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Hinting that there could be an announcement within the next few days of a new airline service coming to the Williamsport Regional Airport (IPT), Frank Pellegrino, chairman of the airport authority, indicated that the new service would be larger and run a larger 30-seat jet, flying a longer distance.
The airport, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year, serves about half-a-million people not only in Lycoming, but several neighboring rural counties, Pellegrino told the Lycoming County commissioners at their meeting this week.
He pointed out that the three major health care systems in that coverage area "deserve reliable air transportation and an airport for systems like LifeAct, Life Support, Angel Flights, Organ Transport and Donations, and Medevac," as well as the thousands of college students that move through the area annually.
"A small and rural community airport like Williamsport Regional is the main economic driver for our region, and to be attacked by the big three carriers without service and the federal government, that's a crime of rural America, and all of its constituents," Pellegrino said.
"You guys deserve it, more than the right to have air service, and it's important for you to be heard as a stakeholder and to suffer greatly with the loss of daily service," he added.
Pellegrino elaborated slightly at the monthly airport authority meeting later that evening, saying a contract with an unnamed carrier is being reviewed by the authority's solicitor and more details should be announced next week.
If approved, flights could resume as early as mid-October, starting with one per day. If those flights sell well, the carrier has agreed to include in the contract that a second flight could be added "immediately," Pellegrino said.
"Within 45 days to market, they would bring in a second flight. They'd allow us to pick the hub on the second flight," he said.
For the past two years, Southern had been offering air travel between the local airport and the Dulles Airport hub near Washington, D.C. The service was funded by a small community air service development program. Prior to that the last airline, American, pulled service in 2021.
"The studies confirm...Small mid-sized airports are truly economic engines. The impact on the economy has shown that these airports can have upwards of $5 billion. Studies confirm, without question, travelers, businesses, communities, regions become powerful economic engines, and they will support job growth, domestic product, educational outputs of an area, and the efforts for tourism and turnarounds of the regions that are in blight and recovery without question," Pellegrino said.
"Passenger movement, cargo movement, life-saving place-all practice for regional airports. I can tell you that the airport under local authority has accountability, professional management, and a long-term commitment to this region, as demonstrated by its history. Its track record and service is not a burden but a catalytic winner. Dedicated airport professionals align themselves with airline partners, public safety agencies, schools, educational partners, and the communities in which we serve, besides all levels of government," he said.
Highlighting some of the larger industries in the area as well as the tourist travel, Pellegrino said that visitors need air travel connections in and out of Williamsport.
"Increasing economic output yearly, aiding gross domestic product, job growth of our area and the airports surrounding counties, tax revenues from airport-related activities and jobs, this airport is it," he said.
Characterizing the area as an ecosystem, Pellegrino said, "This ecosystem needs everything. It needs a healthcare system, and we've got three great ones. It needs arts and art centers. It needs businesses. It needs highways and infrastructure to support modern transportation, educational systems from pre-K through higher ed, and an airport has to be part of that."
"The important role that IPT and air service plays in the economies of our central Pennsylvania is understated. The airport's greatest achievement over the past decade wasn't simply its growth; it was becoming an institution whose success was sustained by strong leadership, dedicated employees, and shared regional vision that could sustain a pandemic, weather the storm, move forward down a path to real sustainability," he said.
Pellegrino listed some of the issues facing air service, including pilot shortages, equipment shortages, and mandatory retirement bubbles for pilots.
"This local board takes ownership of the issues, it doesn't quit. It's invested in the region. Takes the area very seriously, and it doesn't stop fighting for the opportunities," he stated.
He indicated that there is a strategic plan in place "to execute to the T."
"It kept TSA at the airport, bridged the gap, spent their resources and energy, short term, to keep flying and to return to the days of glory of hitting 50 and 60,000 embarkments.," he said.
"The strategic plan is in place, but all plans are mission critical. They've got to be executed. They've got to be nimble. They have to be able to adjust. So, as a small regional airport with commercial air service, demonstrated service provided as a pass as high as 88,000, one fixed space operator is there at the airport, independently run, and provides rent to us. Energy aviation provides fuel, flight school, maintenance operations, provides hangar rentals, rental space, coordinator charters, and equipment leasing. We man three runways and a man tower. That's the revenue generation," he explained.
