43
Pa. official: Shale boom has effect on airports
By Ed Runyan
VIENNA
An executive with the Williamsport/Lycoming (Pa.) Chamber of Commerce told an audience at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport that the Marcellus shale boom has spurred an effort to upgrade the Williamsport Regional Airport — much like what is taking place in Vienna.
Despite the rapid improvement in the economy in the Williamsport area since shale-gas exploration came there in 2006, the airport has remained behind the times, Jason Fink said.
The baggage-handling and seating areas for passengers in Williamsport are inferior to those at the Vienna facility and were cited as a reason the airport cannot attract a leisure airline such as Allegiant, which serves the Vienna airport.
To support the gas industry, attract more flights and for the long-term growth of the area, Williamsport is spending $13 million on its airport, Fink said.
On the other hand, the Williamsport airport does have three daily flights to Philadelphia, 180 miles to the southeast, which gives the 115,000-population Lycoming County more daily air service than the Mahoning Valley, which has none despite a much larger population.
Differences between Williamsport and Vienna aside, the two communities should have similar goals since both are being affected by the gas and oil industry, he said.
Williamsport officials have learned that gas executives typically want to fly to Houston, Dallas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.
They “want the most direct access,” meaning they want as few headaches and hassles as possible.
They also “don’t want to fly into your community forever,” Fink said, because the cost of flying in and out is higher than employing people locally.
One of the largest employers in Williamsport is Haliburton, which provides services to the gas-drilling companies. Haliburton started out with 270 employees in Williamsport, now has 550 and expects to soon have 800, Fink said.
About 90 percent of Haliburton’s employees are from Pennsylvania, not necessarily from Lycoming County, Fink said.
An exciting thing about the shale boom hitting Williamsport, Fink said, is watching the higher wages that came with it.