Things are looking up — literally — at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in Vienna.

For the first time since Allegiant Airlines withdrew the last regular passenger carrier at the airport in early 2018, the wheels are spinning fast and furiously toward restoring vitally needed commercial service there. In the name of maximizing use of the 1,468-acre facility and of catalyzing further economic development for the Mahoning Valley, that campaign merits maximum momentum.

Though challenges toward reaching that lofty goal remain many, reason for optimism abounds.

The Western Reserve Port Authority, a consortium of leaders of Mahoning and Trumbull counties that have operated YNG since 1992, has reportedly been working with a major carrier that is showing interest in returning commercial air service to the airport.

Toward that end, the WRPA has submitted an application seeking funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Small Community Air Service Development Program.

The application seeks grant funding to support the launch of a new network air service at the airport by offsetting initial costs and risks of reintroducing commercial airline service. It would support a revenue guarantee for the airline, allow for deeper marketing analysis and provide financial stability for a successful launch of service.

We urge federal grant evaluators to review the WRPA application fully and study the overall growth spurt at the airport carefully. When they do, they should have every good reason to endorse it with no reservations.

After all, YNG stands as a viable first-rate transportation hub with state-of the-art infrastructure. It boasts the second-longest runway in the state and a renovated terminal capacity, reducing the need for additional massive new investments in expensive new construction.

It has secured a $6.16 million federal earmark to resurface the 9,000-foot runway and an $8.03 million federal grant for taxiway improvements. Other upgrades have included new LED taxiway lighting, airfield electrical system upgrades and planned expansion of hangar space for cargo and corporate use.

Second, contrary to popular misconception, the airport is far from a ghost town today. Anthony Trevena, executive director of the port authority, recently rolled off his tongue a long list of accomplishments achieved at the airport in 2025. Among them:

• $12.66 million in Airport Improvement Program grants were received.

• 98.5% airport hangar occupancy rate was obtained.

• Approximately 28,000 plane landings took place.

• $297,239 in total revenue was generated.

In addition, the corporate climate for regular and reliable air service into and out of the Valley has never been hotter. With Fortune 500 companies like Kimberly-Clark and Global Fortune 500 companies like Foxconn setting up significant operations in the Valley, the need for convenient air transportation for those and other expanding business interests will likely reach new heights.

As for leisure travel, the 11-year stay by Allegiant Air proved that a viable market exists as many of its flights were consistently filled to capacity before it ceased operations in 2018 and moved them to Akron-Canton and Cleveland airports.

Yet despite those many assets, grant approval and restoration of local passenger service still must ward off a fair share of turbulence from economic and political fronts.

Economically, the state of the airline industry today is one of contraction, rather than expansion as illustrated last weekend by the sudden and total shutdown of Spirit Airlines. The war in Iran, which has resulted in skyrocketing jet fuel prices, has forced cutbacks and cancellations throughout the industry.

Politically, challenges arise as well. The administration of President Donald Trump has been no friend to assisting smaller regional airports. In fact, it staunchly opposes federal aid to them.

We urge U.S. senators and representatives serving Ohio and beyond to oppose such proposals, such as one recommendation in the president’s fiscal year 2027 budget blueprint that would block some $375 million in federal aid to any regional airport within 75 miles of another commercial airport.

Despite those threatening headwinds, the positives of reestablishing commercial air service at YNG far outweigh the negatives. That’s why we hope the community rallies around the campaign and the WRPA grant application.

Local governments can follow the lead of commissioners from Mahoning and Trumbull counties in formally supporting the project.

Local business leaders can assist the WRPA in its mission by taking part in a quick five-minute survey about their business travel and how often they use airports outside the Valley. It is available online at Click here to take survey on business use for Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport..

Once service is restored, local residents can prove their allegiance to revitalizing YNG passenger service by making it their No. 1 choice for air travel.

Before any of that can become more than a pie-in-the-sky pipe dream, however, more hard work must be completed and more start-up capital must be secured. Toward that latter end, we strongly urge the Small Community Air Service Development Program to recognize the compelling value of restoring regular commercial air service to the Valley by promptly green-lighting the port authority’s well-grounded request.