"We do aggregate mining, terminal rental space, parking, all parking, street displays, suspended parking, mandate fees. So we look at property development. Currently, right now we have a fill operation going on in the lower floodway area. This is an area we're going to build up to build additional acreage, and that is an agreement with Hawbaker to bring in clean fill, and they will pack, compact, and bring that area up. Upgrade all property to generate additional leasable areas" he said.
He noted that a 100- year-old hangar, one of the first buildings ever built at the airport site, will be upgraded.
The leases and the private air usage allows the airport to be self-sustaining. He explained that typically the airport doesn't subsidize or support flights in and out. That funding comes either from a federal subsidy or a local community.
"But if we have to, we're going to be big boys and we'll do what we can and have to. We'll use reserves," Pellegrino said.
He indicated that they had used some of their reserves in order to subsidize Southern.
Pellegrino also stated that contrary to what Southern had alleged, that the authority was not paying their bills, they were ready to pay but had questions about some items on the invoice which Southern did not address although he said that had contacted them and subsequently the air service suspended their service and gave a 30-day notice that they were terminating the agreement at the end of this month.
In his comments at the meeting, Commissioner Mark Mussina said that the situation with Southern was really "uglier" than it needed to be.
"Now it all becomes clear. They wanted to get out and they did it in an uglier way than we thought," Mussina said.
"It wasn't that they couldn't afford to pay the bill...they needed an explanation as to why the bill was going up because it wasn't the way the contract was written," he explained.
On the legislative side, Pellegrino said that the authority is working with members of congress on Essential Air Service (EAS) and SCASDP to get them to understand that this is a relationship with the federal government. It's their responsibility to "treat rural America fairly."
"American airlines leaving the Williamsport area -- number one issue since it happened -- and they have to be able to help us. The pilot shortage, equipment, plane shortage -- they're not quick fixes, and they won't fix themselves. There's no one answer, and there's no one quick fix. Everybody as a community has to work together," he said.
"The airport is open and ready for business now, more than ever out that it is serving corporate, charter, and private aircraft on a regular basis as well as Little League and Major League baseball charters during the LIttle League World Series.
"We can handle the largest of jets on our runways, three major runways. It's a strong, busy airport in Pennsylvania...The economic impact from loss of commercial flights sure needs help. It hurts the people locally. We know that. We've had two years of a flight running with Southern to Dulles in a high of 10,000 embarkments. We are really close to restoring commercial service, jet service, and it'll start flying shortly. So what I say is, you'll see it. Trust me," he said.
"Our performance as a region and an airport speaks for itself. Outshine other areas, and the airport opened in 1929 during the Great Depression. Will be open for business another 100 years. Stay tuned, as I told you. Listen carefully to the facts. Watch the headlines from the latest news. It will be big. IPT has always been ready for business. We support business. We support our communities in which we fly. We're here for you to use and enjoy. And that word "use, you have to use it before you lose it. But it's about convenience. That's what we're about...we're serious. We're passionate about flying," he added.
Speaking to the issues at the airport, Commissioner Marc Sortman said that he wants the taxpayers to know that the airport is sustainable.
"If we didn't have commercial flights, our airport still is not closing; UPMC is still going to be covered with the medical side; the FedEx side; the business travelers; the charter planes -- they're all still happening," Sortman said.
Sortman noted that the funding the county gives to the airport is through Act 13 monies the gas drilling impact fees.
Commissioner Scott Metzger also commented that the commissioners meet with members of the authority and that they're all passionate about seeing the airport succeed.
"They're frustrated as the public is that we're not there yet, but the thing is, they're not sticking their head in the sand and giving up. They're all passionate people who have the will to succeed," he said.
Returning to the idea of an ecosystem, Pellegrino said, "Everybody has to work together...you don't come to an area just because they have jobs. If you don't have something for these people to do after hours or places to go, it won't function. They need good healthcare. They need good educational schools, public and private. They need places to shop. They need it all."