Passenger jet service at Manassas airport wins unanimous approval; Destinations unknown

The Manassas City Council unanimously approved a franchise agreement with Avports, LLC, to bring commercial passenger jet service to the city’s regional airport. 

“We have to be ready for growth, for the businesses that want to locate here, and for the businesses that are already here,” said Mayor Michelle Davis Younger.

Avports Manassas, LLC, owned by Goldman Sachs, will spend between $75 million to $125 million to triple the size of the current airport terminal at 10600 Harry J. Parrish Boulevard. During the first year, the expansion would clear the way for as many as three passenger flights a day from Manassas, serving nearby cities. Eventually, as many as 30 daily flights could come in and out of Manassas, providing a new gateway to the Washington, D.C. region.

In a multi-phased approach, Avports expects 3,650 flights during the first year, 8,760 in the second, and 11,680 in the third. Manassas Regional Airport is currently Virginia’s busiest general aviation airport, with 110,000 small plane and helicopter flights taking off and landing at the airport each year.

A PowerPoint presentation describing the proposed service showed several Boeing 737-800 aircraft on the Manassas airport tarmac, which holds about 200 passengers each. It remains unclear what size or type of aircraft could be used at the airport and where they will fly.

With approval in hand, the airport will begin working to gain permission from the FAA for passenger flights, which could take 18 months. After the first year of operation, should Avports wish to expand its operation, several noise, traffic, and environmental studies will be required.

Manassas and Prince William County residents spoke out again tonight, Monday, July 24, 2023, on a plan to bring as many as 30 commercial flights a day to the Manassas Regional Airport.

During an hour-long public hearing tonight, Monday, July 24, 2023, 

several and past members of the city’s airport commission, a 10-member body governing the city’s municipal airport operations, spoke in favor. “I was on the commission for the groundbreaking for the airport’s terminal in 1994. What you’re seeing today is the fruition of what we’ve been planning for over the past 25 years,” said “Dan Radtke, Manassas, a former airport commissioner for 26 years. “The terminal was going to support flights for [Disney’s America] theme park that was going to be on Route 15 [in Haymarket].

Disney never built the park. Crews eventually boarded up a baggage claim area built at the terminal. 

“Since 1992, we have worked to get to this point, to get this type of commercial travel. Avports [the company behind the proposal to add commercial flights at the airport ] is a very good company. Our [airport] commission went down a checklist and gave them a very high score.” They have everything in place to be successful. The airport is a successful, well-run machine. I totally support this,” said City Councilwoman Theresa Coates Ellis, who was an airport commissioner before elected to city council in 2018. 

However, those opposed to the plan said noise, traffic, and pollution are their primary concerns. 

Lyle Seranac lives in Prince William County, near the city’s airport. “It would be useful to have an initial noise assessment. I can’t image how 30 more flights a day will sound like if it comes to that.” said Saranac. “It sounds like the train is leaving the station, so that may not be possible.”

Residents are frustrated with a chicken or egg scenario, with officials telling them the city council must approve a franchise agreement with Avports before any of the studies required by the FAA will begin. Company officials said it plans to add four flights a day if approved in an initial project phase and about 25 flights a day in a second project phase.

Company leaders say they are “in talks” with several airlines that may provide service to the airport if the council approves an agreement. However, they’re unable to name them.

Avports submitted an unsolicited bid to Airport Director Juan Rivera to provide passenger jet service. This past spring, the city requested proposals for three weeks in May and received one response from Avports.

“A single bidder is a horrible approach to contracting,” said Dale Brown, Great Oak neighborhood HOA president. “If Avports goes under, you will have costs.”

“If we go belly up, the city will get a 100 million dollar building for nothing at all. You turn around and lease that out,” an Avports company official responded. 

Airport Director Rivera said the airport would contract with a fire and rescue services provider for public safety at the airport, saving taxpayers on hiring more fire and rescue crews. City Manager Patrick Pate said the city’s fire and rescue department would continue responding to routine airport calls. 

Rivera said emergency crews must hold drills and demonstrate to the FAA that they can respond to a plane crash every three years. 

“There is a very distinctive process that you have to go through, like a chain of command,” said Vice Mayor Pamela Sebesky. “This process has been explained to us three or four times over the last six weeks. This is not something that we’re not rushing into.”