Next NCWV Airport Daily Air Service Provider Should be Known by Late Summer as EAS Bidding Begins
By Jeff Toquinto on May 21, 2025
In less than a month, the next daily air service provider for the North Central West Virginia Airport will have submitted a proposal to do just that. By late summer, whoever that provider is should be known.
During Tuesday’s meeting of the Benedum Airport Authority, the airport’s governing body was told by NCWV Airport Director Rick Rock that the FAA has begun soliciting bids for the airport’s next Essential Air Service Provider (EAS). The solicitation process began Monday, Rock said.
EAS is a federally funded program providing millions of dollars to subsidize airlines to provide rural airports with daily flight service.
The bids are due on June 19. After that, the stakeholders – led by the NCWV Airport – will have to determine the best option and submit it to the FAA for approval. The FAA can okay or deny the recommendation, but barring something unusual typically goes with the recommendation.
After the FAA signs off, the next EAS provider will be in place Dec. 1. Whether it is the existing provider Contour, which provides daily flight the Charlotte Douglass International Airport, or a new one is unknown. What is known is that whoever flies will be provided millions of dollars to do so.
Currently, Contour receives $6.3 million in 2025 to provide service through EAS after beginning at $5.3 million when taking over in late 2022. Most airports in West Virginia use EAS funds. Rock expects Contour to bid again, and he expects all bidders this time to be jet service providers.
“We have meetings this week with potential bidding airlines, and we’re excited to talk to them,” said Rock, who said he believes up to six airlines are seriously interested. “We want as many to bid as possible, but quantity is more important than quality. I think you’re going to see some qualified bidders.”
One concern Rock does have, and he touched on it briefly to the Authority, is “some talk” about cuts in the EAS program by Congress. Many federally funded agencies and programs are seeing cutbacks, but Rock said nothing has been to the level of concern at the
moment. He thinks the state’s delegation, and any rural state’s delegations in Congress, know the importance of EAS.
moment. He thinks the state’s delegation, and any rural state’s delegations in Congress, know the importance of EAS.
“We’ve experienced great success with EAS over the last several years. This is so important to rural America,” said Rock, who added more than 150 communities utilize the program.”
It should be noted that the airport does not choose who bids on the program. Instead, the airlines determine if they want to bid and, from that pool, a decision is made about what is best to the NCWV Airport. Even then, as noted above, the FAA has to sign off on the recommendation submitted by the NCWV Airport.
Rock also said the hope is to have the new terminal ready to go on the same day the next EAS service provider is in place - Dec. 1. Several more contracts need to be completed - from paving, to the taxiway, to the traffic signal - before the new terminal can begin operations.
In other related news, Rock said all systems were a go for summer destination flights through Allegiant to begin this week. Flights to Myrtle Beach start on Thursday. Flights to Destin, Florida, begin on Friday.
Multiple other items were discussed in the session including Senior Professor and Director of Aviation Technology Dr. Brad Gilbert of 
Pierpont Community & Technical College talking about a recent event. Gilbert said an elimination dinner raised $20,000 for scholarships that will go directly to the Pierpont Foundation.
Pierpont Community & Technical College talking about a recent event. Gilbert said an elimination dinner raised $20,000 for scholarships that will go directly to the Pierpont Foundation.
Also speaking to the Authority was Amy Haberbosch-Wilson, the Executive Director of the Harrison County Economic Development Corporation. She said RFIs (requests for information) for property or sites in the county, including the airport, have increased recently. Many, but not all, involve oil and gas and most, she said, are looking to lease property as opposed to purchasing it.
Tracy Miller of the Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex, which oversees marketing of the massive aerospace industries on airport and nearby properties, also provided an update to the Authority.
More from this meeting in the days ahead on Connect-Bridgeport.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows a Contour jet just outside the terminal building, while NCWV Airport Director Rick Rock is shown in the second photo. In the bottom photo, Amy Haberbosch-Wilson, addressed the Authority, while Tracy Miller looks on.
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