Gary airport passenger volume hallway to $1M award

GARY, Ind. — Gary-Chicago International Airport is halfway toward earning a $1 million award from the Federal Aviation Authority for passenger air service.

Interim airport Director Steve Landry said Tuesday a forecast shows Allegiant Air has sold or booked about 5,000 seats since it began nonstop passenger flights two days a week, Thursdays and Sundays, to Orlando Sanford International Airport in Florida in mid-February.

The Post-Tribune reports that if 10,000 or more passengers fly from Gary, the airport would receive the $1 million.

Landry told a Regional Development Authority meeting that the money would go into airport improvements.

Allegiant specializes in flights from underserved markets to vacation destinations. It offers bundled packages that include hotels, rental cars and attraction tickets.

It’s the first passenger service from Gary in three years.