"2 Michigan airports locked in grudge match"

Tuesday, March 23, 2004

2 airports locked in grudge match
Bishop, Capital City struggle with Web sites
By Jason Carr
WJRT-TV ABC, MI


Flint's Bishop Airport could benefit from a grudge match between
Lansing-area travel agents and Capital City Airport. 

The two sides are at odds over Capital City's new Web site, which doesn't
allow the agents to compete for business. ABC12's Jason Carr had more.

This is a bitter dispute in Lansing. And the agents say their clients are
more than willing to drive an hour on I-69 just to fly out of Bishop.

Bishop Airport Director Jim Rice is in a weird spot. When Lansing-area
travel agents invited him to an April 1 meeting, he said yes without knowing
about their fight with Capital City Airport.

He won't choose sides, but he also knows a good marketing opportunity when
he sees one. Bishop Airport.org has links to area travel agents in what
amounts to an open playing field.

Passageways Travel, the agency with an office right in the airport, is just
one of many. But unlike Bishop, Capital City Airport's new Web site,
flylansing.com, doesn't have links to local agencies.

Instead, one big agent -- Passageways -- gets all the Internet traffic.
Bishop's marketing director says getting flyers from the Lansing market
could actually make what some call a perfect airport even better.

Capital City Airport did not return our calls. Meantime, Lansing travel
agent Bob Sorum also told us he was amazed by Bishop after a recent visit.

He told ABC12, quote: "We want a piece of that," meaning Bishop's
record-setting popularity.


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