EKB News

Commercial air service for the Pikeville Pike County Airport has taken another step toward reality. Monday night at the Hampton Inn in Pikeville, Nathan Vallier, general manager of LOCAIR, spoke to an open forum, fielding questions from the public about air service for Pikeville and the surrounding area. The forum was hosted by the Pike County Chamber of Commerce. We talked with Vallier and asked him what criteria was used in selecting Pikeville as a possible site for the service. The financial requirements for localities are a little tricky and would depend on destinations and passenger loads. LOCAIR is also looking at demographics of four other airports in the region--Beckley, Greenbrier, Bowling Green and Paducah.



The forum was unusual in the sense that not one voice was raised in dissent toward the subject. The Pike County Chamber of Commerce will continue to do market research through polling to provide a solid base of customer interest on the idea of commercial air service to the Pikeville area.