Gary airport to explore passenger service
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
The Gary/Chicago International Airport Authority is taking preliminary steps to once again provide passenger service. Our partners at The Times of Northwest Indiana report the airport authority board on Wednesday approved a contract with a consulting firm to perform a series of analyses and forecasts and set up meetings with airlines.
“This is one of the necessary steps to be able to attract passenger air service,” said GCIA Executive Director Dan Vicari.
GCIA lost passenger travel nine years ago after Allegiant Air dropped service.
The board approved a one-year contract worth approximately $90,000 to Wisconsin-headquartered Mead & Hunt. Vicari says the architecture, planning and construction firm, which has offices in Indianapolis and Chicago, provides guidance to small and mid-size airports around the country.
“Where people fly, where people want to fly, what the potentials are with the market that’s out there today,” Vicari said.
The publication says the work will help the airport if it seeks a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to explore the possibility of resuming passenger service.
The board also authorized several studies on airport property in anticipation of building new hangars, moving its maintenance and rescue-fire facility and opening its northwest corner for cargo-related development.