The Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport may be getting close to offering daily passenger flights out of the facility.
Officials are hoping that in the next month or so they will be able to establish daily flights to Cleveland, where passengers will then be able to hop a flight to just about anywhere.
According to airport aviation director Dan Dickten, talks are currently taking place with a carrier to provide two flights a day to Cleveland.
Currently, Allegiant Air offers flights a few times a week to the Orlando and Tampa Bay area. Elected officials said the daily air service will help attract more shale-related businesses that may come to the area.
"It is really a significant asset when we start talking to people down in Texas and Oklahoma because they are looking for the shortest distance right now," said Tom Humphries, Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber president. "They do fly most of the people in through Pittsburgh, and if we have opportunities to get them into Cleveland and then to Youngstown, we can save them some time."
Humphries and other officials said they are hopeful the airport will hear something from the airline soon.
"It gives us a better choice of destinations to go to," said Trumbull County Commissioner Dan Polivka. "The commissioners have supported Allegiant, and hopefully we will get this and it will be a shot in the arm for our area. Things are looking better, not in concrete yet, but it would be great on daily flights, God willing the shale industry helps our area and puts people back to work."
