CANTON Stark County commissioners are setting aside $50,000 that could be used to entice an airline to start or restore non-stop service to Akron-Canton Airport.
The money, which will be overseen by the Stark Development Board, is in addition to at least $200,000 committed to the effort by other local entities by last October. Commissioners approved the funding Wednesday.
Akron-Canton Airport President and CEO Ren Camacho said no new agreement with an airline is imminent. But he expects that a program run by JobsOhio, the state's economic development entity, would provide a 4-to-1 match for any locally raised funds.
He said he and other supporters of the airport's Commercial Air Service Restoration Program are seeking to line up the funding commitments now so they are ready when an airline feels conditions have sufficiently changed to return or start a new route.
“We’re talking to all of the airlines at this point," Camacho said. "Any airline that provides an opportunity to any markets lost to COVID, that’s who we’re talking to this point. We’ve had some good conversations with some of the airlines but no commitments yet from their end."
Whether service to a destination comes back or is started, “depends on the route, it depends on the frequency, the size of the aircraft, the community support," the airport CEO said.
He added that the airport is trying to line up additional financial commitments from the community.
As more people get vaccinated, the airport will experience pent-up demand for travel, attracting airlines back to the airport, Camacho said.
If an agreement for a new airline is reached, the fund could act as a backstop on any initial losses or startup costs for a new route. If an airline restored or established service at Akron- Canton, like Delta Airlines, it would get money from the fund only up to a negotiated amount each month if it lost money on the route.
If it profited, the money would stay in the account, Camacho said, and could be used to attract other airlines. Due to the abrupt decline in air travel due to the pandemic, Delta eliminated its nonstop service from Akron- Canton to Atlanta in May and consolidated its operations at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
The financial commitment shows the airlines that “the community has skin in the game when it comes to the particular route in question," he added.
Camacho said the airport's passenger traffic is roughly at 30% what it was a year ago.
Stark County administrator Brant Luther said Camacho spoke to each of the three commissioners separately to seek the funding commitment.
"Everybody really realizes the crucial importance to have a vital regional airport," said Luther.
In October, the airport said that the following entities had committed money into the fund: Summit County Council ($50,000), Green ($50,000), Akron ($30,000), Stark County Port Authority ($25,000), an individual who wishes to remain anonymous ($20,000), Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce ($10,000), Jackson Township ($10,000), and VisitCanton and Akron Summit Convention and Visitors Bureau ($5,000).
Camacho said federal law or regulations do not permit him or airport staff to negotiate with airlines on an agreement where they could access the funds. A separate committee would discuss terms with the airlines. The makeup of the committee has not been set. It could be people from the Stark Development Board, Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce or local government officials.
Reach Repository writer Robert Wang at (330) 580-8327 or [email protected]. Twitter: @rwangREP.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark commits $50K to attract airline service to Canton-Akron Airport
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