"Airlines Show Interest in Regular Service at Airport near Mesa, Ariz."

Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Airlines Show Interest in Regular Service at Airport near Mesa, Ariz.
By John Yantis
The Mesa (AZ) Tribune


Regularly scheduled commercial airline service at Williams Gateway Airport
may not be far off.

Last week, airport officials met with eight carriers who say they have some
interest in the airport as an alternative to Phoenix Sky Harbor
International Airport.

"The airline industry is starting to take a turn for the better, and they're
starting to look more seriously at other opportunities," said Marie Frank,
Williams Gateway spokeswoman. "This year or next year is going to be our
year."

While she declined to reveal all of the airlines involved in talks, Frank
said their has been interest from American Eagle, the regional carrier for
American Airlines, and Continental Airlines.

"Continental is not as interested, but American Eagle continues to express
some interest in the potential business traffic here," Frank said.

The airport also spoke with Calgary, Alberta-based WestJet, which serves 24
Canadian cities. WestJet announced previously it will offer service in the
Valley in October, but it has not decided on an airport to use. The company
traditionally prefers smaller airports, officials said.

"They were pleased to see there was another airport to look out," Frank
said, adding the airport also talked to several charter carriers about
expanding service. "Airlines want more information, and that's always a good
thing. We had more of them ask for more information than ever before."

An American Airlines spokesman could not be reached for comment. Roc Arnett,
president of the East Valley Partnership, said several commercial airlines
have either come to Williams or invited airport officials to meetings with
management. He said the talks are the result of $200,000 joint marketing
fund created by Williams and Sky Harbor. A consultant hired by the airports
is making progress in putting together options for passenger service at the
airport.

"The same thing is happening with cargo," Arnett said. "It's more in the
area of quick cargo, meaning UPS, FedEx and some of those kinds of companies
that need and want to have quick turnaround. I know there are a couple of
those that are also moving forward. Then you couple that with the idea if we
just get one, then the second one is going to be easier to get and the third
one will be that much easier."

A study shows there will be 1.2 million people who live within a 30-minute
drive of Williams Gateway by next year, said Wayne Balmer, Mesa's project
manager for airport area.

"If you think of that, it would be faster to get from your home to Williams
Gateway to pick up your luggage, to get your tickets, to get on the plane,
than it is to get to Sky Harbor," he said. "In fact, it would be quicker
from your car to being on the plane than it would from your spot in the
parking garage to the elevator at Sky Harbor."

The airport has limited passenger service: Charter flights takes gamblers to
a casino in Laughlin, Nev., twice a month on average. Charters also fly
periodically by invitation only to casinos in Reno, Nev.


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