Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport asking City Council for subsidy for potential Houston flight

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport is asking the City Council for help to land a new flight.

The airport is asking for a $150,000 subsidy to convince United Airlines to fly weekly from Chattanooga to Houston, Texas.

United Airlines just recently announced a new seasonal flight to Denver, Colorado, but airport officials say they’ve expressed interest in a Houston connection as well.

Airport leaders say the subsidy would help cover early financial losses from the flight, and have a benefit for the Chattanooga economy.

Kristen Behm, the Airport’s Vice President of Operations, said, “Houston is a great market for us. For Volkswagen and people in the automotive industries needing to get down to Mexico to visit the plants for these different parts and things that are made further, cars are manufactured here in Chattanooga.”

There is no word on when the City Council could vote on this request.