Charleston, SC - Boeing brightens Charleston's skies. With the aircraft manufacturing giant landing in the lowcountry, more passenger airlines could follow.

Before Boeing's big announcement the Charleston International Airport was dealing with some departures.

Airtran decided to leave Charleston and Delta is killing one of its routes. While airport officials deal with these losses, there’s light at the end of the runway. Boeing may help reel in big business by attracting more passenger airlines.

“It creates a buzz in the airline industry and the airlines start talking about us and instead of looking for reasons not to come to Charleston, they start looking for reasons to come,” Charleston County Aviation Authority Chairman David Jennings said.

Jennings has been working to lure in another passenger airline. Last week the board passed incentives including $150,000 in start up costs. He hopes those incentives along with the recent announcement of Carnival Cruise lines porting in Charleston, will hook the interested airlines.

“Every airline in whom we have had conversation heard from us late yesterday and this morning, did you see what Boeing said? You remember 2, 3 weeks ago we called you about Carnival, now we have Boeing coming. You don’t want to miss this,” Jennings said.

Bottom line for the consumer and air traveler, more airlines mean more competition and cheaper prices. The ripple effect goes on and on, leading to more tourism and more dollars for the state.

Lowcountry leaders keep hoping Boeing buys South Carolina a ticket out of this economic downturn.

As far as accommodating more airlines, Jennings says room is not an issue. Also, Jennings says they expect thousands of more ticket sales as people involved in the Boeing transition travel in and out of Charleston.

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