[Editor's Note: This is part 3 of a multi-article series on the Oct. 11, 2022 work session and the Oct. 13 regular meeting. This one continues the presentations and discussions with the essential air service proposals.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

The Commission at the Oct. 11, 2022 work session addressed essential air service proposals to serve the Grant County airport and its passengers.

District 1 Commissioner and Chair Chris Ponce said he was very happy with the provider "we have right now. I'm not sure when the deadline is."

Grant County Airport Manager Rebekah Wenger said Nov. 3 was the deadline for the letter with the Commission's recommendation to the U.S. Department of Transportation. "I've gone through and done an evaluation on the proposals. The department has five areas they look at when they are evaluating the proposal. They include demonstrated reliability, providing scheduled air service, marketing and contract agreements with large air carriers, interline agreements with large air carriers which would provide one ticket and baggage would be checked through on other aircraft, quality of the marketing plan and preference of the community being served. We received four proposals. They include Advanced Air, which has served us for 4 years; Contour Air; Boutique Air, which served Grant County prior to Advanced Air and Air Charter Express. We've had Advanced Air for two two-year contracts. They are requesting a four-year one, which sometimes the DOT will do. However, over four years, things can change. Currently, Advanced Air has done a great job for us. They have been a breath of fresh air, but they are expanding. The plane that used to just serve us is now also serving Gallup. It gets complicated on scheduling when you add other communities into the mix. They are also looking to try to get service with Las Cruces."

She said enplanements, which is passengers from Silver City getting on a plane to go somewhere else, "we are likely looking at a historic number this year, with close to 7,000. The magic number is 10,000, which would take our EAS subsidy from $150,000 entitlement to $1 million entitlement."

Wenger said with Air Charter Express, "we could not reach 10,000. We could get into the high 9s, but not 10,000. Contour Air proposes to use a 30-seat regional jet, and we would have plenty of capacity. But with our current 9-seat airplane, we get 24 trips a week. With a larger aircraft, DOT would subsidize only 12 trips a week. Contour does have a presence in Phoenix, but not in Albuquerque. Another issue for us is that we are a so-called non-sterile airport, which means we don't have TSA. Contour is on the sterile side in Phoenix but would not have one here. The other issues I've seen include flex-pricing. When Advanced Air came here, we told them we wanted one price, which gives a level of certainty. Contour has different stages of prices, which come with different rules. I think the community has expressed that it likes the flat fare. Boutique also has different prices, with the first ticket being sold being cheaper than the last ticket sold. Air Charter Express would be a flat fare. On the subsidy per year, Advanced Air came in with the lowest of the three that I think will be able to provide service for us. I had concerns with Air Charter Express and their budget. It seems unrealistically low. They operate out of New York and would have to set up new operations, so I don't think their budget is enough for the service they would be providing. We know the reliability of Advanced Air. Contour has a 90 percent reliability. Boutique did not respond on that. Air Charter Express doesn't have the experience. When we get to the contracts and interline agreements with larger carriers, Advanced Air does not have that, but they are working on it. Contour and Boutique have them with American and United. With the marketing plans, Advanced Air commits to $50,000 annually, Contour said $25,000 and Boutique, $20,000. Air Charter Express said $50,000."

Another thing that is important to us is luggage fees. "Just like you were talking about the conference center with extra fees, Advanced Air offers the first 50 pounds free, and if they have space, they work with folks to get their luggage on there. With Contour, the first bag is free and the second is $25. With Boutique the first 50 pounds is free, and if they have space, they try to work with the passenger. Air Charter Express offers the first 40 pounds free and then up to $20 for extra. Bulk tickets for us are important. We use that a lot. Advanced Air is committed to that; Boutique has the option and the other two would consider it."

District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne asked about the interline connections. "With us being 'non-sterile,' would they send the luggage to the other carrier?"

Wenger said it would be screened behind the scenes.

Browne confirmed the passenger would have to go through TSA, which might cause delays.

Wenger said if they sell you a ticket, they should allow enough time between flights. "Advanced Air has done a good job with allowing enough time to get to a connecting flight. A lot of our passengers go to Albuquerque or Phoenix as their final destination. But we do have folks that go to other destinations. Another option for us is that passengers can fly to Hawthorne and be transferred over to LAX (Los Angeles International Airport). That's an extra we're getting with Advanced Air."

District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards asked county staff to have a conversation with Advanced Air on the concerns, such as a shared plane; "We have families that rely on the current schedule to get their kids to school in Santa Fe and for business they are conducting in Santa Fe or Albuquerque. If it's a shared plane, I would have concerns about schedule changes. Can we make clear the Advanced Air is our choice, but we don't want to share with Las Cruces?" she laughed. "Then after our concerns have been discussed, then the staff can draft a letter recommending Advanced Air."

Wenger said Advanced Air is always open to have conversations. "We've been very fortunate to have our own plane over the past four years. I'm happy to make that request, but I'm not sure they would be able to. We are already sharing our plane with Gallup. I think they would be more open to fine-tuning the schedule."

Ponce said his concern is expansion. "I understand it's business, but the problem with Boutique was they expanded rapidly and then forgot about Grant County. That's what I'm afraid of. I would rather have Advanced Air, but if they expand too quickly, then maybe we go somewhere else."

Edwards said that was the advantage of a two-year agreement.

District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings asked if Advanced Air was willing to offer something for a four-year contract. "I realize they want one and there could be advantages to both parties. Maybe an incentive, a guarantee that things will stay the same. Moving on from that, how are we going to get enplanements up. I just booked a flight last night and unfortunately, I couldn't get within the three days of when I wanted to go, because the planes were full. So, if the planes are as full as they say, how will we get the number raised?"

Wenger said the 9-seat aircraft has a potential for 11,232 seats if they fly full. "I think where we need to identify is when people cannot book because of capacity. But maybe it can be done with scheduling. I understand they also have pilot hours, but if say a person cannot get a flight, for instance on a Friday afternoon, maybe we need to address capacity with scheduling."

"I do want to express the reliability of Advanced Air, 96 percent of the time, so we can make other flights," Billings said. "It's much better than the 70 percent we had with Boutique."

Browne agreed and said Advanced Air's customer service has been really good.

Edwards asked Wenger and (Interim County Manager) Randy Villa to have a conversation with "Levi and folks to reflect some requests on our part, including our concerns and their request for a four-year contract, before we submit our recommendation to the DOT."

"I also want to say how really grateful we are for your leadership at the airport," Edwards said to Wenger.

The next article will get into county reports at the work session.

For the prior presentation from GCWEDA, please visit: https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/75074-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-101122-part-1; and on the chamber and conference center, visit https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/75124-grant-county-commission-held-work-session-101122-part-2 .