It appears as if it wasn’t hyperbole when North Central West Virginia Airport Director Rick Rock said despite a record year for passengers everything was going to be done to add to the numbers in 2020. The effort to do that is already underway.

 

In fact, on Wednesday, Jan. 29, Rock will be helping to set up a meeting of stakeholders in Marion County that could result in adding another additional daily flight out of the NCWV Airport. Rock is hopeful that a business model can be created showing it would be profitable to have a second flight to and from Washington’s Dulles International Airport.

 

The good news? He has the ear of the airline.

 

Rock said when he contacted SkyWest, flying as United Express out of Bridgeport, for adding a second flight to the existing daily service out of the city, he wasn’t told no. Instead, he was asked to make a pitch showing that it was feasible.

 

“It’s a partnership and they want to hear what we have to offer,” said Rock. “We have to see what makes sense and if it does, they’ll entertain our proposal because if we get that far we believe it will be a win-win situation.”

 

To hopefully make that happen, Rock said the airport’s consultant, Volaire Aviation, will come in for the event. Aviation expert Michael Mooney and colleague Melissa Pierson will lead the discussion.

 

The discussion will take place at the West Virginia High Technology Consortium. It will last from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

 

“The goal of the meeting is to create the business case for two flights a day to Dulles,” said Rock. “We think it can be a game changer, again, for this airport.”

 

Rock told the Benedum Airport Authority individuals from multiple counties the airport serves to have travel generators, such as convention and visitors’ bureaus, to be contacted to see who could utilize a second flight that would allow for day trips.

 

Rock believes there is a bigger market if travelers can make a day trip to Washington, D.C. In particular.

 

Rock said the hope is to utilize a United RJ 50 to leave in the morning, with a noon return flight that would go to Chicago at 2:30 p.m. and return from the Windy City between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. with a flight to Dulles at 8 p.m. and coming back again at 10 pm.

 

According to Rock, by July of this year a Silver Line rail service will be available from Dulles to area across the nation’s capital.

 

“That will facilitate easy travel from Dulles to the downtown. We think we can generate more traffic because of that and because the additional flights will provide easier access to connectivity with other flights,” said Rock.

 

As for a decision from United if a business plan can be created, Rock was unsure. However, he did say he would expect to hear direction – good or bad – sometime during this calendar year.

 

Editor's Note: A United Express flight is shown loading passengers last year, while NCWV Airport Director Rick Rock makes a point a last week's meeting in the bottom photo.