House committee votes to slash EAS program

[terryb99]

Program would be phased out in lower 48 states by 2013



Now the REAL fight will be on the House floor;

http://www.argusleader.com/article/20110217/BUSINESS/102170308/House-committee-votes-slash-EAS-program?odyssey=nav|head

 

[SpiraMirabilis]

Oh Nooosss!!! What will Pacific Wings / d.b.a Georgia Skies, d.b.a. Columbia Express, d.b.a. Air Guatamalan, d.b.a. Tennesee Skies, d.b.a. Kentucky Skies, aka who needs deice boots do?

 

[Firebird2XC]

Interesting. opcorn:

 

[RICHARD5]

OTOH, think back to the difficulties of trying to start a trip from a rural town. If a commuter seat was even available it cost up the whazoo. Driving was really the only affordable choice but came with it's own problems like do you drive the entire distance or find a place to stash the car.

That the EAS program has been populated with scammers is a result of lack of oversight and is not a problem inherent in the system.

 

[Kettlebell]

Senate voted against it, the amendment was tabled. http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/021811/loc_787338092.shtml

 

[Firebird2XC]

Senate voted against it, the amendment was tabled. http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/021811/loc_787338092.shtml

Thanks for the update. I really dig your Kennedy quote, man. Solid stuff.

 

[RPJ]

"The House had introduced its own bill after McCain’s proposal that would phase out EAS over the next four years for everywhere except Alaska and Hawaii. The House’s Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure approved that bill this week. The next step for that bill is to go the House floor for a vote."

Hopefully EAS will remain intact throughout the country. If not, bad news for our brothers/sisters at GLA.

 

[WacoFan]

Why should air travel for Ma and Pa Kettle be subsidized? They choose to live in the sticks, and it may be a vocational choice (farm, etc) to which lack of accesable air travel is simply a downside of their job/life. I've never fully understood the value of the EAS program (other than for Colgan, Great Lakes and other carriers). I'm open to being educated and changing my mind about the topic but I don't understand the value at this point.

 

[mshunter]

Why should air travel for Ma and Pa Kettle be subsidized? They choose to live in the sticks, and it may be a vocational choice (farm, etc) to which lack of accesable air travel is simply a downside of their job/life. I've never fully understood the value of the EAS program (other than for Colgan, Great Lakes and other carriers). I'm open to being educated and changing my mind about the topic but I don't understand the value at this point.

I'm with Waco on this one. If you choose to live in the sticks, then deal with the consequences.

 

[Firebird2XC]

Why should air travel for Ma and Pa Kettle be subsidized? They choose to live in the sticks, and it may be a vocational choice (farm, etc) to which lack of accesable air travel is simply a downside of their job/life. I've never fully understood the value of the EAS program (other than for Colgan, Great Lakes and other carriers). I'm open to being educated and changing my mind about the topic but I don't understand the value at this point.

Politics, and the money behind it. Ever notice that certain locales are frequented by politicians or the wealthy trying to get away from it all?

It's a load of crap on the backs of the taxpayers. Down with EAS.

 

[Fly_Unity]

Our 135 charter company in MT took a big hit when the EAS came into a town where we was based. I say down with the EAS. Thats what 135 operations are for.

 

[pscraig]

I'm with Waco on this one. If you choose to live in the sticks, then deal with the consequences.

+1. Can't believe in the year 2011 we are subsidizing air service so local politicians can brag about their community's connection to the world. Get in the car and drive, or don't live in the sticks. It's their choice, yet I am forced to help pay for their choice.

LOTS of other things we could spend money on in the aviation sector. Lots.

 

[ppragman]

Why should air travel for Ma and Pa Kettle be subsidized? They choose to live in the sticks, and it may be a vocational choice (farm, etc) to which lack of accesable air travel is simply a downside of their job/life. I've never fully understood the value of the EAS program (other than for Colgan, Great Lakes and other carriers). I'm open to being educated and changing my mind about the topic but I don't understand the value at this point.

I'm with Waco on this one. If you choose to live in the sticks, then deal with the consequences.

Its not quite that simple in some parts of the world. There's less money than is available for people who've lived there for a lot longer than there was an America, and we've forced them to integrate. This may not be the case for Juneau, Ketchikan, or many of the places in "America," but it's certainly true for Karluk, Kake, Nikolski, Hydaburg, etc. There's a lot of waste in the program. There's also a lot of places that legitimately need service yet aren't covered. In short, its complicated. Do Petersburg, or Wrangell need subsidized jet service? No, its a bunch of BS, same with summer jet service to Gustavus. Additionally, do Elfin Cove and Funter Bay (one's a dying town, the other's an uninhabited cannery in a cove) need EAS service because the subsidies are based on censuses conducted in the late 80s? Hell no. Seriously, the program needs overhaul, but obliterating it? Not that simple.

 

[MikeD]

Its not quite that simple in some parts of the world. There's less money than is available for people who've lived there for a lot longer than there was an America, and we've forced them to integrate. This may not be the case for Juneau, Ketchikan, or many of the places in "America," but it's certainly true for Karluk, Kake, Nikolski, Hydaburg, etc. There's a lot of waste in the program. There's also a lot of places that legitimately need service yet aren't covered. In short, its complicated. Do Petersburg, or Wrangell need subsidized jet service? No, its a bunch of BS, same with summer jet service to Gustavus. Additionally, do Elfin Cove and Funter Bay (one's a dying town, the other's an uninhabited cannery in a cove) need EAS service because the subsidies are based on censuses conducted in the late 80s? Hell no. Seriously, the program needs overhaul, but obliterating it? Not that simple.

I thought its only being considered for cancellation in the lower 48. Alaska being the only place it'll exist.

 

[SpiraMirabilis]

There are EAS routes in Hawaii too.

 

[ppragman]

I thought its only being considered for cancellation in the lower 48. Alaska being the only place it'll exist.

That wasn't the point I was trying to make, but yeah, that's a good thing in my opinion.

 

[Firebird2XC]

Funny thing about EAS- they said back in the day, "let's deregulate the airline business!"

But they kept government subsidies for certain routes. So the prices are still fixed for *certain* operations. Like wherever a certain official thinks it should. I'm so tired of double standards in this business.

 

[MikeD]

user fees. That is all.

 

[drunkenbeagle]

I've never fully understood the value of the EAS program (other than for Colgan, Great Lakes and other carriers). I'm open to being educated and changing my mind about the topic but I don't understand the value at this point.

Well, it is also helpful for those of us that must travel to remote areas for work. My employer requires that I travel only by Part 121 operated aircraft. So the short answer - the additional travel time would cost everyone more money. And it is hard to keep businesses in regions that don't have scheduled airline service.

I think there is enough competition in the US aviation market that EAS isn't really necessary though.

 

[WalterSobchak]

I'm sure the 200 million spent by the government will usually generate that amount of revenue through the landing fees, ticket fees, fuel tax, sales tax etc. They stimulate these cities and create jobs which Uncle Sam gets a portion of the paychecks. Why don't they focus on cutting programs that don't generate any return? Cutting 200 million is like trying to empty a 5 gallon bucket with a thimble.