Is there a governing body over airline contracts for small US airports?
July 13, 2017 7:22 AM Subscribe
The closest airport to Hubby's Parents' Small Town used to be served by CompetentAirline, but is now served exclusively by AssholeAirline (rhymes with Poo-nited). Is there a federal body overseeing small airports, or some sort of website that tracks when contracts are renewed, so I could submit a public comment documenting the decline in travel quality that has happened since AssholeAirline took over?
When we talk to locals, everyone knows that AssholeAirline now has the contract and EVERYONE hates the change, but no one knows when or how these contracts are negotiated, if there is a public comment period, if we can reach out to CompetentAirline to express community support, etc. There's got to be some way to express community impact!!
(Yes, I know that the contracts are decided by money and I'm just a peon, but I want to get our difficulties in the public record.)
When we talk to locals, everyone knows that AssholeAirline now has the contract and EVERYONE hates the change, but no one knows when or how these contracts are negotiated, if there is a public comment period, if we can reach out to CompetentAirline to express community support, etc. There's got to be some way to express community impact!!
(Yes, I know that the contracts are decided by money and I'm just a peon, but I want to get our difficulties in the public record.)
if you Google EAS there is a list of criteria, one if which is community preference - however at the end of the day it comes down to who wants the lowest subsidy - which is probably a function of distance to hub and the ability to drive connecting traffic through said hub.
posted by JPD at 7:37 AM on July 13, 2017
posted by JPD at 7:37 AM on July 13, 2017
I work in the airport business and deal with airport managers frequently. Figure out who the manager of your airport is and talk to them. Attracting new airlines is generally their favorite topic.
posted by Uncle Jimmy at 8:02 AM on July 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Uncle Jimmy at 8:02 AM on July 13, 2017 [1 favorite]
There is most likely a local government body (most famously the Port Authority in New York; in my city, the Columbus Regional Airport Authority) that manages the airport(s) in the region, and that holds regular public meetings. Ultimately, there's very little you can do to compel an airline to service a particular airport, but like Uncle Jimmy said, airport authorities are generally pretty excited about the possibility of making deals.
posted by kevinbelt at 8:35 AM on July 13, 2017
posted by kevinbelt at 8:35 AM on July 13, 2017
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The airport may be covered by Essential Air Service, which is a subsidy program to guarantee a minimum level of passenger service to airports that otherwise would have been abandoned post-deregulation. I'm not really aware how the subsidies are awarded or recompeted.
Keep in mind that if the airport is really that small, it's not United (or any other "legacy" carrier) that's servicing it; it's going to be a smaller regional airline doing business as United Express or any of the other "shuttle" services. Also, it's very possible that the prior airline decided that the service simply wasn't worth the effort even with the EAS subsidy.
posted by backseatpilot at 7:33 AM on July 13, 2017 [1 favorite]