Essential Air Service at Carlsbad and Hobbs, New Mexico

Order 2006-12-13
OST-2002-12800 - Hobbs
OST-2002-12802 - Carlsbad

Issued December 14, 2006 | Served December 19, 2006

Order Requesting Proposals

By this order, the Department is: (a) vacating Order 2006-12-6 that requested proposals from carriers interested in providing essential air service at Hobbs, New Mexico, only; and (b) requesting proposals for carriers interested in providing EAS at Hobbs and Carlsbad, New Mexico, together, for the next two-year period, beginning June 1, 2007, with or without subsidy.

With specific respect to Hobbs and Carlsbad, the Department expects proposals consisting of service with 19-passenger aircraft and offering two nonstop or one-stop round trips a day between each community and Albuquerque. Given the traffic levels described below, two round trips a day will provide ample capacity to accommodate the historical traffic levels. Such service is consistent with what the communities currently receive, and fully satisfies their essential air service requirements. We encourage proposals that meet those requirements in an efficient manner. Carriers are also welcome to propose more than one service option, if they choose; they need not limit themselves to those requirements if they envision other, potentially more attractive service possibilities -- different hubs, for example -- with subsidy requirements that remain competitive.

Air Midwest has served Hobbs and Carlsbad for numerous years. During the year ended December 31, 2005, Hobbs averaged 4.9 enplanernents a day, while Carlsbad averaged 13.6. We note that traffic for the last two years, while trending upward, has not fully rebounded to pre-September 11, 2001, levels.

By: Todd Homan