City Manager Convinced Yakima Can Attrack More Air Carriers to the Yakima Airport

Yakima City Manager Tony O'Rourke is optimistic Yakima will be able to attrack more air carriers to the Yakima Airport. Even though many airlines have come and gone in Yakima, O'Rourke believes that airlines still are interested in the area because only 25 percent of the Yakima population use the airport. O'Rourke says he's looking at attracting specific routes to Yakima, "We'd like to get flights at a minimum to Salt Lake, which is a Delta hub, to San Francisco, which is a United hub, and we'd also like to get a flight going eastbound like Spokane, or Boise." This week the city took a step toward taking over the airport. For decades the city has shared control of the airport with Yakima County, but this week the city, by a 6 to 1 voted decided to take full control. O'Rourke says the move is a risk, but he believes it's a risk worth taking for the success of the airport.