DELTA'S FUTURE AT SIOUX GATEWAY

SIOUX CITY---SIOUX CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL BE ASKED TO APPROVE AND ACCEPT A $395-THOUSAND GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE FAA TO UPDATE THE AIRPORT MASTER PLAN.

SIOUX CITY AIRPORT FLEET DIRECTOR CURT MILLER SAYS THE GRANT WOULD PAY FOR AIRFIELD GPS TAGS, CONCRETE AND UTILITIES.

HOWEVER, THOSE ARE THE LEAST OF HIS WORRIES. HE SAYS LEGISLATION IN WASHINGTON, D-C COULD HURT THE SIOUX GATEWAY AIRPORT BY NOT CLASSIFYING IT AS AN ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE.

WITH AN OCTOBER 1ST DEADLINE IN THE BILL, SIOUX CITY WOULD NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO REQUEST TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM, WHICH COULD ALLOW DELTA TO DISCONTINUE SERVICE.

LETTERS HAVE BEEN SENT TO REPRESENTATIVES KING AND LATHAM AND SENATORS GRASSLEY AND HARKIN, ASKING THEM TO REVISE THE BILL.

MILLER SAYS BOTH GRASSLEY AND HARKIN HAVE AGREED TO SUPPORT CHANGES IN THE LANGUAGE OF THAT BILL.