A fast, unanimous approval by the Cape Girardeau City Council affirmed Great Lakes Airlines as the city's choice for a commercial carrier.

The council agreement asks the U.S. Department of Transportation to give the airline a two-year contract and three round-trip flights daily to Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has the final say, because it will pay the airline a little more than $1 million in Essential Air Service money. Essential Air Service is a federal program aimed at providing passenger air service at regional airports.

But council members, convened in city manager Doug Leslie's office for a special meeting Thursday, asked many questions.

Councilman Matt Hopkins wanted to know how passengers and their luggage would get through security and arrive at the same destination. Cape Girardeau Regional Airport manager Bruce Loy said for all airlines except Southwest, those with just carry-on luggage would be able to move to a connecting flight without a second trip through security.

Councilwoman Loretta Schneider asked if people could make reservations for a complete trip at one time. Loy said reservations will have to be made separately, because Great Lakes Airlines does not have a code-sharing agreement with American Airlines.

He said he and the airport board are working toward an American-Great Lakes agreement, but could not guarantee that will happen.

All council members wanted to know how quickly air service would begin.

"The very simple answer is, we don't know," Loy said, going on to explain that Great Lakes faces a possible fight with Big Sky pilots who are trying to form their own airline.

He said the earliest would be 90 days; after the meeting Loy said it would be reasonable to expect service in May.

Mayor Jay Knudtson and city finance director John Richbourg pored over Great Lakes' financial statements before the meeting. Richbourg said the airlines turned a profit "for the last couple of years."

Big Sky Airlines, which started service Nov. 18 after months of delay, stopped flights at a dozen airports, including Cape Girardeau's, on Jan. 7, unable to turn a profit.

On Dec. 20, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued an emergency request for proposals, with a Jan. 11 deadline. The airport advisory board met Tuesday and Wednesday to evaluate the only two bids received. Great Lakes Airlines' bid was familiar; the Cheyenne, Wyo.-based company lost out to Big Sky last year, when the city was trying to replace RegionsAir.

The Farmington, Mo.-based Air Choice One made a strong presentation, but has only one Essential Air Service contract and uses nine-passenger planes. The planes were not large enough, according to Loy and members of the airport advisory board.

Great Lakes' proposal notes that its agreements with Jackson, Tenn., and Owensboro, Ky., hinge on being selected for Cape Girardeau. The bid specifies using 19-seat Beechcraft 1900D planes for the flights.

pmcnichol@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127