Essential Air Service at Joplin, Missouri

Order 2006-3-4
OST-2006-23932

Issued March 6, 2006 | Served March 9, 2006

Order Prohibiting Suspension of Service and Requesting Proposals for Replacement Service

On February 10, 2006, Trans States filed a 90-day notice of intent to suspend its subsidized air service at Joplin as of May 11. Trans States is the only carrier providing scheduled service at Joplin. Under Order 2004-7-24, July 23, 2004, the Department had selected Trans States to operate 14 nonstop round trips a week between Joplin and St. Louis with 30-seat Jetstream 41 aircraft at a subsidy of $755,762 annually for the two-year period through July 31, 2006.

Trans States’ suspension of service would leave Joplin without any scheduled air service. In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 41734, we will therefore prohibit Trans States from suspending service at the community. In doing so, we will require Trans States to continue operating the level of service that we currently subsidize: 14 nonstop round trips a week to St. Louis.

We will also seek proposals, with or without subsidy requests, from carriers interested in providing replacement service at Joplin. Carriers should tile their proposals within 30 days of the date of service of this order. Interested carriers should prepare their proposals with every expectation that their initial proposals will represent their final and only proposals.

Regarding Joplin specifically, we expect proposals consisting of service, at a minimum, with two-pilot, twin-engine aircraft offering at least 15 passenger seats. Proposed service levels should be commensurate with what the community currently receives. Trans States operates two round trips a day with 30-seat aircraft, thus providing the community with 60 inbound and outbound seats a day. A carrier contemplating service with 19-aircraft, for instance, should therefore propose to offer at least three round trips each weekday and weekend, thus providing the community with 57 seats. Such seating is slightly less than that now operated by Trans States, but would easily accommodate Joplin’s current traffic, as noted below, and would offer the community additional flights and connecting opportunities. Carriers are welcome to propose more than one service option, if they envision other, potentially more attractive service possibilities -- a different hub, for example -- with subsidy requirements that remain competitive.

By: Michael Reynolds