July 29--Private charter flights from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport to at least one new destination appear likely to start by the end of the year with the airport's expanding relationship with Aviation Technologies.
Michael Gallagher, chief financial officer of Aviation Technologies, identified Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Florida, Myrtle Beach, S.C., and the Bahamas as potential destinations of interest.
Gallagher hopes the company can "make an announcement" regarding some sort of expansion of service in the fall, with an eye toward the flights becoming available on Dec. 1.
Airport officials are negotiating a long-term contract with Aviation Technologies to take over many important functions at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, such as airplane maintenance and running the flight school.
When the contract is finalized, Aviation Technologies is expected to be the airport's fixed-based operator until Aug. 31, 2028, replacing Saker Aviation Services.
"We're definitely excited for the chance to grow with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport," Gallagher said.
Assistant Airport Director Michael Conner recently told the Bi-County Airport Board the company based at the local airport "has formed a team of creative aviation professionals" the administration believes will attract more business.
"Aviation Technologies' proposal indicates a genuine concern for increasing local business, for expanded community involvement and proposed investment in the airport that exceeds all the other proposals," Conner said. "Aviation Technologies is also providing scheduled air services to communities under the Federal Aviation Essential Air Service Program. Their ability to provide and service scheduled air carriers could lead to increased air service at AVP to destinations we currently do not serve."
The airport has not had regular service to Pittsburgh since US Airways ended its service between Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and the state's second largest city on June 2, 2007. Airport officials have suggested the region's natural gas boom could change that by creating more demand for connecting flights to the South.
Aviation Technologies' interest plus a feasibility study commissioned in part by the Allegheny County Airport Authority indicates momentum is building for the hiatus to end at some point.
Among current charter flights the company provides are daily service between Michigan and Chicago; seasonal service between San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic; and flights from Cincinnati to Chicago, New York City and Charlotte, N.C.
Aviation Technologies has unsuccessfully attempted to create local long-term private charter service to Florida on three occasions with partners Vacation Express, Hooters Air and Myrtle Beach Direct Air.
Hooters Air and Myrtle Beach Direct Air each went bankrupt. The company's statistical analysis indicated the six-month partnership with start-up Vacation Express would work, Gallagher said.
In hindsight, the Vacation Express experiment started too fast, he said, with six days per week nonstop flights to Orlando and Myrtle Beach in 2004. Instead, the company probably should have started with about three small flights per week until the effort built a stronger brand recognition in the local market, he said.
Along with Saker, other companies that submitted proposals to be the airport's fixed-base operator were True Aviation, Taughannock Aviation and VOLO Aviation.
[email protected], @kwindTT
Copyright 2013 - The Citizens' Voice, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
