Airport Commission Report

A proposal by Mesaba Airlines to provide commercial air service at Falls International Airport has been rejected by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The DOT released its decision Friday in an order that also calls for air carriers to submit new proposals for the International Falls-to-Minneapolis/St. Paul route.

The city of International Falls, along with Koochiching County and the International Falls-Koochiching County Airport Commission, had asked the DOT to reject the Mesaba proposal, claiming that the scheduled flight times offered by the airline would be problematic for most people wishing to travel to and from the Falls.

In July, Delta Airlines, which acquired Mesaba as part of its merger with Northwest Airlines, took the first steps in a long process to place the Falls airport in the federal Essential Air Service program. The EAS program was established in the wake of airline deregulation in 1978 and was designed to ensure continuing air service for the many small regional airports that had service prior to deregulation. The program also awards subsidies to the airlines that provide the service so that they can do so without losing money.

According to Susan Baratono, airport secretary, the proposal submitted by Mesaba to DOT was made public on Sept. 2. The community then had until Sept. 25 to respond. Baratono said that, although both the city of International Falls and Koochiching County are joint owners of the airport, the EAS legislation is written so that offers are made to cities only. Therefore it was the city of International Falls that formally responded, on behalf of all the airport partners, to the Mesaba proposal.

The proposed permanent flight schedule, as recorded in the DOT docket, is essentially the same as the one now in place for Falls International. It calls for two daily nonstop flights, the first one leaving at 12:09 p.m. and the other departing at 4:15 p.m. Flights to the Falls from the Twin Cities depart Minneapolis at 10:15 a.m. and 2:20 p.m. There is no early morning departure or evening return.

In its letter of response, the city wrote, “We have not heard a single voice speaking in approval of the proposed schedule (and since Sept. 1, our current one), but we have had an overwhelming expression of dismay and disappointment from those who use the airport most.”

DOT cites that statement from the city and, in the order rejecting Mesaba’s proposal, adds, “At International Falls, the community is very displeased with the schedule proposed by Mesaba. Because Mesaba proposes to base the aircraft in Minneapolis, the timing of its schedule is poor …. This is surprising, because International Falls is one of the larger traffic generators in the EAS program….”

The order goes on to explain that the International Falls community also has expressed interest in having a third daily flight, which it had until September, but the EAS program typically allows for only two flights per day. However, the order says, a third flight can be arranged under certain circumstances if it can be shared with another community. In its response letter to the Mesaba proposal, the city expressed its willingness to share flights with another community if that is what is needed to secure more flights or a better schedule.

Friday’s DOT order, in saying that proposals for service to International Falls will be re-solicited, also said “Carriers should consider basing an aircraft in International Falls, which would go most of the way to meeting the community’s desire for a well-timed schedule.”

In July, at the same time it took EAS action for Falls International, Delta took the required steps to place seven other communities it served into the program as well. Although Mesaba then made proposals for all eight of the cities, none of those proposals was accepted by DOT in the current order.

According to the DOT order, SkyWest Airlines submitted proposals for four of those communities — Eau Claire, Wis., Paducah, Ken., and Houghton and Muskegon in Michigan — and were awarded those routes by DOT. Those cities will now have O’Hare Airport in Chicago as their hub.

Only Mesaba made proposals for three of the other four cities and none of them was accepted in the order released Friday. Those cities, in addition to International Falls, are Alpena and Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Mesaba and Pacific Wings made proposals for service to Tupelo, Miss., and both were rejected by DOT.

According to the DOT order, Mesaba is free to submit new offers for those cities for this second round.

The deadline for the airlines to submit their proposals is Nov. 18. The city, county and Airport Commission will then have an opportunity to respond to the new offers, Baratono said. She said that, in the meantime, the Airport Commission would correspond with Delta and offer to team with them in devising a schedule that will be effective for everyone.