Doug, Amber and I's favorite place......Kingman, AZ! Fox 10 Phoenix looks at the EAS program and the money it costs for this route, among others, in AZ..........
[Good video at link at bottom]
KINGMAN, Ariz. - Most of us just finished paying our federal income taxes.
How would you feel if we told you some or maybe all of your taxes went to pay for some guy to fly from Ely, Nevada to Denver to the tune of $3,700? You could buy a used car for that price.
Or how about a flight from Lewiston, Montana to Billings for $1,300?
The government is handing out your money to make air service available to all and it's happening in Arizona too.
One of the great things about living in a big city like Phoenix is easy access to air service. You can catch a flight to just about anywhere in the world. But what if you live in a small town, hours from a major airport?
No problem. Washington has you covered with something called Essential Air Service.
We have it in Arizona connecting small towns like Kingman, Page and Show Low to Phoenix with daily flights.
Sound like a great idea until you find out how much it costs taxpayers.
$200 million a year to provide air service to 150 rural communities across the country. An expense you could maybe justify if people actually used it.
Recently, FOX 10's John Hook took a flight from Phoenix to Kingman on a Great Lakes Airlines' twin engine 19-seater. He wanted to talk to fliers about the service, why they like it and why it's necessary -- but there was no one to talk to. All of the seats were empty, except his.
"This is one of weirdest things I've ever seen. There is nobody on this airplane except the pilots. Now FOX 10 paid $215 bucks for my ticket, but do you know what you're on the hook for? For my flight to Kingman as a taxpayer -- $622 bucks. Unbelieveable," said Hook.
That's right. The government handed out $622 for each of the 1,878 passengers who flew in and out of Kingman last year.
In fact, taxpayers spend more than $6 million a year for Essential Air Service in Arizona.
"I don't think it's wise for government to say we're going to take money from taxpayers so that a few people in the outlying areas can ride in an empty plane," said Congressman Trent Franks.
Franks represents Kingman, but he's opposed to Essential Air Service.
"I get hell from a few folks..I do," he said.
Franks is one of a handful of Congressmen who've tried to kill the program, saying it's a big waste of money, but vote hungry politicians from both parties keep it alive.
Politicians like Franks tried to beat this thing over and over again but can't get it done. Why?
"Well because people, you know, look to their member of Congress and say you gotta support, you gotta vote for this and it's tough...and you think I'm doing you a favor. But if we all keep doing this, we are going to make this country bankrupt," explained Franks.
Essential Air Service began in 1978, following airline deregulation. There was the worry that airlines would pull of small cities with less profitable routes. So the government stepped in, spending tax dollars to keep the flights.
It was supposed to be a temporary program -- that's now 34 years old.
On the way to Kingman, the flight passed high desert and beautiful snow peaked mountains. In 55 minutes, Hook arrived. The drive from Phoenix would have taken three hours. Nice service -- to a charming airport that's just a block from the intersection of Mohave Airport Drive and Government Way.
Kingman is home to 30,000 people. Hook asked Mayor John Salem if people in small towns like Kingman have a right to air service.
"Don't think it's an inherent right to have flight service. I think it's a very nice benefit to have though," said Salem.
Salem is a Republican and a fiscal conservative worried about taxes and government spending. But he had no idea how much taxpayers were footing the bill for people to fly in and out of Kingman.
The federal subsidy per passenger is $622 per ticket.
"I didn't know that..that is quite a large number," he said.
On the return flight to Phoenix, Hook went through security and there were three TSA agents. That's another cost. Salaries, pensions and benefits to provide screening for two flights a day out of Kingman.
When he boarded the plane home, Hook was hopeful he could find some passengers and he did. One other man, who is an employee of another airline, flying for free. He didn't want to talk on camera.
During the two flights, there were a total of three passengers and Hook accounted for two of them.
A fluke? No. As it turns out, the average number of passengers on these flights last year was 1.3.
And think about all the precious fuel wasted flying empty planes.
It brings us to the central question. Is Essential Air Service really essential?
"We could probably live without it, but I really think it's an attraction to have it in our area," said Salem.
An expensive attraction. One that Congressman Franks says makes no economic sense.
"I just think it's not government's purpose to provide travel services for us. That's the private sector's purpose and they will do it a lot better," said Franks.
Wheels down in Phoenix. On time and hassle free.
If you care to fly to Kingman, there are four more flights tomorrow with plenty of seats available.
Hook thanked the pilots for the flight and said "that was great. Hardly anybody on..that was mellow."
The only state where you could make a case for Essential Air Service is Alaska where some communities don't have roads -- they need this.
The benefits of living in a small town: less crime, less traffic, less pollution, but on the flip side, you give up things like air service.
The bus industry studied this. You could put people on buses instead of flights and save $89 million.
