“Big Sky’s long history of service to Montana, together with its proposed fair structure, code-sharing agreements, and connecting hub in Billings make it the ideal carrier to serve Montana’s rural passengers,” Rehberg said.

            Rehberg, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Aviation Subcommittee, had urged the Transportation Department to support Big Sky’s two-year renewal proposal to serve Montana’s EAS routes. The department selected Big Sky over a competing bid from Mesa Air on behalf of its subsidiary, Air Midwest, Inc.

            “Big Sky is in its twenty-fourth year of providing this critical air service, and it understands and has been meeting the needs of these rural Montana communities whose economies are dependent upon the service,” Rehberg said in a January 22, 2004, letter to DOT Assistant Secretary Karan Bhatia.

            The renewed contract will guarantee Big Sky more than $5.7 million per year through February, 2006, at no cost to local governments.  Last summer, House Speaker Dennis Hastert selected Rehberg to Represent the House on a panel that reconciled Senate and House versions of EAS reauthorizations. Rehberg worked to exempt Montana from a proposed matching funds provision.

            “We’ve kept the matching local fund requirements out of Montana,” Rehberg said.  “I intend to see that funding for Montana’s essential air service remains secure as long as I continue to serve as Montana’s Congressman.”

            Congress authorized the EAS program to guarantee a minimum level of air carrier service to small communities.  The Department of Transportation currently subsidizes air service to approximately 38 rural communities in the continental U.S.