Not very essential
Jul 16, 2009
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We’ve run our first annual trillion dollar deficit, renewable energy firms are withering because they cannot get promised stimulus tax credits fast enough, and our country needs an infrastructure and energy makeover. Nevertheless, on Monday Congress proposed increasing the Essential Air Service program by 40%.
It sounds like a worthwhile program; remote airports that otherwise would not have passengers benefit from airlines receiving subsidies encouraging them to fly otherwise expensive routes. The price per passenger is about $74 per passenger in Alaska; but the cost climbs much more in areas where the ridership just is not there. Naturally, this subsidy is very popular in the communities that otherwise would not have commercial air service.
And I admit I benefited from the EAS: back in November, my friend Janet flew for my wedding. Flying out of her home city, Ottawa, is always very expensive; but she found a very cost effective flight from Ogdensburg, NY, about a one-hour drive from her home.
Sure enough, her story was very typical of what’s occurring at these EAS-supported airports: she was the only passenger on her flight to Albany! Yes, she did have the thrill of the ticket counter knowing who she was right away, and yes, she had the satisfaction of flying a Cessna with only her and the pilot.
At a time when oil can spike in price at any moment, and when we are at a tipping point determining whether alternative fuels will take off or not, it’s just not a program that we should continue when there are so many other funding alternatives that could benefit our entire country and all of its citizens. Yes, the Obama Administration is promising money for public transportation projects, but the total amount is woefully inadequate.
Based on the flight ridership under EAS, I have a feeling that air travel is still too expensive for many rural folk; and I’m puzzled at the egregious cases such as the subsidized flights from Buffalo, NY, to Jamestown—which are 76 miles apart! So why not focus on train or even buses to link this towns with larger cities and airports?
US senators are a powerful lot, however, and many of them are fighting tooth and nail to keep the EAS. I’m sure many of them are the same characters who are finding flaws in the stimulus program. But flying planes with no one to nowhere isn’t doing anything to stimulate our future. 