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'Gary/Chicago International Airport' is a public airport located three miles (5 km) northwest of the central business district of Gary, a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The airport, which serves Chicagoland and northern Indiana, is 25 miles (40 km) southeast of the Chicago Loop. It is operated by the Gary Chicago Airport Authority, the basis for which was formed by the Chicago Gary Airport Compact signed in 1995. Gary/Chicago International Airport was a hub for seasonal carrier,SkyValue Airlines, from December 2006 - April 2007. Nearby highway connections include I-90, I-80, I-94, I-65 and the Chicago Skyway.
A long-standing proposal to turn the Gary Chicago International Airport into Chicago's third major airport received a boost in early 2006 with the approval of $48 million in federal funding over the next ten years.^[1]
Expansion plans include a new multi-level Intermodal Terminal combining three modes of transit – passenger rail, passenger vehicles, and air travel. The rail system is designed to combine both commuter and high-speed lines.^[2]

Contents

History

Airlines and destinations

Activity

References

External links

History

Gary/Chicago is operating as the "third airport" for the Chicago area, supplementing Chicago's overcrowded major airports, O'Hare and Midway. Gary/Chicago Airport has been designed with an eye towards growth, and the administration is courting the airlines aggressively. Numerous businesses, including Boeing, Menards and White Lodging Services, base their corporate aircraft here. A National Guard installation is also under construction.
Federal funds were secured in January 2006 to move railroad tracks away from the northwest corner to allow extension of the main runway to 9,000 feet, as well as add gates to the existing passenger terminal building. The recent creation of the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority is expected to draw more state and local dollars for infrastructure improvements and additions.
Expanding Gary/Chicago Airport is considered an alternative to expanding O'Hare and/or constructing a new airport north east of Peotone, Illinois, 30 miles south of Chicago. Advantages of expanding the Gary airport include its proximity to downtown Chicago and its expandability. This plan is backed by the mayors of Gary and Chicago, while the Illinois state government is in favor of construction at Peotone. Tax revenues from a new airport at Peotone would go to the Illinois state government, while those from an expanded Gary airport would go to a regional airport authority, and thus to the cities of Chicago and Gary.
In the past, Gary/Chicago International Airport has been served by PanAm, Southeast Airlines and Hooters Air, with flights to locations such as Hartford, Connecticut, St. Petersburg, Florida, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Prior to its bankruptcy problems in 2004, ATA Airlines had planned turboprop service to several Indiana cities. This service was to be operated by its subsidiary, Chicago Express/ATA Connection, but the proposed service was never started as Chicago Express was grounded in March, 2005. Currently, Gary/Chicago International is serviced by only one airline, SkyValue. Before ultimately choosing to serve Chicago O'Hare International Airport in 2006, JetBlue Airways considered adding service to Gary/Chicago International Airport. However, the airport is still seeking JetBlue flights since O'Hare has only granted them four daily departures to New York-JFK, instead of the requested eight. JetBlue Airways is currently not expanding its route system due to financial problems, but says it may include Gary/Chicago Airport to its route system in future time.
On January 4, 2007, SkyValue announced that their service from Gary was such a success that their schedule will become year-round; as opposed to their previous announcement of ending service in April 2007. Also, the same announcement indicated that additional routes are to be expected soon, most notably a new route to Los Angeles, California.
On April 27, 2007, SkyValue announced they would be ending service to all destinations on May 6, 2007, citing poor public demand. ^[3] In the same announcement, however, the airline stated it hopes to resume service next winter. As of May, the plans for adding service to southern California (LA/Ontario International Airport) have ended.
A new start-up airline called MetJet has intentions of adding service from Gary/Chicago to Green Bay Wisconsin, and other popular destinations.^[4]

Airlines and destinations

There are currently no airlines that serve GYY.^[5]
The Airport is trying to get AirTran Airways and Delta Air Lines to operate out of the airport. Delta already serves Midway and O'Hare. AirTran has a focus city at Chicago Midway Airport. It is said that Gary/Chicago would give them each room to expand and add more service since no airline operates out of the airport.

Activity

★ Chicago-based Boeing selected the airport to permanently base its Midwest corporate jet fleet.^[6]

★ For many years airplanes seen in the Chicago Air & Water Show have flown from here, including the military's C5A Galaxy and the Thunderbirds. Since 1999, the Gary Air Show has based their operations here as well.

References

1. Gary Airpport Gets Millions in Federal Funding
2. Gary-Chicago Airport
3. SkyValue ends summer service
4. MetJet wants to land at Gary
5. Gary looks to lure major airlines
6. Boeing Makes Aviation History at Gary/Chicago Airport

External links

★ Gary/Chicago International Airport (official web site)

★ Friends of Gary Airport - Not for profit group promoting GYY as an alternate to O'Hare and Midway

★ Aerial photo from Indiana Department of Transportation

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