Delta is coming (we hope)
There may be only 10 shopping days left before Christmas, but there are only FIVE shopping days left (until 12/20) to pledge a minimum of $2000 to a pre-purchased airfare bank at attract Delta Airlines to begin twice-daily service from Eureka/Arcata to Salt Lake City (a Delta hub). You don't need to write a check or whip out a credit card right away. Just sign a pledge form that will entitle you to $2000 worth of travel to be used within one year after Delta begins this local air connection.
As someone who flies in and out of the Eureka/Arcata airport at least once a month, I can attest first hand to the uncertainty of successfully making connections to other cities -- this attributable more than 50% of the time to weather and air traffic in San Francisco as it is to our own local fog, wind and rain.
The pre-purchased Air Travel Bank is a creative financing promotion used successfully by the aviation consulting firm that the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission is using to create better travel options for local individuals and businesses. See the description below for more information.
If you've done ANY air travel in and out of Eureka/Arcata, you'll know how a connection to another city, especially a hub city such as Salt Lake City, means much more than one added flying option. It means better business opportunities for the North Coast. Give your friends, neighbors and co-workers a Christmas present they can really use ... jobs and prosperity ... by pledging your $2000 or more today.
Thanks for your consideration, and please forgive the use of this blog for this purpose, no matter how worthwhile. Merry Christmas !!
Chris Crawford
www.justiceserved.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Details ...
On October 3, RREDC joined Airports Manager Jacquelyn Hulsey, Public Works Director Tom Mattson, and Joseph Pickering from RREDC’s consultant Mead and Hunt in a presentation to Delta Airlines officials at their headquarters in Atlanta. Our purpose in meeting with them was to discuss their interest in initiating service from our airport to their western hub in Salt Lake City. In short, the meeting with them went very well. They have expressed their strong interest in starting twice per day jet service to Salt Lake City.
Why Salt Lake City? Currently, Delta Airlines offers 373 peak day departures to 115 non-stop destinations from Salt Lake City. Their plan is to increase this to 122 non-stop destinations by Summer 2008. The new service that we are targeting to twice per day service on 50 seat regional jets.
However, in expressing their interest, Delta is looking for local incentives and indication of support. They are being actively recruited by a number of jurisdictions who are placing real financial incentives on the table. To secure this service, then, we must also offer financial incentives to Delta.
In short, we will need to produce the following:
1. $500,000 in revenue guarantees. This money will be held in trust locally and would only be used to offset any short-term losses that Delta might incur. Clear thresholds must be met by Delta to get access to these dollars and if revenue exceeds those thresholds, we will not have to provide the revenue support.
2. $500,000 in pre-purchased travel through an Air Travel Bank™ (ATB). Our consultant, Mead and Hunt, pioneered the use of ATBs and has been successful in using them to start service in other cities. Your investment in the ATB will be good for purchases of any Delta Airline flight for one year following the commencement of service from our airport. If service does not start, then your investment will be returned.
Literally hundreds of people have expressed interest over the past few years about the need for new service, but Delta has given us a very short timeline. This is actually good news, as it indicates that they’d could start this service as early as mid 2008.
We need to move fast if we are to succeed. Please respond to RREDC Executive Director Madelin Holtkamp at rredc@northcoast.com or 445-9651 (no later than 12/20/07) to let her know (you are) willing and able to support these efforts.
Finally, thanks for your support of this important effort to connect our region to the rest of the world.