Remember earlier this month when Allegiant Air pulled out of Piedmont Triad International Airport, only to change its mind after Skybus went under? Note Allegiant planning VP Robert Ashcroft’s comments at the time:
“The presence of Skybus was a destabilizing factor for us at Piedmont Triad and a significant factor behind our original decision to withdraw……We preferred to stay clear of a company acting in ways we did not understand. … With Skybus no longer a factor, we are delighted to re-commit to the Triad.”
I read that as a polite way of saying Skybus was getting incentives and Allegiant wasn’t, hence their decision to pull out of PTIA.
Now TIMCO is claiming that Honda Aircraft is luring its engineers down the tarmac, no doubt with the help of $6.68 million in state incentives. TIMCO Aviation Services CEO John Cawthron says he’s contemplating taking Honda Aircraft to court, but the bigger threat is he’s thinking about is taking any future expansions elsewhere.
I’d like to think a basic point is being driven home here. When you give incentives to one company but not another, funny how the company that misses out (so to speak) gets a little peeved. Maybe state and local officials are picking up on this point. Then again, maybe not.
