As Allegiant expands at YNG, keep daily service high priority

Allegiant, as an adjective, means loyal and faithful. Allegiant, as one of the world’s fastest-growing airlines, elicits much the same meaning in the Mahoning Valley. Eight years ago, Allegiant put its faith in the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport by starting regular service here. Eight years later, Valley residents have established a deep-seated loyalty to the airline.

Proof of that loyalty is in the numbers. In 2003, when YNG lost its last daily airline service, the airport had an embarrassingly low annual passenger load of only 15,989.

Since then, the airport has logged a whopping 800 percent increase. Dan Dickten, YNG’s aviation director, says the regional airport in Vienna Township is on course for an estimated 130,000 passengers this year.

Such loyalty demonstrated by near-capacity flights has not gone unnoticed by Las-Vegas-based Allegiant Air. Earlier this month it announced it will provide year-round service from the Valley to Orlando, Fla., ending its history of putting that route on hiatus for two months each fall.

Additionally, tentative plans call for possibly adding at least one more route in 2015 to Youngstown-Warren’s expanding itinerary.

We commend the airline for its faith in the Valley. We also commend Dickten, director of aviation, and the Western Reserve Port Authority that oversees the regional airport, for the strong bonds they clearly have established with 15-year-old Allegiant, which recently logged its 46th consecutive quarter of profitability.

Clearly, Allegiant has established itself as an anchor for the airport. What’s good for Allegiant is good for the airport. And what’s good for the airport is good for the long-term economic revitalization of the Valley.

LIMITS TO ALLEGIANT’S IMPACT

But equally clear are two provisos. First, the airport cannot put all of its eggs in one airline. Second, regular daily commercial air service must return there before the facility can realize its full economic-development potential.

Efforts therefore must continue aggressively to land a major airliner here with daily service to and from a major hub airport in the U.S.

Promising signs toward that end abound. After a series of internal disputes on the WRPA board that had threatened its very existence, harmony has returned with a series of recent and promising appointments. The restructuring bodes well for the board to focus more intently on its dual mission of job creation in the Valley and additional growth at the airport. Both goals are mutually inclusive for the continued economic rejuvenation of the regional airport and of Greater Youngstown.

Even more encouraging are meetings that Dickten has scheduled next week in Chicago with representatives of American, Delta, Spirit, Sun Country and United airlines.

Of course, many quickly will remember the failed efforts earlier this year to attract United Airlines service here. Although its decision not to start service was based largely on factors outside the control of the Valley, local WRPA and airport officials can still learn lessons. One that stands out is the necessity not to raise hopes too high too fast. Some had led others to believe that final agreement with United was virtually in the bag, which made United’s ultimate snub harder for many to stomach.

This time, a more measured and cautious approach ought to be adopted. At the same time, many of the same arguments and same tools — support from business leaders, public officials and a federal grant — can be used as appealing lures.

So as we celebrate Allegiant’s most recent expansion plans at YNG, we remain confident it won’t be the last show of faith by that airline and other airlines in the potential of Valley service.