By Samuel Strait, Report at Large – February 18, 2021 Let's be clear about our airport and commercial air service, Contour Air, Crescent City to Oakland and return. Without a pretty hefty subsidy, Four million plus dollars, commercial air service to any where out of Crescent City would be economically unfeasible. Any thing less than 15,000 to 20,000 passengers per year makes it difficult for any commercial carrier to do anything more than survive unaided. Without some sort of a commercial carrier, our new airport terminal is just so much more empty space. And, finally without an extended runway for small jet commercial service, the airport will find it difficult to attract a carrier that will go somewhere other than Sacramento, Portland, or Oakland. All that being said, our local carrier, Contour Air, has put it to the public that they would like to consider changing destinations from Oakland to Sacramento. Sounds to me like the Crescent City to Oakland isn't working out for them. Over the past several months Contour Air has suspended it's Essential Air Service from several other under preforming airports. The claim is that the pandemic has made such cuts necessary. Contour Air has never broken the 10,000 passenger threshold since it began it's Crescent City-Oakland daily service. One might ask the question, why now is the change in destination on the table? And why Sacramento, another medium sized airport? Let us take a look at that in detail. Oakland has eleven air carriers that maintain service to destinations within the United States and one to Mexico as the only international destination. American Airlines does not fly out of Oakland, which will become important later on in this story. Flights through Oakland entail luggage claim, recheck in, and another trip through security. It also can be up to thirty to fifty percent more costly flying through Oakland, and it does not serve County and City government officials need to access the State capital in Sacramento directly. Sacramento is home to fifteen domestic carriers and one international carrier to Mexico. Cost to on going destinations are not much of a bargain, but Sacramento has one thing going for it. American Airlines, which recently entered into a code sharing agreement with Contour Air, has eliminated the need to collect baggage, re check in, and go through security again. It also checks the box for our government travel non stop to the State's capitol. The only problem with that scenario is that American Airlines only has one flight per day out of Sacramento and, it goes to, you guessed it, Washington, DC. Kind of looks like the change is meant to benefit local government officials rather than the flying public. Going to Sacramento, may serve Contour Air, as they have a code share agreement with American Airlines and they already have a presence there. It does not change the fact that interest in traveling through Sacramento to other destination will remain unappreciated and not foster any additional growth. The problem continues to be the need for a longer runway and access to a larger airport. Nothing will change with a new destination to Sacramento and Contour Air is more likely than not to become another carrier of the past.