American Airlines Joplin service gets endorsement

American Airlines is likely to renew its flights services to Joplin next year at a much subsidized rate, media reports said recently. The reports quoted Steve Stockam, Manager at the Joplin Regional Airport, saying that discussions on expanding commercial flights services at the airport could start by spring. Stockam informed the Joplin City Council lately.

Stockam told the council that American Airlines is the sole bidder for offering services out of Joplin Regional Airport. He said that the airline has already notified the U.S. Department of Transportation that it is ready to offer daily flights at a highly subsidized rate of $342,560 a year for two years.

Earlier, the airline had been offering services for $2,778,756 per year under its present contract. American Airlines has been doing business here as American Eagle.

American Airlines in its bid has offered to provide two flights every day from Dallas at a much reduced federal subsidy. The bid has been approved by the Joplin City Council, which has written a letter of endorsement to the U.S. Department of Transportation for the approval of the bid.