Not everyone is welcoming Point2Point Airways with open arms. Several North Dakota flight services located in the state's major cities say they believe their livelihoods are threatened by the creation of Point2Point, and are looking forward to a Thursday meeting in Bismarck where they hope their concerns will be addressed.

The flight services' main complaint is that federal grant money is being used to subsidize Point2Point, which will be in direct competition with services they have been offering for years. Perhaps hardest-hit will be Bismarck's Executive Air - which is involved in a lawsuit with Bismarck, with Executive Air owner Dennis Rohlfs seeking $20 million in damages. Rohlfs' claim is that Executive Air has been directed by the city to meet a number of requirements to operate his business at the city-owned airport that others doing business there haven't had to. This has resulted in a loss of business and loss of value of Executive Air, Rohlfs said.

Executive Air General Manager Paul Vetter won't comment on any possible involvement between the city's Point2Point proposal and his company. But Bill Keyser, president of the Williston-based ServAir West, said he thinks Point2Point is part of Bismarck's retaliation for the lawsuit.

"Personally, I think the lawsuit against the city has brought this about as sort of a vendetta," Keyser said. "I'm not against more people getting into the charter business, but I just don't like how they went about it."

Vetter said that Point2Point is of particular concern to Executive Air, since it is being based in Bismarck. Vetter said he will be at Thursday's meeting and is preparing his questions and concerns.

"We want to hear more," Vetter said. "When we were contacted by Point2Point, they talked in general terms. It was not our understanding they would be in direct competition for services we provide. Our concern is that taxpayers are funding an enterprise that is in direct competition with other flight services."

"The biggest issue is the fact the existing operators were led to believe the grant money was to be utilized for a centralized scheduling and network system to enhance existing operations in point-to-point service in the state," said Brent Seifert, president of GFK Flight Support in Grand Forks. "That had been the discussion the last couple of years. At some point, that changed and the money was awarded to (John) Boehle for a startup taxi service, which will be competing against the other operations."

Seifert, who has been in business for 11 years, plans to be at the information meeting. He wants to know when the intent for the use of the grant was changed and why the existing operators weren't notified.

Warren Pietsch, who runs Minot's Pietsch Aviation, said that while he hasn't offered air taxi services since 2001, he's sympathetic to the concerns of other charter operators.

"Well, I think the competition aspect - going into business with government money - is unfair, and that needs to be addressed," Pietsch said. "There's also the way the whole operation was handled - with the consultant ending up being the supplier in a short amount of time - doesn't seem kosher."

Keyser questions Point2Point CEO John Boehle's experience and doesn't think he will get the certifications necessary for operating Point2Point. But Boehle said he is bringing together the necessary team members to run Point2Point and sees himself as project manager.

"As a fixed-base operator, I've had to jump through all the hoops," Keyser said. "I've flown for 48 years and have encountered just about every kind of situation. I've had to borrow and do things the hard way. Point2Point is coming in with no experience."

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@bismarcktribune.com.)