Dubuque tries to keep Northwest flying in

Officials from Dubuque met with a representative of Northwest Airlines Thursday to try and keep the company from dropping its air service to the Dubuque Regional Airport. Airport manager Andrew Perry says they made their pitch, but there weren’t any decisions made. Perry says the representative was really noncommittal, but he thinks he was impressed with what Dubuque is doing. Perry says they talked a lot about the “Fly Dubuque” program, the city’s effort to get people to use the Dubuque airport. Perry says in the fourth quarter of 2002 and in January of this year, they’ve had a nine percent increase in passengers flying out of Dubuque. He says they pushed the fact they have momentum and want to keep it going. Perry says they’re just looking for the opportunity to work with Northwest to keep the air service. Perry says hopes Dubuque at least gets a chance to explore some options, as he says it’s a very tough time for communities of Dubuque’s size to maintain air service. He says maybe Dubuque can be the “little city that beat it.” Northwest is expected to make on decision on the air service next week.