Year Of Adversity Toughens Lions 
Penn State's Seniors Reflect On A Season Of Disappointments And Challenges As
They Prepare For Their Final Game Today.

Above, Wilkes-barre/scranton's Jason Mcdonald,

By MELISSA M. JANOSKI melissaj@leader.net
 Friday, November 17, 2000 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





PITTSTON TWP. - As the passenger count at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
International Airport continued to slide, minority commissioners from Luzerne
and Lackawanna counties denounced airport operations during a tense meeting
Thursday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Airport Director Barry Centini responded that the bi-county airport is
largely helpless because cheaper flights often are available at other
airports. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Asked later if anything could draw more passengers to the airport, Centini
shot back: ``Yeah, more jobs in the area.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The two boards of county commissioners run the airport. Their monthly joint
meeting heated up after they learned passenger departures dropped 7.4 percent
in October, compared to the same month last year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Republican Luzerne County Commissioner Stephen A. Urban said he blames
airport management for not being able to run the airport without annual
contributions of $363,000 from each county. ``I don't think it's the board,''
Urban said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``See where you can cut costs, where you can make money,'' Urban told
Centini. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 As a protest, he will vote ``no'' next month when the Luzerne County
commissioners approve their annual contribution to the airport, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Democratic majorities from both counties stayed silent. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Then, Lackawanna County Republican Commissioner Bob Cordaro took a
different tack, blasting his colleagues and Centini for not doing enough to
market the airport. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``We are watching these enplanements drop, drop, drop,'' Cordaro said. ``We
need to get a marketing plan together. We have to. We can't watch this. It's
death by a thousand cuts.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The board must figure out what niche the airport can fill to stop the
decline, Cordaro said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 An angry Centini said more marketing will do nothing to end the high ticket
prices and limited competition he blames for driving customers away. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The airport can't control ticket prices and hasn't managed to lure more
airlines, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``Do you think that if we spend half a million dollars without the proper
pricing, our enplanements are going to jump through the roof? I'll give you
the answer,'' Centini said. ``No.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Overall, passenger traffic has fallen 6.4 percent this year, compared to
the same period last year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Before the brief meeting ended, Luzerne County Commissioner Tom Makowski
told Cordaro that some of the Democratic commissioners already have talked
about the need for a marketing plan. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Later, Makowski said he would like to hire a consultant to evaluate the
airport but doesn't know where the money could be found. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The airport usually spends $80,000 to $120,000 a year on advertising and
marketing but doesn't have a marketing budget or staff, Centini said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In separate votes next month, the commissioners will vote on a proposed
$3.1 million airport operating budget. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Despite falling traffic, Centini expects the airport - with the county
contributions - to break even or turn a small profit this year because it has
collected more from car rentals, parking and other fees. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The passenger statistics probably will continue to fall further next month.
Continental Express pulled out of the airport on Nov. 1. Last year, 9,845
people left the airport on a Continental flight. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Melissa M. Janoski, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at
831-7331. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Airport Boss Put On Spot Over Losses 
The Wilkes-barre/scranton International Airport's Director Blames High Ticket
Prices For A Recent Decline In Departures.

Airport Boss Put On Spot Over Losses The Wilkes-barre/scranton International Airport's Director Blames High Ticket Prices For A Recent Decline In Departures.