County gives airport ad money
By PAMELA BRUSTArticle Photos
PARKERSBURG - Wood County commissioners voted to give the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport up to $5,000 to be used on advertising new lower airfares.
During a meeting Thursday with the county officials, airport manager Terry Moore outlined examples of the new fares and told county officials the problem is getting the word out to travelers.
"We are running a daily newspaper ad with rates. But just to give you an example, a recent snapshot in time showed for booking 21 days out, and 14-day bookings and weekend bookings here compared to Columbus and Charleston, W.Va., our airport, for the 14-day, was better than all markets, expect five, than Charleston. We beat Columbus in two markets, Hartford, Conn., and Washington, D.C., for those two we had prices that were better than anyone's within a 100 miles," Moore said. "You also save the cost and hassle of driving to an out-of-town airport. It's easier access in and out, and you save on parking fees, our parking is free now," Moore said.
"Local travel agents, although they have a charge, do have a variety of systems to help people find the best rates," Commissioner Blair Couch noted.
Commission President Bob Tebay suggested checking with the Volunteer Action Center or senior programs to see about having someone available at the airport to assist the community in finding the best air fares.
"The problem, as I see it, is the mindset has been the airport has gone through some problems, and they don't see it as viable, with the past cancellations and changes of airlines, so they stopped checking the fares. Obviously there are good rates here, and we can be competitive. But we have to be able to get the public to check those rates and make them readily available. It's an education process," Commissioner Rick Modesitt said.
"Probably a direct mail piece or a newspaper insert to breakdown the cities and the fares and what's available so they can compare the rates would be helpful, to remind people, before you fly out of Akron-Canton, Columbus or Charleston, check our local airport rates first."
"We have received some funds the state allocated on a reimbursable basis, we've spent about one-half of that to publicize the new fares and schedules, and we will probably use the rest before Christmas," Moore said. "I agree we need to do something, but getting the information out is a challenge."
"I know the airport has been struggling financially, and I would have no problem allocating some funds to help get the word out," Modesitt said, making the motion to allocate up to $5,000 for advertising. The motion passed unanimously.
Modesitt suggested Moore also contact area municipalities and other entities to seek donations for the advertising campaign.
Sample rates provided to the commission included Philadelphia, 21 days out, $230; 14 days, $240; weekend, $240; Las Vegas, $304, $423; $542; Myrtle Beach, S.C., $404; $377; $497; Washington, D.C., $271; $271; $271.
In January, United Express replaced USAirways Express with non-stop service to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). Dulles is a 128-gate facility served by 10 domestic and 21 international airlines and provides service to 81 domestic and 39 international destinations.
The airport's Web site address is: www.flymov.com.
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walleye
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11-21-08 9:10 AM
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If Dog Patch International cannot function on it's own, with competitive rates, why should we pay to keep it around? Those who use air travel do not like to drive to Columbus or Charleston to begin their air trip, however if they are forced to, perhaps we could turn the Wood Co. site into a deer sancuary
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