[Press Release] : Delta commits to Columbia Regional Airport with no federal subsidy

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______________________________________________________
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 5, 2010
 
CONTACT: Jill Stedem
City of Columbia
(573) 874-7250
or
Delta Air Lines Media Contact
(404) 715-2554
 
Delta commits to Columbia Regional Airport with no federal subsidy 
       
 (COLUMBIA, MO) – The city of Columbia has received word that Delta Air
Lines will continue providing air service through Columbia Regional, and
effective in September, will no longer require a subsidy through the
Essential Air Service (EAS) program. Delta’s current air service
contract with Columbia Regional Airport runs through August. 
 On March 30, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued an
order terminating the carrier selection process for Columbia Regional
Airport’s EAS contract for the period of September 2010 through August
2012, and named Delta Air Lines as the commercial carrier that will
provide subsidy-free Essential Air Service (EAS) at Columbia Regional.
This decision followed Delta’s recent announcement that it would be
upgrading its aircraft from a 34-seat turboprop to a 50-seat regional
jet on all flights at Columbia Regional. 
 With the current EAS contract scheduled to expire at the end of
August, the DOT had requested proposals from carriers interested in
providing Essential Air Service (EAS) at Columbia Regional for the next
two-year period. Shortly after the request for proposals was issued, the
DOT received an e-mail from Delta Air Lines’ Network Planning office
stating, “With respect to the [Columbia/ Jefferson City] EAS upcoming
bid request, Delta will continue to offer the minimum required service,
but due to the success of this route, we will not be requiring any
subsidy amount. The airport, county, and local community has done a
great job on promoting our service and we are pleased with the
community’s response in our air service.” Therefore, effective Sept.
1, Delta Air Lines will serve the mid-Missouri market with subsidy-free
air service.  
 “This is a really big deal”, said City Manager Bill Watkins. “It means
that Delta has enough confidence in the business generated at the
airport that it is willing to operate without a public subsidy. The
region's support for the airport has created a very favorable outcome,
and now we have certainty about who will provide our air service.”
 This announcement is a direct result of the success of, and the
support mid-Missouri has given to Delta since August 2008 when it began
service at Columbia Regional. The number of passengers for the last two
months of service were reported as: January – 1,755 passengers and
February – 2,014 passengers. 2009 saw a total of 24,843 passengers
through Columbia Regional. For more information on Columbia Regional
Airport, go online to www.FlyMidMo.com.
 
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