"Wyoming airport mulls security upgrades"

Friday, December 8, 2006

Cody airport mulls upgrades 
Frontier service may trigger federal mandates
By RUFFIN PREVOST
The Billings (MT) Gazette


CODY - The possibility of service next year by two airlines using larger
aircraft could trigger federally mandated security upgrades at Yellowstone
Regional Airport.

Frontier Airlines recently requested a proposal from the airport on possible
service next year by a 74-seat turbo-prop aircraft called the Q400,
manufactured by Bombardier.

Negotiations are set to start next week with United Airlines for summer
service to Cody using a 70-passenger regional jet, also made by Bombardier.

Airport Manager Bob Hooper said that before either of the larger aircraft
can begin regular flights to Cody, required security upgrades would have to
be made. Hooper said the airport is classified as a Level 4 security
airport, based in part on the size of scheduled aircraft. Planes with 61
seats or more, which currently do not regularly serve YRA, require Level 3
security.

"All of this is governed by the Transportation Security Administration,"
Hooper said.

Plans work around TSA guidelines

The agency does not dictate specific measures but instead provides
guidelines around which airports must formulate an appropriate security
plan, he said.

"We have to tell them how we're going to secure all access and meet their
requirements, and they tell us what they will accept or won't," Hooper said.

The airport must provide a written security plan at least 90 days ahead of
receiving the new security classification, he said.

Among the upgrades likely to be required are changes to locks on doors
leading to the runways, switching from mechanical to electronic mechanisms
that log when all personnel use each door.

A new identification badge system would be required, along with
fingerprinting and background checks, Hooper said.

Also, a vehicle access gate leading to the runway area would have to be
moved, he said.

Though a final cost for the upgrades had yet to be determined, Hooper said
early estimates put the figure at more than $80,000, and possibly much
higher.

Many of the required security measures would be included in construction of
a planned new terminal, Hooper said, but the earliest that facility could be
in service is late 2009.

Hooper said any decisions about security upgrades would be made by the
airport board.

"I'm in favor of increasing our security level, as long as we have a way to
fund it," Hooper said. "It does require considerable expenditure on the part
of airport, and none of those funds are included in our operating budget."

New terminal claims funding

Hooper noted that most of the airport's discretionary funding is "tied up
for the next four or five years" in the new terminal.

Another possible upgrade would require stationing a police officer at the
airport during all hours of operation. Contracted security guards currently
cannot make arrests.

Cody Police Chief Perry Rockvam said he had been approached about the
possibility of providing officers for airport security, but he did not yet
have a firm idea of the cost.

"For us right now, it would be a staffing issue," Rockvam said.

With only two or three officers on patrol at certain times, dedicating one
to the airport would affect services, he said.

The cost of hiring an additional officer, including a patrol car, equipment,
salary and benefits, could be at least $80,000, Rockvam said.

Rockvam said TSA funds might help cover some of that cost, but any decision
to provide full-time police at the airport would require discussions with
the Cody City Council to authorize the additional expense.

State Sen. Hank Coe said the larger plane is needed to meet summer demand.

A member of the Cody/Yellowstone Air Service Organization, Coe said flights
this summer on smaller United aircraft were oversold.

"We did really well with (smaller) airplanes all summer, and the midday
flight was sold out all the time, so we're relatively certain we can operate
the larger flight at 75 to 80 percent load factors," Coe said.

Coe said CYASO is a private, nonprofit group that negotiates with airlines
to provide enhanced service to Cody. It has provided minimum revenue
guarantees to United Airlines, but not other airlines.

Although the security issue has yet to be resolved, Coe said negotiations
are set to begin next week between CYASO and United for summer service that
would include midday flights by a 70-passenger regional jet.

Coe said this past summer's deal with United called for a minimum revenue
guarantee of around $400,000, but "because revenues were good and we had a
good summer and pricing was good, we had to come up with no money."

Funding comes from the Wyoming Aeronautics Commission, which provides 90
percent of necessary funds, said Coe, with local sources putting up the
remaining 10 percent.

Coe said CYASO has contracted with United Airlines because the company
offers hundreds of daily connecting flights through Denver, offering the
best options for summer tourists looking to reach Cody.

Coe said past CYASO contracts with United have had provisions that prohibit
the group from making deals with competing carriers serving Cody from
Denver.

A Frontier spokesman has said any service to Cody would not require revenue
guarantees.

Delta Airlines serves Cody through Salt Lake City and does not have a deal
for guaranteed minimum revenue.

 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dcfp/dcboard.php


*****************************************