Aug. 8--The Williamson County Airport Authority announced it will recommend Cape Air to the U.S. Department of Transportation for air service at Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois.

A press release sent by the group Tuesday evening read, "After carefully reviewing air service proposals, meeting with air carriers, and receiving public input, Williamson County Airport Authority voted unanimously to recommend to U.S. DOT that Cape Air be awarded a new contract to provide flights to both St. Louis and Nashville."

Doug Kimmel, director of Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois, said the recommendation is in keeping with the majority of public opinion as expressed through an online survey, letters, emails, phone calls and office visits that supported Cape Air service with the addition flights to Nashville, Tennessee.

When votes from the public from all sources were totaled, Cape Air received 1,969 recommendations or 55% and SkyWest received 1,642 or 45% of the total 3,611 votes.

"After a 10-year partnership with Cape Air, we felt now was not the time to turn our back on investments made when a brand new aircraft is about to be introduced into the market and a new point of service is to be offered as well. We are just as eager to see how the market responds to these improvements as Cape Air is," Kimmel said. "Given the public support received, it should be very positive."

Cape Air has started implementing new aircraft and will continue to replace their entire fleet over the next few years. The new aircraft, the Tecnam Traveler, will provide more cabin and luggage space, and one additional seat for a co-pilot.

Kimmel said the support for Chicago flights was almost entirely from those who want direct access to and from Chicago, point-to-point service. Kimmel said that is not what makes regional air service successful or what it is designed to do. Regional air service is designed to get passengers to larger airports to connect them with the national air transportation system, then on to a final destination.

"Other concerns with Chicago were frequency, cost and reliability," Kimmel said. "What you gain in a 50-seat aircraft is given up in frequency."

Going from six daily flights to two would make scheduling for connecting flights difficult. A larger aircraft and added flight distance would also result in fares that would be twice as expensive. Finally, the logistics of O'Hare is a concern with weather and air traffic delays that disproportionately affect smaller flights first.

"When you're this far away from the connecting airport and experience those reliability issues, your options are limited to none, and your experience likely to be dreadful," Kimmel said.

Kimmel added that in the end, Williamson County Airport Authority is not saying no to SkyWest, but just saying not right now. After four years with the new Cape Air planes and flights to Nashville, if the airport has not seen measurable growth in traffic, then the bidding process will start again.

U.S. Department of Transportation is expected to make a decision in September. They also are reviewing proposals for air service in Cape Girardeau and Quincy.

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