Mediation is scheduled between the Youngstown/Warren Regional Airports and the Aerodynamics, Inc. airline that operates out of the airport.   The dispute concerns the Western Reserve Port Authority, the company that runs the airport and the airline.   The WRPA filed a lawsuit against the airline earlier this year.   Daily flights used to be offered to Chicago for a short time in 2016 before service ended because ticket sales were slow. 

According to the lawsuit, service ran from July 1 through late August of last summer.   The WRPA paid the airline more than $360,000 in a revenue guarantee to ensure Aerodynamics, Inc. would make a profit during the initial startup phase of the travel program.   Now, the port wants that money back because it claims the airline breached its contract. 

Aerodynamics, Inc.   filed a counter lawsuit against the airport in the amount of $294,221, which was the amount the airline billed the airport and never received. 

The court has recommended the parties go to mediation and both agreed. 

According to airport aviation director Dan Dickten, “We will see how it goes.   Sometimes they are done quickly and sometimes they are not”.   Dickten spoke to the media at the recent Aviation Committee meeting. 

Should the parties not be able to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement during mediation, they will have the option of returning to court or seeking other means by which to resolve the matter.   No official mediation date has been set, nor has a professional mediator been chosen to oversee the process.