Ideas pour in for airport name

Staff report

VIENNA

YNGAir Partners has received nearly 800 suggestions for a new airport name.

“We’re getting a lot of good responses from the community,” said Doug Kibby, president of YNGAir, the nonprofit advocate of the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.

The group last month began seeking input from the public about a possible name change for the facility.

The five-question survey, available until next Friday, can be taken online at www.yngairpartners.org. YNGAir will present survey results to the Western Reserve Port Authority, which runs the airport, in early January.

A feasibility study found 15 airports that changed names during the past 20 years. Twelve of those airports reported increases in passengers the year after their name changes.

Those airports previously identified themselves by city; their name changes identified them by multiple cities or regions.

The feasibility study suggested name changes such as Northeast Ohio Regional Airport, Mahoning Valley Regional Airport and Ohio-Penn Regional Airport.

“It works as far as marketing goes, and it helps position the airport better,” Kibby said.

He added that a name change could help the airport, but behind-the-scenes work, such as trying to secure daily flights to a larger airport hub, could most benefit the airport.

“Regardless if there is a name change, there is so much going on at the airport, it is just the start of things to come,” Kibby added.