The experience of stepping into the Pennsylvania’s Williamsport Regional Airport is a an experience that is a bit jarring.
It’s got everything you’re used to experiencing in a terminal including check-in desks, a baggage carousel, and car rental counters.
However, there’s a thing that’s not present – passengers.
There hasn’t been any commercial flights from Williamsport ever since American Airlines left in 2021.
The loss of service completely is not common. But the demise of older airline services from airports in regional areas is a recurring phenomenon.
American, Delta and United combined have departed at least 74 regional airports in the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study conducted by the aviation consulting company Ailevon Pacific.
Changing economics
A lack of pilots could be partly to blame for the major airlines’ decision to leave smaller airports. However, the changing economics of airlines means regional airports’ challenges may become impossible to overcome.
“The 50-seat jet of today isn’t as efficient like it was ten years ago. Costs of labor are rising. Costs of fuel rising. Maintenance costs rising. It’s difficult for an aircraft with that size to make a profit,” longtime industry analyst William Swelbar told Morning Edition.
These are the planes that normally serve regional airports such as Williamsport and Williamsport, which is the reason you’re probably going to witness smaller cities cut off from air service, according to Swelbar.
“In the West there are more distances more extensive, and the terrain more difficult, and there is a greater need to fly. When you look to the East you’ll find plenty of airports within a particular geographic region. The highway system is fantastic. This is the reason why there will be many more Williamsport,” he said.
Regional airports are increasingly out of choices to passengers. This could affect how Americans embark on their journeys Swelbar believes.
“The highway has evolved and will be the primary gateway to the grid of air-transportation in the future,” he added. “Not every community is able to support the trend towards bigger airframes.”
Heartbreak
In spite of the economy, how the legacy carriers are leaving cities is a source of frustration for Richard Howell, the executive director of Williamsport Regional Airport.
“During COVID the airlines took $55 billion from the government in exchange for different loans and PPP and other things. As soon as COVID is gone, airlines begin to pull out of markets similar to mine. They’re literally absconding with the rural areas of America,” he said.
In a statement made to NPR, American Airlines said: “It’s always difficult to choose to stop service to a particular market because there are always a variety of aspects to take into consideration, such as demand from customers and alternative airport access for local residents, and limitations in the industry, such as local captain’s shortage.”
The financial impact of the decision to leave has already begun to be felt.
World Travel International is a travel agency that is located inside the terminal at the airport. However, in an irony that is beyond belief their clients aren’t able to begin their journeys at the airport.
“It’s extremely sad. We can’t help those who need immediate help to depart from here. Like our previous clients needing to pay a driver to transport them to airports in other cities due to the fact that they’re unable to drive,” said owner Julie Johnston McManus.
“We’ve lost all of our pedestrian traffic,” she said.
Beyond the point of no return
It’s not just at the airport where companies are battling due to the lack of air transportation.
It’s been identified as a major issue for site consultants trying for ways to bring companies to Williamsport.
The Williamsport Lycoming Chamber of Commerce invites companies to visit Williamsport during Little League World Series, which takes place every year.
“We do our best for them to be able to come to the projects they want to pursue here. This was the first time we were able to do it after COVID. Also, it was the first time we were able to do it without airline service” stated Chamber’s President and CEO Jason Fink. “And the biggest flaw which was mentioned was the inability to arrive at the location.”
Another ironic aspect in a city with no airlines One of the biggest companies includes Lycoming Engines, which makes piston engines for airplanes.
“When you’re trying to organize diverse business gatherings and you have the chance to draw in potential customers, it is important to have the airline service within the city you live in,” said Shannon Massey the senior vice president of Lycoming Engines.
This is also impacting Lycoming’s hiring process.
“If you’re trying to get applicants come in and would like to be interviewed, they are relatives. They’d like to know if they are able or aren’t able to reach their families within a certain time,” Massey added.
We wish you a bright future.
Howell believes that his airport could remain viable If he can secure some assistance from Congress.
He would like Williamsport to be able to return to the program known as Essential Air Service (EAS).
