Agenda Item Wording:
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U.S. Department of Transportation Essential Air Service program - An informational overview and summary of the Essential Air Service program eligible to return to Visalia Municipal Airport in the 2027 calendar year.
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Agenda Date: 09/21/2026
Prepared by:
Jody Miller, Airport Manager, Jody.Miller@visalia.gov, (559)713-4282
John Lollis, Assistant City Manager, John.Lollis@visaia.gov, (559)713-4323
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council receive the informational overview and summary of the Essential Air Service (EAS) program and select two (2) Members of Council to serve on an Ad Hoc Committee to coordinate with City staff and local business partners in community outreach and the review of potential certified air carriers for recommendation to the Council. The Council has the opportunity to recommend a preferred operator to the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) but the agency makes the final decision.
Summary:
Visalia Municipal Airport will become eligible again for regular EAS service beginning May 1, 2027. In 2016, facing significant issues with air carrier reliability and the need for hangar expansion at the Airport, the City opted to apply and was selected by the USDOT for the Community Flexibility Pilot Program, through which the City received $3.7 million in federal grant funds (equivalent to 2 years of passenger subsidies) for hangar development in exchange for not hosting EAS service and air carrier subsidies for ten (10) years. Up to ten (10) EAS airports were eligible to apply for the Pilot Program, however, Visalia was the only applicant and the Pilot Program was not reauthorized due to lack of interest and is no longer available.
The USDOT is expected to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) in the October 2026 timeframe as a competitive bidding process to all certified air carriers in submitting service destinations and subsidy proposals, with levels of service to inclu...
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