Hope to land other airlines soars

Winner Aviation says it will do fuel handling for Allegiant.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
VIENNA -- Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport officials see the coming months as an opportunity to prove to the aviation industry that the local market is worth an investment.
They hope success of Allegiant Air, a low-cost airline that will begin service between the airport and Orlando on May 19, will attract other airlines to the facility.
"Right now, other airlines are looking at us and Allegiant," said Joe Maxin, chairman of the Western Reserve Port Authority, which oversees the airport. He said the success of Allegiant's service would "perk their ears up" and give airline industry executives reason to consider doing business here, too.
"I wouldn't be surprised if the tickets sell out," he added, referring to the airline deals Allegiant will be offering on its Web site through March 8 for travel through Nov. 9. He commented Thursday after a news conference to announce the airline's start of operations.
Earlier, port authority members stood at a podium with Mickey Mouse ears and oranges as props to encourage local travelers to plan a trip to the Sunshine State and book flights and complete vacation packages with the company.
Initial fares
Introductory airline tickets will cost $59 each way and then rise to "around $89" each way starting March 9, said Tyri Squyres, Allegiant director of corporate communications. Normal prices are between $89 and $199 per one-way ticket.
The flights will depart the local airport at 6:20 p.m. Mondays and Fridays, arriving at the Orlando-Sanford International Airport at 8:35 p.m. Flights leaving Orlando will depart at 3:30 p.m., arriving at the local airport at 5:45 p.m., the company said.
All fares are nonrefundable and will include some additional fees. Tickets bought by telephone will cost an additional $5. Squyres said two flights per week are planned, but flights might be added or subtracted depending on the amount of business throughout the year. September, for instance, is a slow month for Florida, she said.
Flights at the $59 rate have to be booked on the company's Web site at www.allegiantair.com.
During 2005, the airport used funding from the Trumbull 100 civic organization and the airport to pay former Eastern Airlines and US Airways pilot Chuck Johnson to market the airport to airlines, port authority members said Thursday. Johnson, who received credit at the press conference for his diligence in attracting Allegiant, now works for Winner Aviation, a service provider at the airport.
Marketing continues
Marketing will continue with a $250,000 Department of Transportation Small Community Air Services grant that the port authority was awarded in 2004 and was first available to help Pan Am Clipper Connection advertise its service last year. The port authority withdrew that funding from Pan Am last summer, before the company could offer any flights because of questions about Pan Am's finances.
Vic Rubenstein, of the Rubenstein Associates marketing company of Liberty, said he is under an oral contract with the port authority to run advertising and marketing for Allegiant's service. He said the company is paid no fees for its work and has been reimbursed for about half of its expenses over the past year, when it worked with Johnson to attract an airline.
Rubenstein's company will start getting reimbursed for its expenses for the Allegiant advertising, he said.
Fuel handling
Meanwhile, Winner Aviation, which has been locked in a competitive battle with ReadyAir, the other service provider at the airport, said it has negotiated a contract with Allegiant to provide the fuel handling. Winner Aviation President Rick Hale said the parties recently agreed to a one-year agreement; he wouldn't disclose the fuel price.
Steve Bowser, the airport's director of aviation, said airport authorities have stayed neutral with Allegiant in discussing the company's selection of a fuel handler.
ReadyAir has alleged that Winner Aviation received preferential treatment at the airport since ReadyAir began operations there two years ago. A 2001 consultant's report also said Winner's fuel prices were high enough to hurt the airport. Hale said the price for Allegiant is in line with fuel costs at Akron-Canton and similar airports.
"If we were not comfortable with the fuel prices at this airport, we wouldn't be here," Squyres said.
Eviction threatened
The port authority has threatened to evict ReadyAir for nonpayment of rent and other fees, and ReadyAir has sued the port authority to halt the eviction.
Bowser said the port authority and Allegiant do not have a formal contract yet, but they did sign a "memo of understanding" a week ago that contains language on most of the important points.
Squyres said the airline has a 90 percent on-time record, meaning its flights arrive and depart within 10 minutes of their scheduled time 90 percent of the time.
runyan@vindy.com