Airlines can receive grants for flights to destinations in which it is difficult to earn money.
Williamsport was unable to participate when Congress altered the guidelines in 2012 declaring that airports that didn’t utilize EAS funds prior to the year could no longer be eligible.
At the time the airport wasn’t in need of the cash. However, it now does.
“There’s carriers that only do EAS since it’s completely subsidised. They’re risk-free. Even if I just return to this program, it would be for five to six years, or similar, it’s not a problem. we can get over this pilot issue,” said Howell.
“Just bring me to the door!. In the end, we’ll be back to the point we were and there’s no subsidies in any way. Markets are self-sustaining,” he added.
But Howell is aware of the challenges cities such as Williamsport are confronting in an age of smaller planes are being grounded.
“The airplanes are getting larger and bigger. So if you’re flying your airplanes with 75 seats and such You’ll be next,” he said.
“If there aren’t any items in place that are available to have our elected officials give us, then we’re going to be the next to be on the list,” Howell warned.
A quiet runway
At the airfield of Williamsport Regional, a lone green tractor mowing the grass.
Finally the plane appears headed for the runway, it’s a tiny blue and white private plane.
This is the kind of aircraft that could be used for learning to fly. This pilot was also practicing the touch-and-go landing and then flying off.
Re-circulating the airport and repeating the procedure there was not a rush.
It’s a great time to instruction when you’ve got the runway to you.
Audio versions of the article was edited and modified by Halimah Abdullah. Digital versions were edited by Treye Green.
Copyright 2023 Copyright NPR. To learn more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDEwMjQ0ODM1MDEzNDk4MTEzNjU3NTRhYg004))
Transcript:
LEILA FADEL HOST:
If you’re planning to fly on this Labor Day weekend, you may have to travel further than usual to take your flight. The number of flights available to cities throughout the United States is declining due to a lack of pilots as well as the shifting economics of airline. What is this going to mean for cities that surround them? The NPR’s Adam Bearne traveled to Williamsport, Pa., to discover.
(SOUNDBITE of HELICOPTER (SOUNDBITE OF HELICOPTER)
ADAM BEARNE, BYLINE: A black helicopter launches to clear blue skies that atop Williamsport Regional Airport.
(SOUNDBITE of sliding doors)
BEARNE The chief executive officer of the airport, Richard Howell, points out the stunning blue tiled flooring.
Richard Howell: The color of the floor is a symbol of what is known as the Susquehanna River going through the community. This is why it passes across the airport terminal. It takes passengers from the ticket counter at the airport to TSA.
BEARNE: There’s like there’s a flow.
HOWELL: Yes. Yes, yes.
BEARNE: However, there aren’t any passengers moving through the doors. The counters for airline tickets are empty. At TSA there aren’t any blue-shirted TSA officers to be observed.
HOWELL: You can get the backstage details here.
BEARNE: Yeah. It’s not often you can stroll past TSA in that way.
HOWELL: Yeah. It’s fun.
BEARNE: There’s no need for security if there’s no flight to take. There’s been no commercial services at Williamsport from the time American Airlines left in 2021. This is a very extreme example local airports all over the country are witnessing older airlines withdraw. In the wake of the pandemic, American, Delta and United together have left at least 74 airports according to a report by the aviation consulting company Ailevon Pacific. The reason is a lack of pilots who can fly smaller aircrafts, and also because it’s more difficult to earn money flying these aircrafts.
WILLIAM SWELBAR William Swelbar: The 50-seat jet of today isn’t so much economic the way it was ten years ago.
BEARNE This is longtime analyst William Swelbar.
SWELBAR: The cost of labor is rising, fuel costs increasing Maintenance costs are increasing. It’s hard for an aircraft of that size to earn a profit.
BEARNE: In an announcement in a statement to NPR, American doesn’t mention this as a cause to leave regional markets, but instead saying that it’s because of the shortage of pilots and the fact that they need to consider demand from customers as well as what other airport residents can avail of. However, the process of departing from cities that are small is still a source of frustration for Howell.
