Tri-Cities Airport leaders call on community for help expanding air service

BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — Tri-Cities Airport (TRI) leaders and partners gave an update on the “state of the airport” Wednesday while fielding questions on efforts to enhance air service at the airport.

“We’re actually doing great,” said Tri-Cities Airport Authority President and CEO Gene Cossey.

But Cossey and his partners said they’re working to make the airport even better.

“We feel that it’s important to make sure the community knows and understands what’s going on and what’s happening and how this is their airport and how they can use it and make it the best airport possible,” Cossey told News Channel 11.

The meeting Wednesday, titled “Elevating TRI”, focused on expanding commercial air service and continued efforts to develop TRI’s Aerospace Park.

Consultant Kirk Lovell—who works with TRI on air service development— told the audience that roughly 55% of passengers who could fly through TRI chose another airport, as airlines have no incentive to lower prices here.

“We’re in a chicken-egg scenarios,” Lovell told News Channel 11. “Like we have high fares, how do we get more air service to lower those fares? Again, you have to kind of go out there and buy the chicken and the egg.”

Lovell says investing in a minimum revenue guarantee would help break the cycle.

“It guarantees that the airline will make “x” amount of money per flight, and those agreements are typically one to two years,” Lovell said.

Airlines are paid to cover any losses they face when adding service during the agreed-upon period, but federal regulations prevent airports from paying airlines directly.

“So the airport needs to rely on the community to come together with the consortium and find the money and then take that money to an airline,” Lovell said.

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