b'60 LAF AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT Commercial Service Returnsto Purdue University Airport BY MICHELLE GARDNERThey say it takes a village to raiseout of the university airport can connect to a child. Apparently, the same240 other destinations.can be said about air serviceThe last carrier to serve LAF was development. After a 20-year hiatus,Corporate Airlines, doing business as reestablishing scheduled commercial flightsAmericanConnection, a regional partner at Purdue University Airport (LAF) in Westwith American Airlines. It pulled out of the Lafayette, IN, took the active involvement ofmarket in 2004. local, state and federal representatives; the local chamber of commerce and multipleAirport Director and business associations; an air servicePurdue alum Adam development consultant; Purdue UniversityBaxmeyer notes that administration; three Purdue alumni andthere isnt a simple one proud Purdue grad dad.explanation for LAFs long stretch without Thanks to its extensive village, LAFcommercial service. FACTS&FIGURESnow has flights seven days a week to/Theres not oneADAM BAXMEYERProject: Air Service Development from Chicago OHare International (ORD)reason, he remarks. Location: Purdue University Airport, in West Lafayette, IN via Southern Airways Express, a Surf AirAirline consolidation, wildly fluctuating fuel Mobility company. Service began this Maycosts, a shortage of aviation professionals, Consultant: Crawford, Murphy & Tilly with 24 round-trip flights per week, each Airline: Southern Airways Express, a Surf Air Mobilitythe pandemicall had negative impacts with capacity for nine passengers. Andon air service development efforts.company airline officials hint that more flights may be Initial Service: 24 round-trip flights/week to Chicagoin store. Establishing links to Southerns OHare; 7 days/week Why and Howinterline partners such as American andWanting commercial service back was Fleet: Cessna Caravans C208Bs (9 seats/aircraft) United was a key driver in establishing the Noteworthy Detail: 20 years had passed since airportinitial frequency. Now, passengers flyingone thing; attracting a carrier and sealing had commercial air service the deal was quite another. Airlines September 2024AirportImprovement.com'