstop round trips a week to between Chisana and Tok, and between Healy Lake and Fairbanks, with small aircraft (10 seats or less).

By: Todd Homan

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