From HTS Authority
---PART V---
The Transpark, now called the 'Regional Airport', won't begin construction until next year, leaving several community members wondering what will happen to Huntington Tri-State Airport (HTS).
"I think Tri-State will go out of business," HTS Authority President Richard Thompson, said, concerning what would happen when the Regional Airport is completed. "There are no negative aspects to the Regional Airport itself, but we feel people aren't being told all the facts."
"They're (the public) told fares will be lower and you can just jump on a plane and go anywhere you want, and that's not true," Thompson said.
But does the President of the HTS Authority support the Regional Airport idea?
"If it's justified," Thompson said," and after all the information comes out and it's feasible, then yes."
In Thompson's opinion, there is an upside.
"The upside is that with more frequent flights and jet service, there will be more business in the area," Thompson pointed out. "We are a consuming community. Businesses like FedEx are happy with the traffic coming in now, but not with what's going out."
Howard Mayes, Treasurer of the HTS Authority, doesn't agree with Thompson about the possible HTS closure when the Regional Airport opens.
"There's no reason why it won't continue to operate," Mayes said. "The Regional Airport is a good idea. The state needs a bigger and better airport. If it's possible, and we look forward, we'll need 10,000-foot runways. We need to buy the area and get it done."
Mayes also said it would be good to get other air service at HTS.
"It's always desirable to have more air service. We still need more planes coming into HTS," Mayes said.
Another misconception about the Regional Airport is its former name: "Transpark".
"It's not a 'Transpark' anymore. The word 'Transpark' is just about dead," Thompson said. "Basically, the people that started backing it realized they couldn't justify it. 'Transpark' is basically a connotation for air freight, and that's not what it would be."
Pearl Booth, also on the HTS Authority, has a mixed view on the Regional Airport.
"If the Regional Airport had been built, it would've been the answer at the time," Booth said. "But there are a lot of good and intelligent people, more informed than I am, who feel that the Regional Airport is a good idea."
Through all of this, some questions remain.
If members of the HTS Authority support the Regional Airport, how can HTS hope to survive? And, while there is such a time span before the Regional Airport is completed, what can the community do to help HTS?
"They proposed 2006 to be finished with the Regional Airport, but they won't start anything until 2001. Now they estimate ten years before they begin operations. And now, instead of having two 10,000-foot runways, they only want one 8,700-foot runway," Thompson said. "And we have a really nice facility up here (at HTS). Our traffic is increasing and the airlines are pleased with our operation."
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T. Michael Murdock, Staff Writer