Air service reception open to public

MOSES LAKE — Grant County’s recent restart of commercial air service will be marked by a second public event from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Grant County International Airport.

The “red carpet air service reception” includes a free barbecue lunch for the public, a ribbon-cutting and speeches, said Debbie Doran-Martinez, the executive director of the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce.

A list of speakers was being confirmed Monday and was expected to include local and state officials and representatives from United Express and SkyWest airlines.

Before the barbecue, a local dignitary flight from Seattle will land at the Grant County International Airport.

The group of dignitaries will leave from Moses Lake for their Seattle flight early Wednesday.

The dignitary flight will include Ed Smith, of Moses Lake, who won his seat on the flight in a recent drawing, a chamber representative, elected officials, SkyWest Airline officials and members of the media.

“The intent of the flight is getting people who are kind of a mouthpiece in the community familiar with the flight,” said Doran-Martinez.

The group will be taken on a VIP tour of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac) and attend a brunch.

Columbia Basin Herald Publisher Harlan Beagley contacted the Belo Media Group about the flight, she said.

It’s hoped TV stations will be at the Seattle airport when the dignitary flight arrives as their presence will help market the service in the Interstate 5 corridor, she said.

The dignitary flight will potentially be riding on the same airplane as travelers who previously bought tickets to fly to Seattle, Doran-Martinez explained.

As of last week, five people bought airline tickets for that flight, she said.