The Garden City Telegram

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American's Dallas flights set for April

Published 1/17/2012 in Local News

By JOSEPH JACKMOVICH

jjackmovich@gctelegram.com

A date has been set for daily flights from Garden City Regional Airport to Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.

Beginning April 3, American Eagle, the regional affiliate for American Airlines, will begin its anticipated daily round-trip service between Garden City Regional Airport to Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. The daily flights planned are two Garden City departures at 6:15 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and two Dallas/Fort Worth departures at 1:25 p.m. and 7:40 p.m. The routes will operate on 44-seat jets.

"We're delighted that American Eagle was selected to provide Essential Air Service to Garden City from our hub in Dallas/Fort Worth," Gary Foss, managing director of network planning for American Eagle's regional network, said. "This schedule will allow customers throughout southwestern Kansas to make a day trip to the Dallas/Fort Worth area for business or connect through this key international gateway to destinations throughout the American Airlines and one-world global network."

The news comes out of the Nov. 14, 2011, announcement that American Eagle would begin the flights following a $2.92 million subsidy award from the Department of Transportation. The subsidy, which was the most expensive of four proposals made to Garden City, allows for twice-daily flights between Garden City and Dallas/Fort Worth. The Garden City Commission unanimously voted for this proposal despite the price because of positive feedback from the community, along with the potential of becoming more commercially viable.

"We're excited for the regional economic boom that we anticipate as a result of jet service to Dallas/Fort Worth," Garden City Mayor John Doll said. "Service to Dallas/Fort Worth has been a goal for the community for several years and we're eager to welcome American Eagle to Garden City."

The Essential Air Service Program, an initiative started by the DOT in 1978, allows for the subsidy. The EAS program began after the 1978 Airline Deregulation Act gave airlines a great deal of freedom in determining what markets they serve and what rates they charge. EAS allows for smaller airports that existed before the deregulation to maintain air service by providing incentives for air carriers to work with them. According to the DOT, the EAS program serves 140 rural communities that would otherwise not be able to maintain air service.

American Eagle Spokesman Ed Martelle said the biggest advantage of the new route is the amount of transfers available in Dallas/Fort Worth, which is the largest hub for American Airlines and the second-largest hub for American Eagle.

"The simplest thing is just the reach of American Airlines and American Eagle," Martelle said. "From Dallas, you have access to the world."

Martelle said that while he would like the planes to be full every day, he said it was more likely that the market would develop over time. He added that the current route is the main focus for Garden City Regional Airport for the time being, as American Eagle and American Airlines are in the middle of a Chapter 11 restructuring. While Martelle said it has been business as usual since the Nov. 29, 2011, filing, he said that the restructuring makes statements on future plans uncertain.

Citing legal considerations, Martelle could not give pricing details on the planned routes. However, a price inquiry on AA.com for an April 3 to April 5 round-trip flight from Garden City to Dallas/Fort Worth shows a minimum price of $663.50 for one person.

Garden City Regional Airport is expecting a boost in traffic with the new route, which can mean securing important federal funds for airport improvements. In order to qualify for $1 million in funds from the Federal Aviation Administration, the airport has to process 10,000 travelers a year through departures and arrivals. In 2010, the airport made the quota with 142 passengers to spare. In 2009, the margin was only 14 passengers. Numbers for 2011 are expected to be around the 11,000 mark, with Aviation Director Rachelle Powell stating in December 2011 that the numbers were at 10,147 passengers at the end of November.

To help promote the new route, between April 3 and June 30 customers can earn double miles for travel between Garden City and Dallas/Fort Worth. Customers can participate by being AAdvantage members and entering the promotion code GCK2X prior to booking tickets. Enrollment in the AAdvantage program is free and can be done at www.aa.com/enroll.

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