WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT -- If you've driven on Interstate 81 recently, you may have noticed a billboard advertisement that appears to be taunting the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport.
The Lehigh Valley International Airport has placed signs in both the northbound and southbound lanes near the exit for our airport in Luzerne County.
That billboard claims the airport in the Lehigh Valley is superior to the airport here for many reasons including new service. Next to that claim is the logo for Allegiant Airlines, an airline that recently cut ties with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport.
"It gets the competitive juices flowing but it also reminds me of all the good things we have to offer," said Carl Beardsly, executive director of the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Airport.
He says the ad does up the ante but he and the employees at the airport are not intimidated. Beardsly says they have plenty of things that the Lehigh Valley Airport can't offer.
"For example, covered parking here, that's not something that Allentown's able to offer and on top of that, not only to they not have covered parking, but they charge more for it"
Customers say the billboards don't make the Lehigh Valley Airport any more appealing.
"It is a competition but that's the free market so you know what? I'm closer to Avoca than I am to Allentown, so here I am," said Ramona Kulp of Benton.
"It's like a competition almost, yeah, so I don't know. I think this airport's ten times better than anything else," said Malina Mack of Hanover Township. "We always fly from this airport. It's fun, it's local, it's here and you get your transfer flight and you have a ball."
For those visiting family here, this is their airport of choice.
"I don't like to rent a car from Newark and drive in the traffic," Katherine Davis said.
And while Allegiant may have left, there are still big name airlines here.
As for plans to replace Allegiant, officials say they're working on it.
"That's something we work on on a daily basis. We're always looking to provide additional services to the community but it needs to be viable," Beardsly said.
The executive director says there are also plans to put food and service after the TSA screening. Currently, there's only food service before screening so customers must throw that away before going through the checkpoint.