Story here and video here:
http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/new...ers-over-6-million-a-year-in-arizona-04112012
[Good video at link at bottom]
KINGMAN, Ariz. - Most of us just finished paying our federal income taxes.
How would you feel if we told you some or maybe all of your taxes went to pay for some guy to fly from Ely, Nevada to Denver to the tune of $3,700? You could buy a used car for that price.
Or how about a flight from Lewiston, Montana to Billings for $1,300?
The government is handing out your money to make air service available to all and it's happening in Arizona too.
One of the great things about living in a big city like Phoenix is easy access to air service. You can catch a flight to just about anywhere in the world. But what if you live in a small town, hours from a major airport?
No problem. Washington has you covered with something called Essential Air Service.
We have it in Arizona connecting small towns like Kingman, Page and Show Low to Phoenix with daily flights.
Sound like a great idea until you find out how much it costs taxpayers.
$200 million a year to provide air service to 150 rural communities across the country. An expense you could maybe justify if people actually used it.
Recently, FOX 10's John Hook took a flight from Phoenix to Kingman on a Great Lakes Airlines' twin engine 19-seater. He wanted to talk to fliers about the service, why they like it and why it's necessary -- but there was no one to talk to. All of the seats were empty, except his.
"This is one of weirdest things I've ever seen. There is nobody on this airplane except the pilots. Now FOX 10 paid $215 bucks for my ticket, but do you know what you're on the hook for? For my flight to Kingman as a taxpayer -- $622 bucks. Unbelieveable," said Hook.
That's right. The government handed out $622 for each of the 1,878 passengers who flew in and out of Kingman last year.
In fact, taxpayers spend more than $6 million a year for Essential Air Service in Arizona.
"I don't think it's wise for government to say we're going to take money from taxpayers so that a few people in the outlying areas can ride in an empty plane," said Congressman Trent Franks.
Franks represents Kingman, but he's opposed to Essential Air Service.
"I get hell from a few folks..I do," he said.
Franks is one of a handful of Congressmen who've tried to kill the program, saying it's a big waste of money, but vote hungry politicians from both parties keep it alive.
Politicians like Franks tried to beat this thing over and over again but can't get it done. Why?
"Well because people, you know, look to their member of Congress and say you gotta support, you gotta vote for this and it's tough...and you think I'm doing you a favor. But if we all keep doing this, we are going to make this country bankrupt," explained Franks.
Essential Air Service began in 1978, following airline deregulation. There was the worry that airlines would pull of small cities with less profitable routes. So the government stepped in, spending tax dollars to keep the flights.
It was supposed to be a temporary program -- that's now 34 years old.
On the way to Kingman, the flight passed high desert and beautiful snow peaked mountains. In 55 minutes, Hook arrived. The drive from Phoenix would have taken three hours. Nice service -- to a charming airport that's just a block from the intersection of Mohave Airport Drive and Government Way.
Kingman is home to 30,000 people. Hook asked Mayor John Salem if people in small towns like Kingman have a right to air service.
"Don't think it's an inherent right to have flight service. I think it's a very nice benefit to have though," said Salem.
Salem is a Republican and a fiscal conservative worried about taxes and government spending. But he had no idea how much taxpayers were footing the bill for people to fly in and out of Kingman.
The federal subsidy per passenger is $622 per ticket.
"I didn't know that..that is quite a large number," he said.
On the return flight to Phoenix, Hook went through security and there were three TSA agents. That's another cost. Salaries, pensions and benefits to provide screening for two flights a day out of Kingman.
When he boarded the plane home, Hook was hopeful he could find some passengers and he did. One other man, who is an employee of another airline, flying for free. He didn't want to talk on camera.
During the two flights, there were a total of three passengers and Hook accounted for two of them.
A fluke? No. As it turns out, the average number of passengers on these flights last year was 1.3.
And think about all the precious fuel wasted flying empty planes.
It brings us to the central question. Is Essential Air Service really essential?
"We could probably live without it, but I really think it's an attraction to have it in our area," said Salem.
An expensive attraction. One that Congressman Franks says makes no economic sense.
"I just think it's not government's purpose to provide travel services for us. That's the private sector's purpose and they will do it a lot better," said Franks.
Wheels down in Phoenix. On time and hassle free.
If you care to fly to Kingman, there are four more flights tomorrow with plenty of seats available.
Hook thanked the pilots for the flight and said "that was great. Hardly anybody on..that was mellow."
The only state where you could make a case for Essential Air Service is Alaska where some communities don't have roads -- they need this.
The benefits of living in a small town: less crime, less traffic, less pollution, but on the flip side, you give up things like air service.
The bus industry studied this. You could put people on buses instead of flights and save $89 million.
Story here and video here:
http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/new...ers-over-6-million-a-year-in-arizona-04112012
