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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Willard Airport officials are heading to city halls across Champaign County this week, seeking help securing funding for new leisure flight service.
Willard officials are scheduled to appear before the Urbana City Council on Monday night, as well as the Champaign and Rantoul city councils on Tuesday night, according to an agenda posted on each city’s website.
They are looking for cities that will contribute a minimum guaranteed income to attract air service to their airports. Willard offers cheap leisure flights to Las Vegas, Arizona and Florida.
The University of Illinois has already committed $500,000 to MRG and is looking for community organizations to match.
Champaign city officials are recommending that the City Council discuss contributing $75,000 to the amount, according to a memo posted on the website.
The deadline for achieving the goal is April 1st.
Willard currently operates only two flights per day from Savoy to Chicago O’Hare and Dallas/Fort Worth. Both routes are operated by American Airlines.
The airport is also working to secure flight schedules to Washington, D.C., including receiving a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation two years ago. His August 2022 news release from the airport estimated that new flights to Washington, D.C., “could begin” in service in his 2024 year.
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