Tac Air line supervisor Josh Lee, left, and Tac Air linemen Brian Schussler, right, refuel a private Citation Jet (CJ1) at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport. Tac Air and airport officials disagree over the need for the new general aviation facilities.Chattanooga Airport officials on Friday defended to City Council members the building of a controversial general aviation center, though the panel’s chairman sought more answers.
Airport chief Terry Hart said the new facilities for corporate and small aircraft, estimated to cost about $10 million when totally built out, were needed. He said there had been complaints about high fuel costs and a lack of service by TAC Air, which had been the only fixed-base operator at Lovell Field.
“There was lots of feedback received by the airport and elected officials about a lack of competitive environment in those services,” said Hart in a briefing about airport operations to the Council.
Airport Authority Chairman Dan Jacobson said efforts were made to try to get TAC Air to address those concerns more than three years ago before the new facilities were announced.
“There were conversations with the incumbent, but they didn’t go anywhere,” he told a half dozen Council members at the airport meeting.