Panhandle cities duel over airline

Article printed in the Ocala Star-Banner - August 13, 2001

The Associated Press

FORT WALTON BEACH - Two Panhandle cities are asking businesses and individuals to make cash pledges toward a battle over which will be served by a low-cost airline.

AirTran serves Fort Walton Beach from nearby Eglin Air Force Base, but Pensacola Regional Airport has been trying to lure the airline away by getting potential customers to contribute to a travel bank.

Interests in the Fort Walton Beach area have retaliated with their own travel bank to try to keep AirTran from making the 40-mile move.

Businesses and individuals who put money into a travel bank can later tap those dollars to pay for AirTran tickets.

The Pensacola Area Chamber of Commerce had amassed $1.8 million in nonbonding pledges to its travel bank as of last week but ran a full-page advertisement in Sunday's Pensacola News Journal urging more contributions. The goal is $3.4 million spread over a two-year period.

"The impact of a low-cost airline to a city's economy is significant," the Pensacola chamber's ad states. "Prices drop on all airfares. More people fly. More nonstop flights are added to more destinations. More businesses consider relocation to a community. More tourists can afford to visit. The economy grows."