Strong Support for City Centre Airport

Web Posted   Feb 19 2004 11:42 AM MST  
 
Strong Support for Downtown Airport
CBC Edmonton, Canada

Edmonton - The majority of residents want to keep the
City Centre Airport in their downtown, a survey
conducted by supporters found.
 
Of the 404 Edmontonians questioned about the the
commuter airport in December, 78 per cent said they
supported some form of continued passenger service.
Seventy-eight per cent also believe that cancelling
passenger service will have a negative impact on the
city's economy.

However, only 18 per cent say they use the airport,
and only one-third of those do so for business.

In November, the Edmonton Regional Airports Authority
announced that it would be closing the downtown
airport to scheduled flights, although charters,
military flights and the air ambulance would continue
to use the strip.

After an outcry from businesses and northern
communities that use the smaller airlines that fly out
of city centre, as well as objections from the
province, the airports authority said it would review
that decision.

Air Services for Tomorrow, a lobby group that funded
the study, is fighting to keep the airport open to
scheduled flights.

"I think it's very important that the committee take
into account what they are saying in this report,"
Mary Anne Stanway, president of the group, said. "They
believe there should be some scheduled services, they
believe it should stay open. There is no one here who
says they believe the airport does not have a future
role in Edmonton."
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