"Keep the faith; Illinois airport still a good deal despite TMA mess"

Wednesday, October 5, 2005

Editorial 
Keep the faith; airport still a good deal despite TMA mess
The Rockford (IL) Register Star


TransMeridian Airlines' bankruptcy last week, which left passengers stranded
in Rockford, Florida and Nevada, makes Bob O'Brien's job of marketing
Greater Rockford Airport harder, although not impossible.

While the situation shakes passenger confidence, the airport and the
executive director have a few important things in their favor, including a
first-class facility and proven popularity of the suspended routes.

Area residents took a leap of faith two years ago to support the airport and
O'Brien by giving $270,000 in personal donations to promote the airport and
attract passenger service. It worked. Even with TMA's departure, three small
carriers still serve Rockford, up from zero just a little more than two
years ago. A fourth carrier plans to begin service in November.

What O'Brien needs now is for local travelers to take a leap of faith once
again by continuing to book flights through the airport. Other airlines are
interested in the TMA routes, O'Brien said, but he needs to continue proving
that if the airlines offer flights, local travelers will use them. Airlines
go where the passengers are.

TMA has financial problems that were unrelated to the Rockford routes, which
were well used.

Travelers had a right to be hopping mad when they showed up for TMA flights
at various airports Friday and found that the company had laid off employees
and ceased operations immediately.

To get to their destinations, they had to dig into their own pockets to buy
tickets on other airlines. They will be reimbursed eventually, but there's a
rigamarole to go through. Some of the passengers vowed they will never again
use the Rockford airport. That is unfortunate, but we understand the
sentiment.

We hope that they will change their minds when they consider the convenience
and, often, the lower fares Rockford offers.

Also, other local carriers are making efforts to honor TMA tickets for $50
one-way fares. Travelers may have to change their schedules and fly from
different airports, however.

The efforts by Northwest Airlines and Allegiant Air indicate a commitment to
the market by those carriers.

Nobody said it was going to be easy to transform Rockford's airport into a
full-service facility.

Despite the two-steps-forward, one-step-back nature of recent airport
headlines, we still believe it will happen.

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