PI airport seeks input in survey
PRESQUE ISLE — Northern Maine Regional Airport leadership and staff have launched a major initiative to better position it as the airport of choice for travelers from across the region.
Contributed photo/Northern Maine Regional Airport
An aerial view of the Northern Maine Regional Airport and vicinity. Airport personnel are conducting a survey to gain public input about future projects.
The project kicked off with a series of focus groups with individuals and chamber members from communities across Aroostook County and throughout northwest New Brunswick. These small group meetings allowed airport leadership to gain insight into how well the airport’s current message and service resonates with the community.
Scott Wardwell, NMRA director, said the focus groups were an ideal way to have in-depth conversations with community members and get a better understanding of how familiar people may or may not be with the airport.
“Over the course of two days, we held six different focus groups in six different communities from across the region,” Wardwell said. “We had very candid conversations about what people think about the airport, and it was a great starting point for internal discussions on what we need to do raise awareness levels about the airport and our service.”
As a followup to the focus groups, the airport has opened an online survey to let a broader range of people from the community offer their feedback.The survey, available in English and French, opened Aug. 1 and will remain open until Sept. 30. At the close of the survey, one participant will be randomly selected to receive a round-trip ticket to Boston on PenAir.
Once the survey closes, feedback will be compiled into a report that will accompany a summary of the focus group findings. This information will be used to inform the next phase of the airport’s repositioning initiative.
The project has been developed by Sixel Consulting Group, an international, aviation-focused firm.
“This is definitely not going to be an overnight project,” said Wardwell. “We’ll be working on this for at least the next year. The important thing is that we get it right.”
The English version of the survey can be accessed online at http://goo.gl/unzwnf. The French version can be accessed online at http://goo.gl/DJXQGS.
