Allegiant and YNG Partnership

Allegiant Air Press Release

(Youngstown, Ohio)— Low-cost airline Allegiant Air, LLC today announces new, nonstop jet service to the fun and sun of Orlando, Fla. from Youngstown-Warren, Ohio beginning May 19. The low-fare carrier will celebrate the convenient new service to the Sunshine State, with introductory fares as low as $59* each way, when booked at www.allegiantair.com.

The self-proclaimed “Official Airline for Sunshine” will launch the new scheduled service from Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport to Orlando Sanford International Airport$205**. (Three-night hotel stay at the Rodeway Inn-Maingate, price is per person, based on double occupancy, reflects a Friday departure and Monday return.) with complete vacation packages including roundtrip air and three-night hotel stay for as low as

“We are extremely pleased to extend the Allegiant brand of low-fare, nonstop jet service to the northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania communities,” Maurice J. Gallagher, Allegiant Air president & CEO, said. “This is an exciting new addition for our airline and our customers as we launch the only scheduled service between Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport and the Sunshine State.”

The airline said that its market research and input from local community leaders indicate that the northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania community will welcome the new nonstop flights and low fares to Orlando-Sanford as a convenient alternative to long drives and the congestion at other airports. Allegiant will utilize 150-seat, MD-80 series, jet-aircraft on the route.

“Youngstown-Warren to Orlando at these prices is nothing less than spectacular!” Steve Bowser, Director of Aviation for Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, said. “We’ve worked hard to make this day a reality. Allegiant’s support of our region is completely dependent upon our support of them. Our communities have asked for a low-cost carrier and, in Allegiant, we have the very best in the industry. Let’s take advantage of it!”

The new flights will operate twice weekly, with service Monday and Friday. Flights will depart Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport at 6:20 p.m. arriving in Orlando Sanford International Airport at 8:35 p.m. Flights leaving Orlando will depart at 3:30 p.m. arriving in Youngstown-Warren at 5:45 p.m. (all flight times are local.)

“We’re delighted and proud to have Allegiant as our air service partner Joseph Maxin, Attorney-at-Law and Chairman Of The Western Reserve Port Authority, said. “This airline is one of America’s most successful low-cost carriers and this entire region should be elated that they chose to provide air service to Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.”

The Allegiant Vacations division of the company will offer low-cost packages with 21 of Orlando’s most exciting hotel properties and three in Daytona Beach. Partner properties include The Swan, The Dolphin, The Hilton in Lake Buena Vista and the Radisson Parkway. Low-cost packages are available to include hotel, car and amusement park tickets for additional savings.

Reservations may be made through the company’s website at www.allegiantair.com, the airline’s Reservations Center at 800-432-3810 or professional travel agents.

Allegiant’s $59* one-way introductory fare is limited, not available on all flights and must be purchased by March 8, 2006, for travel through Nov. 9, 2006. After the introductory fare period, regular fares on the route will range from $89 to $199 each way.

ALLEGIANT AIR TO YOUNGSTOWN!

http://www.wytv.com/news/local/2317666.html

Airline service is coming back to the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.
An official announcement is expected tomorrow morning.
Sources tell us the Nevada based Allegiant air will offer local service to Orlando beginning in May, and possibly add flights to Las Vegas in the future.
The airlines director of marketing today would neither confirm or deny Allegiant is coming to the Youngstown-Warren Airport but did say she was boarding a plane and on her way to the Mahoning Valley.
We will have more on this developing story as it becomes available.

GREAT JOB GUYS! I will get all the info I can get soon!

ReadyAir Continues Moaning About Fairness

From Tribune Chronicle

By JOHN GOODALL Tribune Chronicle

WARREN - A fuel handler at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport is questioning how fairly its merits were presented to an airline that it believes is on the verge of starting service at the airport.

Robert Moosally of ReadyAir pointed out that Chuck Johnson, who was a key figure involved in marketing the airport to airlines, recently also began working for ReadyAir’s competitor, Winner Aviation.

“With the announcement of airline service at YNG almost eminent (sic), how can we be comfortable that we have been given adequate consideration and representation by Mr. Johnson in his discussion with carriers?” Moosally asks in a letter to the Western Reserve Port Authority, which oversees the airport.

Johnson could not be reached for comment.

But Steve Bowser, director of aviation at the airport, denied that the marketer had been biased in representing either company to airlines. He said Johnson had always presented the airport’s attributes in a fair and factual manner.

Any airline offering flights at Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport has the option of obtaining fuel and other services from either Winner or ReadyAir. They are the only fixed base operators at the facility.

Johnson, an airline industry insider, was hired a year ago as director of development to market the airport to carriers that might be interested in coming to Youngstown-Warren. He has been working for Winner about two weeks.

“My problem is clear,” Moosally said in his letter to the port authority. “How can a person employed by the airport to promote the airport to airlines and commercial cargo companies be employed by one of the ground handlers potentially benefiting from any positive results?”

