Mediation between airport, ADI begins Wednesday

VIENNA — Youngstown/Warren Regional Airport officials will begin mediation with Aerodynamics Inc. on Wednesday.

Earlier this year, the Western Reserve Port Authority, which runs the airport, filed a lawsuit against the airline, which offered daily flights to Chicago for a short time last year before the service ended because of low ticket sales.

The service lasted from July 1 through late August, with the port authority paying ADI $361,714 as a revenue guarantee to ensure that ADI would be profitable during the start-up phase. The port seeks to have that $361,714 back, arguing that ADI breached its contract.

ADI filed a countersuit demanding $294,221, the amount ADI billed the port authority Aug. 30 but never received.

The court recommended mediation and both parties agreed.

"We will see how it goes," said Dan Dickten, airport aviation director at today's Aviation Committee meeting. "Sometimes they are done quickly and sometimes not."