WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. -- Airport and county officials want to get the ball rolling with American Airlines to add a new flight destination. The preferred direction is out west.
Included on the Wicomico County Airport Commission meeting agenda for Jan. 12 is a discussion item that highlights "discussions with AA for westbound service."
Now, it was just a few months ago that Breeze Airways came on board, so it's fair to wonder, could more flight destinations really be on the way to Salisbury? Well, the best answer we can give everyone at the moment is... maybe.
What we know
Information is currently limited, but Salisbury Airport Director Tony Rudy provided a few details on Tuesday.
He said the airport is looking into this possibility more seriously than it has in the past and said the move would make sense. He also said airport and county officials have a western airport in mind, but Rudy wasn't willing to spill the beans just yet.
Salisbury Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bill Chambers, on the other hand, does have a running theory.
"The biggest, closest hub in Chicago O'Hare," said Chambers.
While that is by no means confirmed, Chambers said it would be a logical next step for American Airlines.
"Literally, you can get anywhere you want in the world out of Chicago. They fly to the far east, they fly to Europe, they fly south to South America," said Chambers. "So, if that happens, it makes sense that American would choose Chicago."
That possibility alone is enough to stir up some excitement among passengers.
"A lot of people who probably wouldn't want to have to spend a lot of time traveling to BWI or Reagan or Philadelphia, they'd probably want to be able to come somewhere closer and have an easier flight and an easier time," said Stephon Wallace.
That mindset, just outlined by Wallace, is exactly why Chambers believes there is a viable market for expanded flights on Delmarva.
"There's tens of thousands of old retirees, me, to be one of them soon, living in Sussex County that would prefer to fly out of an easy airport like Salisbury, than to drive to Philadelphia or Baltimore. That's just a fact," said Chambers.
Rudy said there is no indication yet of when talks with American Airlines will ramp up. He also emphasized, as did many of the officials WBOC spoke with on Tuesday, that this process is still very much in its preliminary stages.