Marathon Airport Committee Targeting Airlines

Sept. 29, 2005
The Marathon Airport Advisory Committee is meeting for the first time to figure out how the group will spend more than $1 million to get major airline service back at Florida Keys Marathon Airport.

Sep. 28--The 23 members of the Marathon Airport Advisory Committee were to meet for the first time Tuesday to get acquainted, figure out how the group will operate and how it will spend more than $1 million to get major airline service back at Florida Keys Marathon Airport.

"This is the first meeting of the [committee] that was put together," said County Commissioner David Rice, who has been leading the project. "Truly, until we had the federal grant in place, there was really no real purpose of meeting."

Rice said the group, which was appointed by city councils, tourism groups and chambers of commerce, mainly discussed the interest of three major airlines - Delta, Gulfstream (operated by Continental) and US Airways - in using federal and community dollars to start serving Marathon.

In August, county consultant The Boyd Group secured a $750,000 Small Community Air Service Development Program grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, which the county failed to get the past two years.

The federal funds add to nearly $350,000 pledged by local organizations, businesses and individuals to be a minimum income guarantee to an airline servicing Marathon, meaning the airline would get all or some of the money if it fails to reach a minimum revenue target.

The goal is to have a carrier in place by the start of the main tourist season around November.

"We have a great deal of interest from Gulfstream and Delta," Rice said, "while U.S. Air has expressed a little less interest."

A major commercial carrier hasn't operated out of Marathon since American Eagle pulled out in 2000.

Rice said Delta would be the optimum carrier, as it could provide nonstop jet service to Atlanta, a major hub. Delta already provides service from Key West International Airport.

Delta, the nation's third-largest airline, filed for bankruptcy only two weeks ago, and U.S. Air has filed twice since Sept. 11, 2001. However, Rice said that shouldn't make a difference for Marathon.

"That will be a question that will probably be answered in the meeting," Rice said. "My guess is no, you probably won't be able to tell the difference."

According to Rice, Mike Mooney from The Boyd Group told the advisory committee that communication with Delta was disrupted while it was approaching bankruptcy, but lines are open now that the company is reorganizing.

"My impression, for the foreseeable future, is that airlines entering into bankruptcy are doing so for reorganization," Rice said. "And if we avoided all airlines in bankruptcy, there's not going to be many left."

Rice said Mooney and Key West International Airport Director Peter Horton are meeting with Gulfstream officials today in Fort Lauderdale and will be meeting with Delta in Atlanta sometime next week to start negotiating contracts.

"We could come out with relationship with one airline," Rice said. "Or we might come out with relationship with two airlines, which one might provide in-state flights, such as Gulfstream does and another might be regional to go to Atlanta and Charlotte. "

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