Originally posted to the WYMT-TV web site on September 19, 2014 http://www.wkyt.com/wymt/home/headlines/Appalachian-Air-sets-date-for-takeoff-275658861.html
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Pikeville, Ky. (WYMT))– Appalachian Air has set a date for its first flight to Nashville.
That first daily flight is set to depart Pikeville on October 27 at about 6:30 in the morning.
“The real benefit, I believe, that the service is going to provide is it’s going to link Pikeville and Pike County to the global air system via the Nashville airport,” said Luke Schmidt, a consultant who has worked on getting commercial flights in Pikeville.
He believes this will be a viable operation because research indicated a number of travelers in Eastern Kentucky who went to other airports farther away than Pikeville for air service.
“We know the market exists because we did a very extensive market profile,” said Schmidt.
Tammy Riley, who serves as campus director for National College in Pikeville believes the service will make for more efficient operations for her school.
“Being attached to a multi-campus university, we find that there are individuals at regional and national level that need to travel to all of those campuses, one being my campus in Pikeville,” said Riley.