By EDDIE TRIZZINO
Times West Virginian
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — Beginning Nov. 1, flights will depart from North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB) headed for O’Hare International Airport in Chicago and Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C.
The Benedum Airport Authority has reached a deal with SkyWest Airlines, an aviation company partnered with several commercial airlines including United Airlines, to have two flights a day six days a week to the international airports and back to the CKB, which is jointly owned by Marion County and Harrison County.
“With this new deal between the airline and Department of Transportation, we will connect northern West Virginia to the world, and the world to northern West Virginia,” Rick Rock, director of CKB, said.
Rock said the airline was chosen because its partnerships with some of the largest airports in the country, and it fit the needs of the community, which will now have access to the rest of the world. The airport also works with Allegiant Air, which can take passengers to airports in other locations.
In addition to the two-flights-a-day-six-days-a-week schedule, the airport is working to also get Sunday service as well.
“The deal we worked out creates a tremendous opportunity for economic development in West Virginia,” Rock said.
The previous airline serving CKB, Via Airlines, was unable to live up to its contractual obligations and could no longer serve the airport, according to Rock.
“We got the one we wanted this time,” Ernie VanGilder, president of the Marion County Commission, said.
VanGilder plans on being on the first flight out of here Nov. 1. He said each flight can hold 50 passengers, and flights can be booked on the airport’s website as well as other travel sites.
“All flights are connected with United Airlines, and the entire region can use it,” VanGilder said.
Rock said he doesn’t foresee any major policy changes for customers with the incoming airline, but thinks it will operate smoothly, especially with the upgrades CKB has had in recent months.
“With SkyWest coming in we’ll have one of the best small airports in the entire country,” Rock said.
See more from the Times West Virginian