Staff report
VIENNA
The Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport’s Travel Bank – Air Service Initiative has reached $1.6 million in pledges from 55 businesses and individuals since the program began a month ago.
“The response from businesses and individuals from our community has been strong thus far. We are ahead of pace in our pledges and will continue to work with local businesses to reach our intended target of $5 million in pledges,” said Dan Dickten, director of aviation at the airport.
A travel bank is a list of pledges made by local businesses, large employers and individuals who travel frequently, that state what each entity will spend each year on new air service should it be initiated from a local airport.
The purpose of the Travel Bank – Air Service Initiative is to quantify travel demand for the airline that otherwise is not quantifiable. It shows that the local community supports potential new air service and is willing to put its money where its mouth is to pledge this high level of support. The pledge goal for the air-service initiative is $3 million to $5 million, Dickten said.
The Youngstown- Warren Regional Airport and the community have been working aggressively to re-establish regularly scheduled commercial air service at the regional airport, which last operated in 2003, to a hub of a major U.S. airline.
Recently, the community received a $780,000 grant from the Department of Transportation to be used as an airline revenue guarantee. The DOT grant along with the Travel Bank pledges will go a long way in luring a major airline to the local airport to support both the business- and pleasure- traveling community, said Dickten. For instance, in 2011, the St. Cloud, Minn., Regional Airport raised $6.2 million in pledges for a new American Eagle daily air-service route to Chicago O’Hare International Airport, he said.
To make a pledge to the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport Air Service Initiative, visit www.yngtravelbank.com. For information, contact Dickten at 330-856-1537.
Comments
if there is profit to be made, the airlines would come here
The airline industry already gets billions in subsidies fact that we have to give the money to come the upstart is utterly asinine
Common sense individuals realize the Youngstown Warren Airport is nothing but a black hole. A bottomless pit of tax dollars
It's utterly laughable that any airline would consider a bunch of morons pledging to use the airline has any credibility
Flick,
I have to refute your claims.
First, the subsidy issue. Akron/Canton used the same subsidies to bring AirTran in and grow their airport to the one you know now. In fact, they still receive some subsides as do many airports around the country. The money is strictly to be used for attracting an airline. Every airport including Cleveland and Pittsburgh, which you and others on here tout, has to offer incentives and breaks to their airlines as well.
Second is your laugh at the companies who have pledged. I don't think you would be laughing if you knew some of the companies who have pledged support for flights into and out of YNG. One company even pledged over $700,000. Don't ask who it could be or who the 55 companies are because companies get a little upset if you give away what their travel budget is. They don't like to tip their competitor’s hand that way.
Travel Banks are not uncommon and are very creditable. Gulfport MS and Elizabethtown KY have airports using a travel bank with pledges.
YNG is not looking to become the next PIT or CLE or even CAK. Those working hard at the airport want to provide service and convenience to the business community and the people who live in the region.
On a side note, by the time the year is out, just over 80,000 passengers will have passed through YNG and is increasing every year for the past 5 years. I hardly would call it a black hole.
you cheerleaders like Bowser will come and go
Dick-ten is only there to line his pockets and then get a retirement
The Port Authority board is a complete joke. Having a Hanni on board, does nothing but demean the, the entire board
as for the Cafaro's donating a large amount of money. They probably are the single beneficiary of that airport
Between them and Brian Ross, they should have to pay for it not the rest of the public
Flick,
Please come to one of our meetings to hear the truth.