New airline, non-stop destination coming to Dayton International Airport

A new airline and non-stop destination is coming to the Dayton International Airport, according to a spokesperson for the Dayton Airport.

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The city, airport and airline will make the announcement Thursday, the spokesperson said in a media release issued Tuesday. The airline and new destination were not identified ahead of the announcement Thursday.

The Rally for Air Service coalition said 75 percent of airports in the country have less service now than before the pandemic, Newscenter 7′s Molly Koweek reported last week.

Jay Ratliff, an area aviation analyst of 32 years, explained that early on in the pandemic, airlines offered retirement incentives and have not been able to backfill those positions despite the recent increase in demand.

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“It’s really a double-whammy when you look at the regional airports, because they’re seeing a reduction in service,” Ratliff said. “You have airlines that want to fly in there many times, but can’t because they have to cancel flights because of the pilot shortage.”

This coalition was created to, “communicate the harms of a growing pilot shortage and to urge solutions,” according to the Rally for Air Service website.

A strong airport can boost the strength of a community’s economy, which is why the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce is invested in adding more flights to the Dayton airport.

“Businesses locate and operate in your area, and our area, because they want access to other markets,” chamber president and CEO, Chris Kershner, told Koweek. “And so the more we can increase the viability of the Dayton International Airport, the more attractive we’re going to be to business growth in this area.”

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This is a developing story, we will update this page when we learn more.

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