Commentary by Samuel Strait – March 3, 2023 As promised here is a bit more information surrounding the mess at Jack McNamara Regional Airport that services the area around Crescent City for commercial air service to Oakland, California. Recently, the Director of the Border Coast Regional Airport Authority, (BCRAA) Ryan Cooley, updated the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors regarding their match to a grant authored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to the tune of just over $9 million for the purpose of refurbishing the runways at the local airport. Unfortunately for Mr. Cooley, he is clearly not at all pro active in addressing the actual problems that have plagued the County's only Airport since service to San Francisco and Sacramento were suspended almost a decade ago when Sky West ceased operations to those destinations. Since that time enplanements have plummeted, we have a fancy but useless new terminal to maintain, and no way for commercial air service to grow. In spite of all the euphoria over the construction of a new terminal at Jack McNamara Field, service from the airport remains a one horse commercial airline operation to Oakland, California with few options for inexpensive service other than to the Southwestern part of the United States. The Operator, Contour Air, has no inter airline agreements with any other airlines, except American which does not operate out of Oakland. Hence, passengers with flights on other airlines to other locations must collect luggage, check in to following flights, and go through security a second time. That or seek transportation to San Francisco to perform the same operation at SFO for out bound flights. Airline travel in the current age has become much less trouble free and the addition of extra steps during a trip can cause all sorts of issues. Prior to the gaggle of airlines that have operated out of Crescent City over the past decade from Crescent City to first Portland and now Oakland, many passengers found traveling through San Francisco or Sacramento a much better option with fewer in-terminal issues, more out bound options, and normally less expensive flights. When Sky West ceased operation to the Bay Area, the reasoning was that the regional airline at the time was transitioning from prop driven planes to 44 passenger regional jets, which cannot land at Jack McNamara Airport due to a short runway. Rather than make the effort to correct that deficiency and seek funding to lengthen the runways, the BCRAA chose to accept funding for the new terminal. Nearly $50 million later, the new terminal has been completed and is not much more than a pass through terminal that will shortly begin to require regular serious maintenance. While the old terminal may have not been an architect's wet dream, it served the purpose of enplaning passengers without the financial burden the new terminal will place on departing and arriving passengers. For those that fly, you didn't really think there wouldn't be an additional cost, did you? As such we now have a wonderful and expensive show place terminal with daily service in thirty passenger Embraer ERJ-135 jets to Oakland California where fares can range from a bit over $200 round trip in the off season to over $500 in the peak season. The $14.7 million subsidy for essential service allows Contour Air to service a maximum of 10,500 enplanements per year, about 60% of the enplanements the last year Sky West serviced Crescent City with no real room for increasing that service. Contour Air is maxed out with little room to grow. So where does one go if Oakland, California doesn't suit your travel plans? Medford, Oregon? Arcata, California? Portland, Oregon? Or maybe all the way to the Bay Area. Looks like 40% of the potential air traffic out of the County already has made that choice. Is there a solution for what ails the BCRAA? Certainly, a longer runway, service to SFO and Sacramento on the new 44 passenger regional jets. Welcome to the modern world of aviation. Better, less painful service to destinations that provide greater options, with less expensive fares. New and wider runways, not hampered by FAA funding guidelines. More rigorous safety regulations surrounding the Air service and its crews. Larger aircraft with an opportunity to grow enplanements and increase economic development. Perhaps as Supervisor Howard is want to say, "Lets be more pro active." If grant funding to the tune of $9 million could be found to merely refurbish the existing runways, perhaps a bit more pro active thinking could land enough funding to really make a difference at Jack McNamara Airport. No need to drive to Medford, Arcata, Portland or the Bay Area; fast efficient regional jets to the rescue with plenty of room to grow.