Air Midwest Leaving Joplin
This morning's Joplin Globe brings bad news for the Joplin airport: the airline providing Essential Air Service (EAS) wants to pull out. Air Midwest also wants to leave its other EAS markets including the Missouri cities of Columbia and Kirksville. In Arkansas: Harrison, El Dorado, Hot Springs, and Jonesboro. In Kansas: Salina and Manhattan.
The federal government began the EAS program after it deregulated the airline industry in the late 1970s. The program provides subsides to airlines to provide service to small communities that otherwise would not have service.
The Globe reports that the feds won't let Air Midwest leave the market until a replacement airline is found. What the paper doesn't report is how hard it's going to be to find a replacement. As the airline economy has worsened, fewer and fewer airlines are interested in providing EAS. Read more about EAS woes in Missouri from the Southeast Missourian.
Kent
2 Comments
Reader Comments (2)
I fly for a corporate outfit out of various airports and I've noticed that fuel in your part of the country is a bit more expensive than I've found elsewhere. Out of curiosity, how may gallons of Jet A do you sell a year at SGF and do you have any sort of incentive program to encourage pilots like myself to buy more. For example, a volume discount program or preferred user/discount program.
I am also a corporate pilot making very frequent stops at SGF and was wondering why an airport as big as Springfield has no Millionaire, Signature, Atlantic, or large FBO chain. I think this would be a great thing for the airport and attract many more users in general aviation/corporate aviation. This would also allow for Rick's fuel incentive program. My company and I have been very dissappointed with the services that the current FBO has to offer for such a large city and airport. Any explainations or changes would be much appreciated. Thanks!