Gary airport ponders international carrier

BY LOUISA MURZYN, Times of Northwest Indiana Correspondent

GARY | International airline service could be in the Gary/Chicago International Airport's future, director Chris Curry told the Airport Authority board of directors on Thursday.

 "I feel like if we have this type of demand coming from an international market, and we need to prepare ourselves adequately to accommodate it," Curry said.

Curry met with an unnamed international carrier who was "very interested" in starting service possibly out of Monterey, Mexico, as well as two domestic carriers looking to provide international service at Gary.

The only limitation is the local airport currently has no customs or immigration function. Curry plans to contact Chicago authorities to see if they can provide a temporary customs function. He also proposed the idea of an on-site customs facility.

Curry said the discussions took place in Cancun, Mexico, while he was attending a Routes Regional America Conference for North, South and Latin Americas. No formal proposals were brought before the board for consideration.

With Skybus Airlines set to launch March 13, the airport is in the process of making enhancements and has just received the airline's kiosk, which will be placed in the terminal.

 Officials are still reviewing proposals that include fee-based bus shuttle service from the airport to the South Shore Clark Street stop one mile away in Gary and from the airport to up to three undetermined locations in Chicago, Curry said.

 Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District general manager Gerry Hanas said there was a possibility of a federal grant.

 Hanas encouraged airport officials to consider the East Chicago rail stop on Indianapolis Boulevard as an interim option since it has amenities such as heat and restrooms and is about only 15 minutes away. After the meeting, Curry said he was not receptive to the idea.

 The airport two years ago secured $1.7 million in federal funding for improving the Clark Street stop but the airport must match it with $425,000. It has only a small shelter for those waiting for trains.

 "In order to make that a viable stop, we'd need significantly more money than that," Curry said.

Hanas said if and when the time came, NICTD would enter a joint funding request with the airport to make further improvements at the Clark station, perhaps similar to the Hammond rail stop.

 "We'd want to make sure it'd be used as an airport stop and not just another commuter stop," Hanas said.