WESLACO—Only four airplanes have landed at the Mid-Valley Airport from Mexican soil since the location became able to accept international flights more than five months ago.
City leaders are struggling to determine what to do with the neglected airport, which they describe as full of potential, but a drain on city coffers and in need of a decision on whether to bring in independent operators.
“We have a wonderful airport,” said Hernan Gonzalez, director of Weslaco’s Economic Development Corporation. But “when we had the opportunity to land international flights here, we learned very quickly that elements were missing.”
The municipal airport has always operated at a loss. It cost the city $227,900 during fiscal year 2011.
“If it was a business, you’d be going broke,” City Manager Leo Olivares said.
“It is a business and you are going broke—let’s be clear,” replied Abraham Tanus, a businessman, plane owner and airport board member.
City leaders have traditionally operated on the belief that whatever the airport costs the city, it makes up for in bringing business opportunities to the city. But now they’re questioning how to make up the shortfall.
“What is it we need to do to make this airport more profitable to reach a break-even point?” Commissioner John Cuellar asked.
One improvement could be to bring in fixed-base operators, or FBOs—businesses that would be able to operate at the airport providing services that could include fueling, maintenance, hangar-rentals and transportation.
“What does an FBO do?” Gonzalez said. “Well, in car analogy,, it’s a full service gas station. You get your window washed, you go in there, they have clean bathrooms and they sell you fuel.”
The city serves as the airport’s FBO, but is lean in the services it provides. Airport hours are limited, as are the amenities available. There are no hangars available to rent, and pilots must generally pump their own fuel.
Last summer, city officials received a proposal from Rajet, an FBO based in Saltillo, Coah., to move into the Mid-Valley. Gonzalez traveled to Saltillo to meet with representatives from the company, but the city failed to determine whether they wanted to work with Rajet quickly enough to do so.
“Because we took too long, since June we couldn’t get that act together, that opportunity is off the table,” Gonzalez said.
Now, city leaders are evaluating whether they want to seek out other FBOs or whether it’s better to have the city manage services.
Mayor Miguel Wise suggested the option of moving the airport to the control of the development corporation, which Gonzalez said would ensure that it was prioritized.
Flyers, pilots and businessmen attended a meeting Thursday to express opinions and float ideas about the facility. Many were distressed about details of the Rajet proposition, which leaked from the development corporation’s control into public dissemination.
Discussion was able to quell several misconceptions during the meeting, but the message came through loud and clear that the airport is not working as is. Plane owners complained that hours are limited, services are limited and things like bathrooms are often unavailable.
“People who fly privately want convenience,” one pilot said. “We need to show we’re open for business.”
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