Port board to consider plan to start daily flights

October 11, 2014 at 6:45p.m.

VIENNA

Western Reserve Port Authority board members will be asked Wednesday to approve start-up of a new daily airline route between the Youngstown-Warren

Regional Airport and a Midwestern hub airport.

The request will come from Dan Dickten, aviation director at the airport. But the agenda for Wednesday’s 8:30 a.m. port authority meeting doesn’t identify the airline involved.

Wednesday’s meeting will be at Squaw Creek Country Club.

The meeting notice says Dickten is also asking the board of directors for permission to announce that route — but doesn’t say when the announcement will be made.

It says the timing of the announcement is contingent on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s approving the route and the airline’s agreeing to the timing of the announcement.

When reached, Dickten said he could not provide additional information about the proposed route.

Mahoning County Commissioner Anthony Traficanti said he first learned of the potential new airline service from a reporter who called him Saturday afternoon and did not know any details. “It’s great news,” he added.

Dickten has been courting airlines for several years in hopes of finding one that would offer flights between the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in Vienna Township and a hub airport. Business travelers would benefit by the ability to fly from the local airport to destinations around the world.

Dickten had discussions with United Airlines earlier this year, but those talks collapsed in May after United evaluated the idea and said there was “not a solid business case for establishing service.”