New Rental Lease Expected to Mean Revenue Bump for Johnstown Airport

Sep. 21—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — With a rental car wash facility on the way, John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport officials have amended a lease with Hertz that will mean more revenue for the airport.

The agreement approved this summer increases Hertz Rental Car's monthly lease at the airport from $500 to $750 per month.

A consumer facility charge is also being added that adds a $2.50-per-day fee onto rental vehicles.

As amended Tuesday, that fee would would cover both airport passenger rentals and public ones — but excludes any booked as insurance replacements, Airport Manager Corey Cree said.

The authority will also continue to receive a 10% portion of the gross monthly receipts, airport officials said.

Hertz receives a two-year renewal option on its extended lease, Cree added.

Work is already underway on a one-bay prefabricated steel garage to enable Hertz to keep rental vehicles clean.

The board approved the project earlier this summer.

The garage includes water, electricity and heat service to enable vehicles to be washed year-round.

Through the deal, utility costs needed to operate the wash area will be covered by Hertz.

Cree said plans are in the early stages to advertise the fact that the airport's air carrier is staying at the airport through late 2023 — as well as coming changes that will make flights to Chicago faster later this year.

SkyWest Airlines was already approved by federal officials to continue serving Johnstown — after initially signaling it planned to depart in the spring.

The airline serves Johnstown with flights to and from Washington Dulles and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, although the latter has operated with a "tag" in recent months that includes brief stops in West Virginia.

Cree said they plan to post advertisements in the future reminding travelers that the Clarksburg, West Virginia, detours will end, effective Dec. 1, when North Central Regional Airport officially switches to a different carrier.

Johnstown officials said Tuesday that the 40-minute stops in West Virginia en route to Chicago continue to dampen the monthly passenger count because they add 40 minutes to travel times and both regions' travelers are battling daily for the same 50 seats.

"We can't wait for that (flight schedule) to end soon enough," board Chairman Rick McQuaide said.

Cree said after the meeting that it can take time for bookings, which slowed after it first appeared Johnstown might lose jet service, to show a return to normal levels because people often book several months in advance.

United.com showed Tuesday that Johnstown-to- Chicago flights will revert back to nonstop, two-hour trips beginning Dec. 1. Flights for that week were as low as $171 round-trip, the website showed.

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