City weighs options for new airline

Two airlines want to offer federally subsidized passenger service at Columbia Regional Airport, but the city wants to know where local travelers want to go before picking a favorite.

RegionsAir and Air Midwest sent separate proposals last week to the U.S. Department of Transportation for passenger air service to and from Columbia. Trans States Airlines, now the airport's lone carrier, will pull its service as soon as another carrier begins operating.

After briefly discussing the plans during a meeting last night, city officials and members of the Columbia City Council said they need more time to make a decision on which proposal to accept.

John Glascock, director of the city's Public Works Department, said a report from consulting firm Mead & Hunt will detail the need for passenger service at the airport and outline where Mid-Missouri travelers want to go.

The report is due to the city by June 1.

"Where we go from here - we're talking to our airport consultant," Glascock said. "We're looking at our travel survey to see what the need is."

Wichita, Kan.-based Air Midwest has proposed 12 roundtrip flights per week to St. Louis and Kansas City for an annual federal subsidy of $598,751, or 24 roundtrip flights per week to Kansas City for an annual subsidy of $793,830. The company is part of Phoenix-based Mesa Air Group.

RegionsAir, based in Smyrna, Tenn., proposes 24 roundtrip flights to St. Louis for an annual subsidy of $728,438.

Trans States announced in February it gave 90-day notice that it planned to stop its air service in Columbia, although the company is required by federal law to continue providing its existing level of service until a replacement is found. The airline offers three Columbia-to-St. Louis flights Sunday through Friday and two flights on Saturdays.

Council members and City Manager Bill Watkins said they'd like to see flights out of Columbia to additional travel hubs such as Chicago, and they floated the idea of kicking in city or grant money to sweeten the deal for the airlines.

Among council members, there seemed to be a consensus that more flights to more cities is desirable.

"I agree that multiple destinations are good, but four flights" to Kansas City "is good, too," said Second Ward Councilman Chris Janku, referring to the Air Midwest proposal.

Third Ward Councilman Bob Hutton also expressed support for flights to St. Louis and Kansas City from Columbia.

Federal officials ultimately will decide which company will provide service to the city, although they'll accept input from Columbia officials. Glascock said the federal government likely will choose the lowest-cost option unless the city makes a case for the more expensive one.

"We're also going into it knowing that we will need a lot of community support," said Watkins, who added the city has tried unsuccessfully for years to get a Chicago flight from Columbia. The last to offer Chicago service was local startup Ozark Air Lines, which discontinued flights in 2001.

ENERGY ISSUE In other business yesterday, the council voted to hold a special election in August to ask voters whether the city should issue $60 million in bonds to pay for planned upgrades to electric transmission and distribution infrastructure.

Planned upgrades include underground transmission lines, new streetlights, a new transformer and a methane gas renewable fuels facility at the city's landfill. Funds from rate increases planned for fiscal years 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 will be used to pay off the bonds.