Bowser noted that Johnson wasn’t alone in his dealings with the airlines. The director said he and others were involved in the talks as well.

Any airline coming to Youngstown-Warren would conduct its own negotiations in choosing a fixed base operator, he said.

“We let them (airlines) know there are two FBOs,” Bowser said. “We give them the numbers and the contacts.”

The director would not comment on ReadyAir’s belief that an airline is about to announce the start of service to Youngstown-Warren. That announcement, he said, would be made by the airline.

He said Moosally’s comments are not an accurate reflection of the work Johnson has done on behalf of the airport for a year. Bowser said Johnson is winding down the marketing campaign and had to consider another job.

But Moosally said in the letter that his concerns have lingered for more than two weeks. He said Johnson was a friend of Winner owner Rick Hale and had sought employment there on numerous occasions.

Moosally said Johnson, on more than one occasion during the marketing effort, represented himself to individuals as working for Winner, rather than the airport.

Bowser noted the Port Authority and ReadyAir are involved in litigation.

jgoodall@tribune-chronicle.com

Just goes to show after reading this ReadyAir is eliminating any start of airline service at YNG for “ALLEGIANT AIR.” When he said (sic) just goes to show how much he wants this airport to succeed and how much faith he has in it. Just goes to show they need to be evicted.

And to ReadyAir. Thanks for holding off on bringing in airline in with this pathetic lawsuit. I hope in the end you are evicted and we have that airline here and these troubles will be a thing of the past.

YNG

SCASD 2006

The Small Community Air Service Grant provides underserved airport’s monies to help establish air service in their area. Currently we have $250,000 from 2004 to market it an airline for YNG. Instead of wasting it on 1 airline, split it with 2 airlines such as Allegiant and Hooters and market it to establish it in the region.

What do you think the airport should request in the 2006 SCASD Grant? Certain Cities, Certain Airlines, etc.

Post your comment here.

Breaking News

I have found out the Airport will very well hire a Management company in 1-3 months to help them make decisions and advise them, but the management company will not have complete control…..

The more I hear I will post it in the blog but I understand there will be an article in the Vindicator on it today.

Maybe we will bring the airlines in by then!

FlyYNG

Website Issue

Today in the YOUNGSTOWN Business Journal there was an article on the: New Akron-Canton Airport Website

Well let’s look back in the Business Journal Archives about a new Youngstown-Warren Airport Website… LINK
Quote From: Sep 8, 2005: “In addition, $7,000 will be spent on additional videos and brochures to be produced by Rubenstein, and to update the airport’s Web site…..He [VIC RUBENSTEIN]said the new materials should be available in 30 to 45 days and that the marketing effort would continue in the meantime. ”

Where is our new website Vic Rubenstein? We see the Youngstown newspapers promoting the CAK’S new website when you were paid $7,000 for a new website, which was supposed to be done in October! It’s February 8th and still no new website. We need to have the Youngstown Media promoting YNG not other airports!

Vic. The coalition wants some answers. We emailed you and the airport management our list of questions and still no response, though you told us you would reply, please inform us of the information we seek.

Thanks to the Great Increase In Traffic and let this be known we are not here to start conflicts, just work to help the airport in its future. Our opinions our the coalition’s alone and not anyone affiliated with the airport. If you would like to write in the blog or seek information about us please email us @ ohiostadiums@gmail.com

Thanks

Fly Youngstown Blog

Fly Youngstown Blog
The Bottom Line……
It seems I’ve lost site of my original reason for posting. It was not to get into a ——– contest with someone from Ready Air nor defend Winner Aviation for the last 10 years. It was not to throw stones at the previous airport manager or the tons of port authority members that have gone though. My reason was to say that YNG is NOT a lost hope for airlines. It is a great airport with potential only if it is supported by the communities surrounding it. Who wouldn’t want to drive 10, 15 or 20 minutes to hop on a plane to anywhere without the hassle of traffic, parking and long lines for screening?
How many can remember going to the airport when they were little kids and watching all the people in the terminal, going up on the observation deck and seeing planes being boarded and taking off on one of the longest runways around?
YNG is well taken care of by the airport maintenance department who constantly keep a watch on the runways whether it is busy or not. The inside is spotless. Why can’t it become another CAK? It can if the naysayers quit putting it down. I will say this again, What airline wants to start service in a place that has constant bickering and nusance lawsuits going on?
Youngstown and areas around it need to come together like they did for the Air Force Base and support YNG.

