Working to attract airlines and destinations

There was no new air service to announce Thursday during the Erie Regional Airport Authority’s town hall meeting at the Bayfront Convention Center.

But there was optimism that a new airline and new Florida destination are on the horizon.

“We are working at making additional flights at the airport happen, but it’s not an overnight job,” authority President Dan Giannelli said. “Maybe we will be able to make that announcement at this time next year.”

As part of that work, the airport is reducing the fees that it charges airlines for services, from $27.12 per passenger in 2023 to $12.35 budgeted for this year and just over $10 in May, airport Executive Director Derek Martin said in presenting the airport’s 2023 annual report at the meeting.

The airport is offering to waive those fees for two years as an incentive for airlines to operate from Erie.

Another incentive for airlines is the local demand for air service. Planes departing Erie were filled to an average 90.1% of passenger capacity in 2023, compared to 86.2% in 2022 and 83% nationally. American Airlines, the airport’s sole carrier since United departed Erie and 34 other markets in June 2023, operated at 98% capacity through the year, Martin said.

Additionally, the Fly Erie Fund created by the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership in 2023 is raising money to provide cash incentives for air service. The goal is to raise $1.5 million over three years. The airport would commit an additional $5 million from its $11 million reserve fund.

Similar incentive programs partially funded by the state have attracted new carriers and destinations for airports in Ohio and West Virginia.

Competing for service against airports offering such incentives “is like getting into a fight with your hands tied behind your back,” Martin said.

Pennsylvania’s proposed 2024-25 state budget includes an additional $25 million in aviation funding that could add to the pot of local air service incentives, Martin said.

It’s not a done deal, Martin said, “but we’re close.”

Challenges in bringing more air service to Erie

Challenges to bringing additional air service to Erie include rising industry costs, a move away from 50-seat regional jets to larger aircraft, and a backlog of ordered planes coming off the Boeing assembly line, Martin said.

Airport officials and a consultant hired to market the airport to airlines are continuing to lobby airlines for new Erie air service, most likely by Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air, Houston-based Avelo Airlines or Utah-based Breeze Airways, Martin said.

“We are aggressively trying to attract air service to Erie,” Martin said.

Currently, American offers three flights daily between Erie and its hub in Charlotte, North Carolina. From there, passengers can fly nonstop to more than 180 domestic and international destinations, according to the Erie airport’s 2023 annual report.

That’s down from connections to more than 400 nonstop destinations when United additionally offered Erie-Chicago service.

The airport applied for a Small Communities Air Service Development Program grant in 2023 to fund low-cost carrier service between Erie and Florida but was not awarded funding.

Capital projects highlighted in the airport’s 2023 annual report include completion of first-phase work in a $14 million project to realign the airport’s main taxiway to comply with federal safety standards and completion of a $4 million project to replace deteriorated pavement in the aircraft parking area.