When Hester Hughes travels by air she chooses to fly out of Capital City Airport. But a hike in airfare may have Hughes to question that decision next time.
“I use Lansing because it is more convenient, once I flew out of Detroit, it was more of a problem with the traffic, frustration and a great inconvenience,” the human ecology graduate student said.
“I am hesitant to make travel plans because the increase in airfare.”
Some fares on flights departing from the Lansing airport have rose since American Eagle Airlines stopped serving Lansing in May, Deputy Executive Director Mike Lynn said.
The increase in prices and a lower number of flights have caused airport travelers to decline by 10 percent in 2000 compared to 1999, he said.
“(American Eagle) fares made this market competitive,” Lynn said.
American Eagle was second the second largest carrier out of Lansing before their departure - Northwest is the first.
“We expect that right now they are going to Flint, Grand Rapids and some to Detroit. Those markets offer better fares for discretion travelers,” he said.
The fewer number of travelers put plans for expansion of the airport on hold.
“It may be on hold because of the down turn in traffic or the expansion could be a selling point for potential carriers,” Lynn said.
Business administration graduate student Fred Sy said he looks to airports that offer the highest volume of flights.
“I would first look to Grand Rapids or Flint, then Detroit,” he said. “Grand Rapids and Flint are further away and Detroit is not only further away but more congested.”
Although, Sy said having an airport near MSU is important to students from out of state.
“It is really convenient and helpful to have an airport so near to school and where I live, I hope they keep going, the more flights the better,” Sy said. Sy lived in California before attending MSU.
Communications senior Amy Ortwein uses the Lansing airport because it easy to get to from MSU.
“I can just take a cab or ask a friend to drive me to Capital City Airport,” she said.
There are additional costs to flying out of Detroit Metro Airport said Ortwein, despite the cheaper airfare.
“There is about a $20 to $50 difference (in airfare), but if I leave my car for a weekend (at Metro) I would pay that in parking so it evens out.”
An Air Service task force, which includes Lansing Mayor Bill Hollister and Tom Galyon, president of the Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau, is searching for additional airlines to fly out of Lansing.
“We are looking for direct service to additional hubs like Atlanta, Washington DC and out west,” Galyon said.
Serving MSU students is on the mind of the task force, Galyon said.
“Lower fare carriers are prime examples of what the students are looking for,” he said. “Many of them probably go to Flint to take AirTran.”
AirTran is a low fare carrier that the task force has contacted about serving Lansing. United Airlines has also been contacted, Galyon said.
“Capital City provides connivance, accessibility and hopefully provides the right kind of fare and a good mix of services that a community of a half million deserves.”
