Council ranks Contour Airlines first for Merced’s EAS recommendation, with Advanced Air as fallback

The Merced City Council on Sept. 15 voted to forward a prioritized recommendation for Essential Air Service (EAS) carriers to the U.S. Department of Transportation that gives top preference to Contour Airlines (routes to LAX and Las Vegas, with an optional LAX–Phoenix pairing) and lists Advanced Air as an alternate for Hawthorne service.

Deputy City Manager Frank Quintero and Airport Manager Rhett Williams reviewed the DOT request for proposals and the airport authority’s subcommittee process. Rhett Williams said the city is targeting a higher level of enplanements to reach an FAA threshold of 10,000 annual enplanements that unlocks additional grant funding for airport improvement projects. "If you get over 10,000 enplanements, they grant the municipality $1,300,000 in grant funding to use in the airport," Williams said.

Airline representatives made competing pitches. Levi Stockton, CEO of Advanced Air (the incumbent), emphasized frequency and convenience to Hawthorne: "Flying into Hawthorne is a huge hit… it’s the private‑jet experience without the private jet prices." Advanced Air said it proposed frequent service on smaller aircraft and that its bid included substantial price reductions. Contour Airlines’ president, Ben Munson, argued for 30‑seat regional jets, multiple interline partnerships with major carriers and a lower subsidy per passenger; he warned that higher subsidy bids could put Merced’s EAS eligibility at risk.

Public commenters and councilmembers discussed trade‑offs: larger jets and fewer flights versus smaller aircraft with higher frequency and convenience. Several councilmembers noted the community’s recent riders favor the Hawthorne option but said larger aircraft and interline agreements could expand connecting options and the city’s chance to reach FAA thresholds. After a show‑of‑hands straw poll and follow‑up discussion, councilmembers moved and passed a ranked recommendation: Contour (LAX/Las Vegas; LAX/Phoenix as an additional routing) as first choice and Advanced Air (Hawthorne/Las Vegas and Hawthorne/Hawthorne‑to‑LAX options) as a subsequent preference. The motion passed with Mayor Pro Tem Boyle recorded as voting no; the council instructed staff to forward the ranking and route priorities to the DOT.

City staff cautioned the council about program details and tradeoffs: two of the top recommended options would require the city to waive certain EAS schedule‑service rights or to accept an alternate EAS arrangement that changes how subsidy grants are managed. Staff recommended council specify routes and ranking clearly in the packet forwarded to the DOT, which will make the final award and could require negotiations on operating terms.