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Williamsport Regional Airport officials are hopeful American Airlines will continue servicing the area once the nearly month-long interruption in flight service ends in early November.
"Will American continue to hold us in limbo after Nov. 3?" Williamsport Regional Airport Executive Director Richard Howell said.
It may well hinge, he said, on whether American Airlines, which stopped all flights there as of Wednesday, receives an extension of its CARES Act funding.
"We are optimistic they will come back," he said.
Community leaders were gleeful when they learned that American Airlines in August would launch flight service for Charlotte, a major destination hub on the East Coast. But no sooner did those two-a-day flights begin when American Airlines announced it would halt the service for Williamsport along with other community airports.
Howell said the Charlotte flights have attracted their share of passengers.
"Our load factors are good," he said. "In September, we ran at 56 percent capacity. Toward the end of the month, it was at 65 percent."
Howell said many of the passengers were likely those traveling for vacation and leisure rather than business.
"I think people are going stir crazy and want to get out," he said.
American Airlines flew its last flight out of the local airport Oct. 6, but Howell remains optimistic that the service will resume next month with two flights a day until Thanksgiving.
"Yes I am. Congress has batted around the new COVID-19 funding extension. I think there is a will there," he said. "Do we have the market to support two flights a day? Yes."
Last month, the Williamsport Municipal Airport Authority agreed to consider searching for other airlines to serve the airport.
Local community leaders such as Lycoming County Commissioner Scott Metzger noted their displeasure with American Airlines.
"We should have competition," he said. "I think we should find another airline."
Howell said airport officials have always intended on finding another airline to service the area.
"Hopefully, it won't be the case of replacing what we have," he said.
In the meantime, federal CARES Act funding, Howell said, is helping keep other operations going at the airport.
"We will continue doing those things we need to do," he said.