The Coles County Memorial Airport is still looking into possibilities to build revenue for the airport after it loses its commercial airline services this month.

One area that airport officials are looking into is expanding its services for its freight service, said Jerry Carter, airport manager .

“Certainly freight service is a possibility,” Carter said.

Currently, the airport does not have any new services in place for the future, but it has been investigating the possibilities of freight service in recent months.

Since the airport only received notice last month that it will be losing Great Lakes Aviation for its commercial airline service in the middle of this month, airline officials have not had much time to plan for the future, he said.

The prospect of the airport getting another carrier airline to do commercial service for the airport is unlikely, Carter said.

“The Department of Transportation in Washington (D.C.) does not think it is feasible,” Carter said.

Coles County Memorial Airport lost Great Lakes Aviation as its carrier because it did not have a high enough ridership to prompt subsidies from the Department of Transportation, Carter said.

The Department of Transportation is only allowed to subsidize airports up to $200 per passenger, but the Coles County Memorial Airport was exceeding that number, Carter said.

The airport often experiences low ridership because of its close proximity to other major airports, Carter said. Willard Airport in Champaign is close by and is able to offer more competitive rates, so it is difficult for a smaller airport to compete.

“It is an easy drive and a really flexible schedule,” Carter said.

Losing Great Lakes will effect less than $12,000 a year in revenue for the airport, and it is not in any danger of having to close, Carter said.