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Jeff City Likes Rival Flight Plan: Federal Agency Has Final Decision.

Posted on: Wednesday, 7 June 2006, 18:00 CDT

By Matthew Leblanc, Columbia Daily Tribune, Mo.

Jun. 7--Despite the endorsement of the Columbia City Council for a competing plan, officials in Jefferson City are standing by a decision to endorse a Tennessee-based airline's proposal to offer federally subsidized flights to St. Louis from Columbia Regional Airport.

Jefferson City supports a plan from RegionsAir, which offers 24 flights each week to St. Louis in exchange for an annual subsidy of $728,438. That plan, Jefferson City officials say, offers passengers more choices on when to fly and could help increase the number of people using the struggling airport.

Council members voted Monday to endorse a proposal from Phoenix-based Mesa Air Group, which is offering 12 flights per week to Kansas City and St. Louis. That plan, they said, creates another important destination option for Mid-Missouri travelers.

Both opinions will be sent to the federal Department of Transportation, which will make a final decision on the air-service provider.

Steve Rasmussen, city administrator of Jefferson City, said today he is not worried the separate opinions will complicate the decision-making process at DOT. He suggested further talks between the cities to discuss the airport's future.

"We thought we would be doing what Columbia would be doing, so we would be speaking with one voice," Rasmussen said. "We would like to consider the airport the Columbia/Jefferson City Regional Airport ... and we could be together on something like this."

Bill Mosley, a federal transportation spokesman, called the situation "relatively unusual" but said federal officials would weigh both cities' opinions.

"The process is still the same," Mosley said. "We will review all the arguments and take them into consideration. In most cases, there is only one community involved."

There is no deadline for choosing which proposal for essential air service will be accepted.

Columbia city staff also pushed for the RegionsAir plan and argued the proposal from Mesa, because of the small number of flights to Kansas City and St. Louis, could leave some area travelers stranded at the bigger airports.

John Glascock, city public works director, said someone who missed an early flight from Columbia likely would be unable to catch a connecting flight in either city without a long wait at the airport.

The Mesa plan requires an annual federal subsidy of $598,751.

Columbia City Manager Bill Watkins said he is interested in talking to Jefferson City officials about the airport's future. He also said he is not worried that the two recommendations will hinder Columbia's ability to secure air service.

"The feds are going to do what they're going to do," Watkins said.

Trans States Airlines, the airport's only carrier, will pull out when a new carrier is chosen. The company now offers 20 round-trip flights a week to St. Louis.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Columbia Daily Tribune, Mo.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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NASDAQ-NMS:MESA,

Source: Columbia Daily Tribune

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