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Bridgeport’s ViaAir offering $13 fares to Baltimore, Charlotte

BRIDGEPORT — From Oct. 1 to Oct. 31, the public can fly from North Central West Virginia Airport to Baltimore-Washington, as well as to Charlotte, North Carolina, for $13 or less with ViaAir, one way.

“The air fare is 1 cent, but with taxes and fees, the cost will be $10.50 to $13. A $4 fee comes back to the airport,” Airport Director Rick Rock said. “The airplane will be a 30-passenger Embraer-120.”

The fare announcement was made during a Benedum Airport Authority meeting Wednesday. The authority addressed a lengthy agenda, but the promotional fare was the most exciting news.

 The airport will discontinue Silver Airways flights to Washington, D.C., on Sept. 30. On Oct. 1, Via Air will begin non-stop flights to Baltimore twice daily Monday through Friday and once on Saturday and Sunday. Via Air also will fly to Charlotte with one stop in Beckley on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

“Those air fares are an introductory promotional fare. It is something we were negotiating,” Rock said. “We talked about our marketing strategy, competition and building interest. That idea was established. It will be available only the first 30 days. We want people to utilize it, and we are very excited.”

There are no bag fees with Via Air, Rock added.

For more information, visit www.flyviaair.com.

In addition, Allegiant is flying from NCWV Airport to Orlando-Sanford, Florida, through the end of next summer. Additional flights through the same airline will resume to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in late May or early June.

The authority also discussed possible expansion plans on airport property by KCI Aviation and Bombardiere, with more details expected in coming weeks.

“KCI’s goal is to build a new facility. We are considering a one-year lease with a one-year option by us,” authority President Ron Watson said.

KCI President Chuck Koukoulis said the business currently has 32 employees and it has several incentives in motion to bring on 15-20 more employees.

“For the planned succession, we are looking for investors. We would be designing the facility with a similar footprint. We are looking at one year to build,” Koukoulis said. “We are working diligently with state development folks and anticipate movement by the end of the first quarter of 2017.”

The authority approved a new lease with KCI that included benchmarks for progress moving forward, Rock said.

Watson said the authority is considering a lease for Bombardiere that will allow for expansion, but he could not elaborate at this time.

 In other business, the authority:

— Approved a purchase of hand-held radios for staff at a cost of $33,075, with an addendum of a base radio for about $2,500. Jeff Way, assistant chief of Harrison EMS, will provide staff training and support.

— Accepted the $1 million Airport Improvement Program grant.

— Officially approved the federal Department of Transportation Essential Air Service grant that subsidizes a low-cost air carrier for the airport. That contract is between the airport and Via Air, beginning Oct. 1.

— Plans to seek bids to gauge interest in the restaurant space on the second floor of the terminal. The lease has expired on the current restaurant, Parker’s on the Runway, although it remains open.

— Approved a $20,000 request by Tom Stose, director of the Robert C. Byrd National Aerospace Education Center, to purchase two engines from Texas for training purposes in aviation maintenance courses.

After much discussion, it was agreed that Stose and others also will seek tax-deductible contributions of airplanes/engines that will work for the training program.

— Referred a request for a United Way contribution to legal counsel, because the airport is considered a public agency that receives federal grant funds. Dean Ramsey will report back on his findings. Previously, the airport authority donated $2,500 to both the Harrison and Marion United Way organizations.

Staff writer Darlene J. Swiger can be reached at (304) 626-1403 or [email protected]

See more from The Exponent Telegram. 

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