Gary/Chicago International Airport Authority chairman Tom Collins Jr. voiced a sense of urgency for the coming year at the conclusion of Wednesday’s authority meeting.

“I get a lot of questions about what we’re doing,” he said.

He noted federal and state governments have invested “millions” into the airport.

“There’s pressure to bring business here,” he said. “The focus is on shovels in the grounds, planes in the air.”

After the meeting, Collins reiterated his sense of urgency came from the community, not from federal or state authorities.

“You can see that every citizen, every leader — they have an expectation and they want to know what’s next.

“I think we need to be transparent and open that there’s pressure… We need to start driving business here. I feel that pressure on myself as a leader, so I’m taking it on personally at this point.”

At the top of Collins’ wish list is restoring commercial passenger service that’s been missing since 2015 when Allegiant Airlines departed.

There have been suggestions that there’s interest from airlines, but no announcement has been made. Meanwhile, the airport has renovated and updated its passenger terminal in anticipation of passenger service resuming.

Collins said he’d also like to see a 10% expansion of the airport’s two fixed base operators, the Gary Jet Center and B. Coleman Aviation. Both offer charter service and fueling. He said both were nearing capacity.

In other business, the board unanimously approved rate increases for the Gary Jet Center and B. Coleman for 2026.

Executive director Dan Vicari said the increases were adjusted in line with the consumer price index of 2.81%.

Gary Jet Center President Lynn Eplawy didn’t speak at the meeting but pushed back against the fee increases in a Dec. 8 letter to Vicari and the authority board.

She asked the board to reject user rates and charges for 2026 and reconsider the “now-routine” practice of raising fees annually.

She said in recent years, annual rate increases have shifted from occasional, needs-based adjustments to automatic action.

“This shift has occurred without a clear articulation of long-term strategy, measurable return on investment for users, or meaningful consideration of how these increases affect the airport’s competitiveness and economic health,” she said.

In 2025, she said airport users experienced two separate increases. She said the second adjustment occurred when the airport elected to outsource the collection of landing and parking fees.

“Once again, the burden of an internal airport decision was placed squarely on tenants and customers who had no voice in the matter,” Eplawy said.

She said annual fee increases and the outsourcing surcharge has widened the cost gap with surrounding airports “at an alarming rate.”

Finally, the authority welcomed new member Ronald “Red” Stone, a Porter County appointment who replaced Collins after Gov. Mike Braun appointed Collins as its chairman after the resignation of Peter J. Visclosky.

Stone, a Republican, is a District 1 member of the Porter County Council and its vice-president. He also served as a Duneland School Board member for 15 years.

His appointment runs through Aug. 31, 2029.

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/17/collins-spells-out-his-2026-future-for-gary-airport/