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Many destinations to become available through CKB

By EDDIE TRIZZINO

Times West Virginian

CLARKSBURG, W.Va.  ­— Marion County Commissioner Ernie VanGilder already has his first destination in mind for when the North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB) in Bridgeport begins flights to and from Chicago and Washington, D.C.

When these flights begin, VanGilder will have simpler access getting to Cody, Wyoming, from the CKB.

“Air travel won’t have to have you drive to Pittsburgh and plan early and pay big fees to stay and for parking,” VanGilder said. “This is going to make it easy and is going to provide a tremendous amount of destinations for us.”

Beginning Nov. 1, the airport will offer four direct destinations, now including Chicago and D.C., as well as Orlando and the seasonal Myrtle Beach. Bookings can be made on united.com, where flight schedules and destinations can also be viewed.

The new developments made by CKB were discussed at a conference at the Village Square Event Center in Clarksburg, where faculty of the airport spoke of the advancements made, and the schedule of flights for the new destinations.

“I think it’s a whole new ball game. I mean now we know we can import West Virginians from anywhere,” Rick Rock, director of CKB, said at the conference. “The most important thing for me is to bring people back to West Virginia.”

North Central West Virginia Airport is able to offer these new destinations thanks to its new airline provider SkyWest Airlines, which worked out a deal to provide flights to Chicago and D.C., six days a week, thanks to its partnership with United Airlines. However, the deal now allows for seven-day-service, and fights can be viewed on united.com.

“This is one of the challenges we had to overcome for many years — a flight schedule that works,” Rock said. “We worked very hard to get the Sunday flight schedule; we worked with our development office and other groups to make sure we had a good Sunday flight and weekend schedule.”

Rock and VanGilder each spoke at the conference, along with President of the Benedum Airport Authority Ron Watson and West Virginia Sen. Michael Romano, D-Harrison. The speakers talked about the advancements and opportunities this deal makes possible, and Rock showed videos showcasing other talking points.

“We are one step closer to having a true regional airport. This is the step that we needed to take and it’s with an airline that has a proven track record,” Romano said. “Now we can fly directly from Chicago O’Hare, one of the busiest airports in the country, and Dulles directly into Harrison County, West Virginia. It not only benefits Harrison County; it benefits all of North Central West Virginia. It benefits all central West Virginia, and it even benefits southwestern Pennsylvania,” Romano said.

Romano said the new options will also help bring money to West Virginia’s economy with the people that come and go through CKB. But for Rock, the most exciting aspect is bringing West Virginians home from out of town.

“West Virginians from all over the country have a one-stop shop back home. To me that’s most exciting,” Rock said. “Air travel creates a lot of opportunities.”

Email Eddie Trizzino at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @eddietimeswv.

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