Could Wichita get direct flights to D.C?

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Cautiously optimistic. That’s the line on getting direct flights from Dwight D. Eisenhower to the Washington, D.C. market.

“We are cautiously optimistic,” says Director of Airports for Wichita, Jesse Romo.

Romo says just this week, Wichita sent off its application for a federal grant to help land a new to Wichita carrier.

“So our application is going to be for service to an east coast airport,” said Romo. “With an emphasis on DCA, Washington National Airport, Reagan National.”

Far from a done deal, Romo explains the U.S. Department of Transportation has $15 million total up for grabs this year in the way of Small Community Air Service Development.

Wichita is asking for a million to help guarantee an air carrier’s financial success if they come to Wichita to offer direct flights to the east coast, with an emphasis on the D.C. market.

Flyers at Eisenhower on Tuesday said they love the thought of having more direct flights, east coast D.C. area or otherwise.

“She’s flying out of Richmond, Virginia,” said John Melvin of Salina. Melvin was waiting on Nancy McAuliffe. “She had to go to Atlanta before she got here.”

McAuliffe said layovers can be a stress if they are too long or too short.

“We got the best flight that we could get, which I left at one, so I had a short layover in Atlanta,” said McAuliffe. “But most of them were eight, nine, ten hours. So that’s how important it would be. You wouldn’t spend your whole day flying.”

Romo says Wichita stands a good chance of getting the grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). He says it’s a competitive grant process. Last year 44 airports applied, and 25 awards were given.

Romo also says local support has been strong in going after the USDOT grant.

“Developing air service is a long-term effort. It’s a lot of relationship building, a lot of data building.,” said Romo. “And so you’re constantly telling your story of what your community needs and why you believe you can sustain it.”

Romo says it likely will be October when the grant process is announced.

“Cautiously optimistic,” maintains Romo.