YNG Launches: “Project: Business Allegiance”
Posted on March 20, 2008
Filed Under General
FROM THE BUSINESS JOURNAL
VIENNA, Ohio — The Western Reserve Port Authority is preparing to launch next week its long-discussed marketing initiative to encourage business leaders to purchase tickets on Allegiant Air.
Although billed as "Project: Business Allegiance," the goals are to encourage more business for Allegiant or to attract an additional regularly scheduled carrier, said the port authority chairman, John Masternick.
Masternick told the airport board about the impending launch of the marketing effort during its meeting Wednesday at Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.
Businesses in northeastern Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania will be encouraged to buy tickets or entire vacation packages that they could give away to employees as incentives and other morale boosters, Masternick said.
From the airport, Allegiant provides twice-weekly service to the vacation and resort market of Orlando, Fla.
The initiative’s goal is to sell 4,000 Allegiant tickets, Masternick said.
First proposed about a year ago, the campaign is being conducted through Rubenstein Associates, a marketing and advertising agency in Liberty Township.
"We’re basically going to do a direct telephone campaign over the next several months to area businesses," said Carolyn Rubenstein, a principal with the company, and public service announcements will be prepared for television and radio stations to augment the effort. More details of the campaign will be announced March 28.
"We’re hoping to get another airline potentially or another route from Allegiant," Masternick said, by showing Allegiant’s ability to draw passengers with its service to Youngstown is "so overwhelmingly successful. That’s what other airlines look at."
He would also like to see Allegiant add a connector to another market, such as Cincinnati, Chicago or Atlanta.
The airport is working with Carlson Wagonlit Travel on the program, he said. The global travel agency has offices in Howland and Boardman.
A program such as Project: Business Allegiance would be unique, said Tyri Squyres, Allegiant’s communications director. "We’ve never seen it before. It’ll be interesting to see it happen."
While the company does not comment specifically on loads, she said the Youngstown-Warren market continues to do well. She also noted that the barometer of how they assess loads on flights rises and falls with fluctuations in fuel costs.
Airport aviation director Steve Bowser told the board that loads for Allegiant’s February flights from the regional airport averaged 94.7%. According to its traffic report for the month, system-wide Allegiant had a load factor for scheduled service of 86.4% and 83.9% overall.
Masternick also informed members that discussions continue with Mahoning and Trumbull counties, as well as with other entities, to secure funding for an economic development position.
"We’re very interested in looking for someone that can provide economic development for the two-county area but using the tools the port authority has, such as the ability to issue bonds, that we’ve never tapped into before," he said. "We’re looking to awaken a sleeping giant."
After being named chairman of the port authority in January, Masternick expressed interest in creating a new board separate from the existing port authority, modeled on the Summit County Port Authority, that would be dedicated to economic development.
Yesterday, Masternick said the new position would serve as a division of the Western Reserve Port Authority. "At the time I wasn’t sure how to create it but I’ve learned more now," he said.
As for funding the position, "a lot of appropriations requests [have been] submitted," he said. "There’s another entity I know that requested funding for this position and I’m waiting to see what the results of these appropriations requests are."
The port authority approved its 2008 budget Wednesday. It projects $1,346,849 in income, including $703,188 in bed taxes from the two counties, and expenses of $1,389,569. A carryover of $43,500 from 2007 would cover the anticipated $42,720 shortfall.
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5 Responses to “YNG Launches: “Project: Business Allegiance””
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I think part of this concept has some minimal merit. That being to encourage local business to buy tickets to use the service. One could state that the purpose here at least in part is to artificially inflate ticket sales to provide an impression to other perspective airlines that ticket sales are booming. However at the same time if sales are increased by any method at YNG it could start a formation of new habits and a momentum.
The rest of the concept where YNG hopes Allegiant to provide connector service to possibly ATL, ORD, and CVG is highly unlikely since that is not their thing. To me they provide flight service to a resort-entertainment package such as Las Vegas. This is why I think unless Allegiant is open minded enough to bend their business plan to this new concept I don’t think this part of the idea will fly.
Although you do not support my progressive liberal views, by bringing renewable energy companies and factories into the valley we could begin to see more airline flights start to occur at the airport.
We need to bring manufacturing jobs to this valley to have a rippling effect even on the airport. What did we get when president Bush visited and spoke at the airport years ago? We received nothing but a major traffic tie up.
Dennis Spisak
Independent Green Party candidate for state representative-60th district
campaign site: http://votespisak.tripod.com
"Although you do not support my progressive liberal views"
Who is the YOU that you are referring to?
KarlB737…..
not you, just a frequent conservative member who promotes this site on other venues.
This is actually good that there is at least a little bit of marketing being conducted but I still have yet to see Steve Bowser at any sort of events out there to promote the airport through networking. There are plenty of opportunities out there to speak and promote Allegiant free of cost such as Rotary Club, Chamber gatherings and other business functions. Handshakes work a hell of alot better than a phone call.