Comments on: Council Votes to End Air Service Subsidies, Airline Still Interested

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 08 Oct 2016 10:25:43 +0000

The EAS is a stupid make-work program that should be abolished. If there was demand for flights, an airline would come and fill it. Why does the government pay airlines to fly empty planes while the local passengers drive to another airport?

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 19:52:06 +0000

I’m 100% behind the council’s decision! Use the money to make the airport better…in time Visalia will be big enough to attract a REAL airline without the need for subsidies…till then focus on cargo and making the airport bigger and better.

By: Nancy Vigran

Nancy Vigran — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 02:14:22 +0000

In reply to Harry U.

Harry U – The Tulare County Board of Supervisors has had no say on the airport – the board mentioned in the article is the Imperial County Board of Sups down south.

By: Soup Can Puddle Jumper

Soup Can Puddle Jumper — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 21:47:15 +0000

In reply to Harry U.

Harry, you’re confusing Imperial County and Tulare County. I promise they’re two different places. Re-read the article.

By: Harry U

Harry U — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 21:24:26 +0000

So the Board of Supes voted in favor of Boutique Airlines to give us both NorCal and LA flights, then suddenly decided to ask for the same amount of government $$ for NO airline and NO flights, but Mokulele “might be interested” in charging us higher fares after all the money is spent to “rebrand” and “market” such a tiny airport? This is a mayor problem, not a marketing problem.

By: Soup Can Puddle Jumper

Soup Can Puddle Jumper — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 21:18:19 +0000

In reply to Vic Raymond.

Vic, Boutique’s subsidy was in the order of 3.5 million dollars, or 3.6 million for service to Sacramento.

Boutique’s own projected passenger count was lower than would be required for Visalia to keep subsidized service.

If Boutique took over service and failed to meet the required passenger count, which is likely based on historical numbers at the airport, you wouldn’t have “a better airline that still goes north and south,” you’d at best have to deal with your random soup can puddle jumpers, or at worst deal with the soup can bus to Fresno.

While I disagree with the idea of shuttering service at the airport for ten years, taking three million dollars makes a lot more sense than zero dollars.

By: Visalia Continues Process for CFPP as Mokulele Signals Subsidy-Free Interest — EAS Notes

Wed, 16 Mar 2016 13:35:50 +0000

[…] From the (Visalia) Valley Voice: […]

By: Vic Raymond

Vic Raymond — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 10:18:22 +0000

This doesn’t make any sense. BoutiqueAir is already here in CA and their proposal shows triple higher passenger counts after picking up from Great Lakes and SeaPort, if that’s supposedly the problem. Why not choose them, seems like a no brainer. We just want a better airline that still goes north and south, not $3.7 million to improve an empty airport or entice some random Hawaiian soup can puddle jumpers.