RESPONSE TO LINE SERVICE COMMENTS

Fly Youngstown Blog
Obviously, you are a Ready Air employee, continously whining and crying about the Port Authority and Winner Aviation. Get over it, your company has tried to undermine the Port at every turn and they have NEVER treated Winner Aviation better than anyone else.In fact, when Ready Air first started their boo-hoo campaign a few years ago, the Port was overly negative at Winner. Ready Air’s comments do nothing but deter any new business to the airport, commercial or private. Do you really think that new customers want to hear this garbage all the time or know that there is always some kind of nuisance lawsuit going on? Your company has lied to reporters for the papers and tv about unfair treatment, cost of fuel, the percentage of customers that you supply and it’s a load of crap!!!
If you can’t do business without causing more problems for the airport then get out!!
AND, there needs to be truth told about why Tom Nolan left, why Mesaba and 3 other airlines left. It was NEVER about Winner Aviation fuel prices. But, oh yeah, you weren’t at the airport then. GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT!

Mad Tax Payer

Is anyone out there tired of these company’s ripping our airport off? Taking our tax dollars and ruining our airport here in the Mahoning Valley. Ready Air is the most recent one to try and attack our airport, but Vacation Express did so too, not too long ago. The Vacation Express operation cost us Tax Payers $400,000. $400,000 for an airline that was here for 5 months! It’s not like we didn’t support their airline. We had capacity of 80% to SFB, and 70% to Myrtle Beach. And to think they wanted an addition $250,000 just to fly a few flights in the winter!

The fact is clear, VACATION’S EXPRESS RIPPED US OFF!! We, the coalition for our airport, won’t stand for it. The greedy people at Vacation Express think a lawsuit can get that $250,000 from the airport; but that won’t happen, the money we spent on them will come back to the port. Let this be known, if you have family members in the Vacation Express city’s, tell them not to fly the corrupt airline which ripped us taxpayers off. This message goes out to Vacation Express, us smart citirzens that supported your airline for 5 months see through your scam. You are no longer welcomed at our airport, or within the Northeast Ohio regions, give us Tax payers back our money!!! Ready Air, you haven’t even heard the end of it from us! You must be evicted immediately for constant lying. Mr. Quinn; can you explain to us where this new business is at the airport?

Joe Bell Reports on Airport Fuel “Report”

If the Port has held this report under confidentiality and Steve Bowser says the airlines they are trying to bring in like Allegiant Air don’t see this as a major concern, why hasn’t this gone public. Why has Tom Nolan come out 5 years after leaving after 4 airlines left under his time and he blames the Port Board for this ordeal. We need to get some answers. We will try to contact Tom Nolan, Winner and Ready Air and the WRPA on this and we hope to bring the truth out. Anyways here is what Joe Bell reports, Joe I hope we can still set up an interview with you. We look forward to increase membership of the coalition in the community and you can be a major asset to the coalition, we consider you a media friend and partner.

Joe Bell-27 WKBN Link

Did Fuel Prices Kill the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport?

The fortunes of the Youngstown- Warren Regional Airport have seen better days. A four-year-old confidential report has surfaced, raising some disturbing questions.

It’s all about the price of fuel. If you think you pay a lot, consider the fact that aircraft owners are currently paying between $3.50 and $4.00 a gallon. Now, a report commissioned by the Port Authority seems to be saying that price-gouging by one company killed commercial air service at our airport.

Every plane that fuels up here gets it through a provider called a Fixed Base Operation. Up until a couple years ago, Winner Aviation was the only one at our airport. Like all FBO’s they charge a small fee on every gallon. In 2001, the consulting firm GPC International reported to the Port Authority that typical FBO fuel fees run around two to four cents a gallon, compared to 70 cents that Winner was charging.

The consultant called that a very alarming development which could result in the loss of all air service to the community.

Within two years, all air service was gone.

But Winner’s president says those numbers are way off base — that the low fees are only had in huge airports and that his company never charged as much as 70 cents a gallon.

“It wasn’t an issue when these three airlines left. None of them came to us and said, ‘Your prices are too high. We’re going to have to leave here,’” said Rick Hale, president of Winner.

This is about more than just what happened to commercial service. It’s about who gets to service planes like this. It’s about the competition between the existing FBO, Winner and the newcomer, Ready Air.

“There’s competition now and they have to respond to that,” said Ready Air general manager Chad Quinn.

Ready Air says Winner has been getting a sweetheart deal from the Port Authority, especially when it comes to building space. According to airport records, Winner pays about $3.41 per square foot. Ready Air pays 29 cents more.

“They had a chance to adjust that and they havened adjusted anything. We’re still paying more rent than Winner Aviation pays right now,” Quinn said.

“These guys show up and they sign it and then they start crying that they have a different rate,” Hale said.

Because Ready Air felt it was getting no response from the Port Authority, it stopped paying the rent back in October. The Port Authority is moving to evict the company and the company is now suing over it. Because of that litigation, members of the Port Authority board are declining to talk about the battle with Ready Air.

One thing airport director Steve Bowser did say is the problems raised in that report have been corrected and that none of the airlines he’s trying to court have raised an issue about fuel pricing.

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