Risk Loss Of Funding If They Don't Negotiate With Allegiant Air

Low-cost air carrier Allegiant Air has encountered community barricades in an effort to expand into the Seattle, WA area, but the Federal Aviation Administration is cautioning officials to "play nice" or risk their Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding.

Allegiant Air notified Snohomish County in May its intention to begin twice-weekly flights from Snohomish Co. Airport/Paine Field (PAE) in Everett to Las Vegas. Allegiant currently flies from Bellingham, 60 miles north to several vacation destinations in California and Arizona, and to Las Vegas from Pasco.

The Seattle Times reports the FAA warned county officials Thursday to negotiate with a commercial airline wanting to introduce passenger service to Paine Field, or risk federal grants for airport improvement.

FAA district manager said in a letter to airport director David Waggoner, "Failure to negotiate in good faith may subject the County to an enforcement action" and could put continued receipt of federal funding at risk.

Despite the FAA warning, officials vowed to continue fighting commercial operations at the airport.

On Tuesday, the Snohomish County Council adopted a resolution against commercial flights from Paine Field citing concerns and opposition in surrounding communities to increased air traffic and the negative impact it would create.

"We're still very opposed to commercial air service," said Christopher Schwarzen, spokesman for County Executive Aaron Reardon. "We don't think it fits with the surrounding community."

County Councilman Brian Sullivan said the county will ask US Reps. Rick Larsen and Jay Inslee and Sen. Maria Cantwell to lobby the FAA on the county's behalf.

The airport, well known for its role in commercial aerospace manufacturing, is home to the Boeing Co. production and delivery centers. Sullivan feels the airport should remain exclusive to that niche and not aim to be an air carrier airport.

But considering the FAA warning, business leaders and airport advocates argued that refusal to consider commercial flights could jeopardize AIP funding for airport improvement that has totaled $57 million since 1945.

As Boeing ramps up production of the 787 Dreamliner, built in Everett, airport officials say that another $50 million in repairs to taxiways and runways are needed in the next five years, to support anticipated traffic increases.

The FAA letter, dated Wednesday from Seattle Airports District Office Manager Carol Key, said that grant provisions require that the county "make the airport available as an airport for public use on reasonable terms and without unjust discrimination to all types, kinds and classes of aeronautical activities, including commercial aeronautical activities offering services to the public at the airport."

The letter concluded, "to ensure continued receipt of federal funding, you must negotiate in good faith with Allegiant Air."

In its May 12 letter of interest to Paine Field, Allegiant Air Vice President Robert Ashcroft noted that the airport's current 1,000-foot terminal would not be adequate to serve the 150-passenger MD-80s that the airline flies. Ashcroft also noted that expanded parking facilities and ground support would have to be secured before passenger service could begin.

Councilman Sullivan said Thursday that if the county is forced to negotiate with the airline, it will require a "world-class terminal" from them in addition to a plan to mitigate traffic and noise as well as restrictions on time of day for departures and arrivals.

The surrounding cities of Mukilteo, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and Lynnwood have fought commercial air service for at least 30 years and all all passed resolutions against it.

Opponents argued that a policy statement known as the Mediated Role Determination precluded airport expansion beyond general aviation, aviation-industry-related uses and private commuter flights.

A review by a citizens panel appointed by Reardon concluded a year ago that federal law does not allow the county to prohibit scheduled passenger service, but the county does not have to subsidize service and can make airlines pay for their own improvements.

In addition, Sullivan believes a precedent exists for a county airport to refuse commercial airline service, citing a recent example in neighboring King County.

In an effort to reduce costs for passengers in the Seattle region, Southwest Airlines proposed in 2005 to leave the pricey Sea-Tac Airport and build its own passenger terminal at nearby Boeing Field.  King County executive Ron Sims ultimately rejected the proposal after protests from neighbors, the Port of Seattle and other airlines using Sea-Tac.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.painefield.com, www.allegiantair.com