Major airline considers regular service to Valley

A restaurant will open in the terminal Friday, serving lunch and dinner.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A large airline carrier is close to making a decision on providing regularly scheduled flights out of the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, an airport official says.
Steve Bowser, director of aviation, told Trumbull County commissioners Tuesday that he has been in contact with a "mainstream carrier," and it should be making a decision soon.
"We may be on the radar screen," he said.
Bowser explained that he is hoping that the success of the airport's only regularly scheduled airline, Allegiant Air, will help "prime the pump" to demonstrate to the large airline that the airport can provide services.
He pointed out that attracting a regularly scheduled carrier takes time. He noted that Allegiant took one year before making a decision to fly out of the airport here.
Allegiant started flying Mondays and Fridays out of the Vienna-based airport to Orlando, Fla. Bowser said the Mahoning Valley is supporting Allegiant with flights that are 90 to 95 percent full.
Allegiant's success, Bowser said, is causing it to look at other Florida destinations and perhaps flying to Orlando four days a week.
Feeding fliers
In another airport development, Mikee's, a Girard restaurant, will open Mikee's II at the airport terminal Friday. There hasn't been a restaurant at the terminal for some time.
"There seems to be a market," said Charlene Cupan, restaurant co-owner, noting the potential customers from Allegiant flights, charters and the Youngstown Air Reserve Station and the low number of restaurants in the area.
The restaurant will serve liquor and be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, Cupan said.
The Airport Inn on state Route 193 next to the airport closed its doors temporarily in March over sewage treatment problems but intends to reopen once it taps into the airport's sewer.
Bowser said he is attempting to be proactive in attracting another scheduled airline to the airport. One concept being studied is creating a "virtual airport" where a carrier need only land, pick up or drop off passengers and depart.
Carriers would be charged a flat fee, depending on the service the carrier wants, to reduce their costs.
yovich@vindy.com