CARLSBAD, N.M. — Carlsbad and Lea County are backing Hawai'i-based Pacific Wings for air service over Mesa Airlines, which holds the current two-year contract to fly between Carlsbad, Hobbs and Albuquerque.

The Carlsbad City Council unanimously backed Pacific Wings yesterday. The Lea County Commission had voted unanimously for Pacific Wings on Wednesday.

They will recommend Pacific Wings to the U.S. Department of Transportation to be the cities' essential air provider. That program provides federal subsidies to airlines that serve smaller communities.

The federal agency will make the final decision which airline will receive the subsidy, but Pacific Wings President Greg Kahlstorf said community recommendations are the biggest factor.

"It's assumed that if you support it, you'll use it," he said.

Mesa and Pacific — which both operate interisland service in Hawai'i — competed for the contract, which is shared by Carlsbad and Lea County.

Kahlstorf promised lower rates and more flights to El Paso, Texas, and other locations, and sent local officials up in a nine-passenger Cessna Grand Caravan similar to what he said will serve the area.

Mesa, whose current contract for flights to and from Albuquerque expires this spring, flies a 19-seat plane. Mesa has served the southeastern New Mexico area for more than two decades.

Valerie Murrill, president of the Carlsbad Department of Development, told the Lea County meeting that it was time to try a new airline because of canceled flights and problems with equipment, responsiveness and service with Mesa.

"I think if we want to keep the same service to our communities, then keep Mesa; if we want a change, then go with Pacific Wings," Murrill said.

Kahlstorf said he believes his airline could offer flights to Albuquerque for less than $75 and flights to El Paso for less than $50.

"For a while we are going to be subsidizing these fares, but I see a tremendous potential for tourism," he said.

Carlsbad Mayor Pro Tem Ned Elkins — who said Pacific's promises were "nebulous" — nonetheless said he told Mesa officials they had lost the confidence of southeastern New Mexico.

"I told them I thought Snoopy in a World War I biplane could come in here and get this thing," he said. "Southeast New Mexico wants change, and it is important that we not be divided."

Pacific Wings submitted a bid of just over $500,000 to provide flights to Albuquerque through the essential air service program; Mesa's bid for the same flights came in at more than $1.2 million.

Carlsbad Mayor Bob Forrest said he expects Mesa Airlines will be back in two years to make a pitch for the next contract.

"Hopefully Mesa will learn a lesson," Carlsbad Councilor Jimmie Cisneros said. "But it is important that we also learn a lesson. We're being very critical about what we expect out of Pacific, when we should have been this critical of Mesa."

Lea County commissioners said an informal survey showed residents favored switching to Pacific Wings by a ratio of seven to one.