Order 2002-2-14 - CCAIR - Prohibiting Termination of Service and Requesting Proposals (Athens-Charlotte)

Order 2002-2-14 - CCAIR - Prohibiting Termination of Service and Requesting Proposals (Athens-Charlotte)

CCAIR Inc.

Order 2002-2-14 OST-2002-11348	Issued February 15, 2002 Served February 22, 2002	Order Prohibiting Termination of Service and Requesting Proposals	Terminate Service Between Athens, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina
		Appendixes: Map, Air Traffic

The community's essential air service determination, last reviewed by the Department in 1988 (Order 1988-2-31), requires a minimum of two weekday round trips and two round trips each weekend period to Atlanta (nonstop) or Charlotte (nonstop or one stop). While the number of passengers using the Ben Epps Airport has been declining since 1997, during the five-year period from 1996 through 2000, an average of almost 25,000 (24,990) passengers used CCAIR's service each year. The Ben Epps Airport itself lies two miles east of downtown Athens. Atlanta-William B. Hartsfield International Airport, located approximately 78 highway miles to the southwest, is the closest large hub airport.

We request that any carriers interested in providing essential air service at Athens, with or without subsidy, file their proposals within 20 days of the service date of this order. We ask that carriers submit proposals for two or three round trips per day to either of its designated hubs of Atlanta or Charlotte with 15-seat or larger, pressurized aircraft. We will also entertain proposals to serve other hubs that provide access to the national air transportation system in order to give the Department and the communities as broad an array of proposals as possible from which to choose. Of course, as always, we will formally solicit the community's views on any service options we receive before making a long-term carrier selection decision. In order to assist carriers in making their traffic and revenue forecasts, we have included historical traffic data in Appendix B.

By: Read Van de Water