Essential Air Service at Alitak, Amook Bay, Kitoi Bay, Moser Bay, Olga Bay, Port Bailey, Port Williams, Seal Bay, Uganik, West Point and Zachar Bay and Karluk, Alaska

Order 2007-3-11
OST-2000-6945 - Eleven Kodiak Island Communities
OST-2004-19342 - EAS at Karluk, AK

Issued and Served March 13, 2007

Order Requesting Proposals

By this order, the Department is requesting proposals from carriers interested in providing essential air service at Karluk, Alaska, for a new two-year period beginning May 1, 2007, with or without subsidy, and extending the deadline for proposals for eleven other Kodiak Island communities. We are requesting proposals from carriers interested in providing scheduled service, with or Without subsidy, for the two-year period beginning June 1, 2007. Carriers should file their proposals within 30 days of the date of service of this order.

Because of the critical importance of EAS to small Alaska communities. and because it is unclear exactly what service Island Air is providing, as an abundance of caution we have decided to request proposals for EAS at Karluk. In the meantime. we will work with Island Air to ensure that it properly and accurately depicts its service. In cases where a carrier proposes to provide essential air service without subsidy and we determine that service can he reliably provided without such compensation. we do not proceed with the carrier-selection case. Instead, we simply rely on that carrier's subsidy-free service as proposed. Because of the uncertainty regarding Island Air's service, we wish to emphasize that essential air service. whether provided on a subsidized or subsidy-free basis, must he operated on a scheduled basis.

Order 2007-2-18 requested proposals for eleven other Kodiak Island communities, with proposals due March 19. We note that the eleven Kodiak Island communities have no landing strips and seaplane service is required, while service at Karluk can he operated with wheeled aircraft. Nevertheless, carriers proposing service at these communities may be able to propose either better service or service with less subsidy need if the proposals are submitted as a package. We will therefore extend the deadline for proposals for the other eleven Kodiak Island communities, and make the deadline for all twelve Kodiak Island communities 30 days after the service date of this order.

By: Andrew Steinberg