Airlines staffing shortages are keeping the Gary/Chicago International Airport’s quest to land a commercial airline service in a holding pattern.
The airport authority renewed a contract Wednesday with Mead & Hunt Inc., of Chicago, for consulting services to continue pitching the airport to several different airlines. The authority agreed to pay Mead & Hunt $6,790 per month.
“We are at the cusp of having great things happen,” said airport executive director Dan Vicari.
At a Gary City Council meeting last year, Vicari said the airport could see the return of commercial passenger flights by the end of 2022. On Wednesday, he said airlines reported their plans were slowed by staffing issues.
Mead & Hunt’s passenger service study assesses the travel patterns of Northwest Indiana residents in Lake, Porter, and Jasper counties who are based within a 40-minute travel time from the airport. Last year, their top travel sites were Orlando, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Houston. When airlines are shown the data, they all agree the demand is there, Vicari said.
Last year, the Indiana Economic Development Corp. approved an incentive package for airlines of up to $1.5 million per year, per market served.
If the airport is successful, it will mark the first time regular passenger service uses the airport’s extended 9,000-foot runway, which was completed in 2015.
Allegiant Airlines, its last passenger airline, departed in 2013.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