What’s more, during COVID in the year 2000, airlines stole $55 billion from the government to fund various loans, PPP, and the rest. Once COVID’s gone, they’ll start withdrawing from markets similar to mine. They’re literally absconding the rural areas of America.
BEARNE: In one area at the terminal, there is a direct economic impact of this decision is already affecting the airport.
JULIE JOHNSTON McMANUS The whole town has lost its pedestrian traffic.
BEARNNE Julie Johnston McManus owns World Travel International, a travel agency located in the terminal.
McManus: It’s extremely sad to realize that we are unable to help those who need immediate assistance to get away from here, or, as our clients who are older, needing to pay for a driver to transport them to other airports since they’re no longer able to take those trips.
BEARNNE: One of the clients are Christina Ertel, who drops in to pay for a trip through the British Isles, but she isn’t able to travel from here.
CHRISTINA ERTEL: In the past,, when we travel, we’d most likely take a flight from Williamsport. Now we’re flying out of Newark. We’ll need to create plans to store a car or find transport to Newark.
BEARNE: That’s three hours of drive. The idea of a trip this way is more likely according to the analyst in charge of industry Swelbar.
SWELBAR: The road is now – and will be the first entry point into the grid of air transportation, moving forward. Not all communities can agree with the trend towards larger airplanes.
BEARNE: He believes other American cities could experience the same fate in particular, those located east of the Mississippi.
SWELBAR The west is where the distances are longer and the terrain is more challenging. There is a need for people to fly. If you look to the East there are plenty of airports within this particular area and the highway system is fantastic. This is why you will see many more Williamsports.
(SOUNDBITE of HORN HONKING)
BEARNE: In Williamsport The downtown area feels like an area that is that is making a comeback after tough times. However, the president of the chamber of commerce in Williamsport, Jason Fink, says that the absence of airlines hinders the city’s progress despite the fact that it is the home of the world’s most well-known youth baseball championship.
Jason Finn Jason Fink: In the Little League World Series, we invite site consultants. They typically introduce companies to different communities. We all attempt to convince the projects they want to develop here. The year before was the first year we conducted it post-COVID and also, it was the first time we did it without air service. The number. number one flaw that was mentioned was inability to quickly reach the location.
BEARNE: In an airport Richard Howell is still convinced that things will change in the event that he receives assistance from Congress. He would like Williamsport to be able to rejoin the program known as Essential Air Service, or EAS. The program provides grants to airlines who fly to places where it’s difficult to make money. Williamsport has been excluded since Congress altered the guidelines in 2012 stating that airports that did not use EAS funds prior to the year weren’t eligible anymore. At the time, Williamsport didn’t need the funds. Today, it does.
HOWELL: There are some companies out there who’s do nothing but EAS because it’s subsidised. They’re not at risk. If I can return to this program after five to six years, or something similar to that, until we’ve gotten beyond this pilot issue Just let me on the road and eventually, we’ll be back to in the past, where there’s no subsidy whatsoever. Markets sustain themselves.
BEARNE: And Howell’s advice to smaller cities to ensure they are also financed.
HOWELL: Today is Williamsport. We lost our air service. There are many communities in the region who have lost their air service. The airplanes are getting larger and bigger. If you’re out there with the 75-seat planes and other similar things and you’re the next. If there aren’t any elements in place, which we ask our elected representatives to place there in our behalf, you’re going to be the next one to be on our list.
BEARNE: At the airfield, an unassuming green tractor mowing the grass, but later there’s a plane moving towards the runway. It’s a tiny, blue and white private aircraft that you could use to study the art of flying. This pilot appears to be doing, training to land…
(SOUNDBITE of LANDING GEAR ATTACKING RUNWAY)
BEARNE …And going off to the next destination.
(SOUNDBITE of AIRPLANE ENGINE)
BEARNE There is plenty of time to practice with the runway to you.
Adam Bearne, NPR News in Williamsport, Pa.
(SOUNDBITE of ADIE SONG DERRICK “COME FLY With Me”) Transcript supplied by NPR Copyright NPR.
