A squabble that broke out between the Connecticut Airport Authority and Tweed Airport in New Haven in October generated some brief fireworks at the CAA’s November board meeting.
Last month, CAA Executive Director Kevin Dillon told Tweed Airport in a letter that it would take action if Tweed did not get its airport license renewed by CAA.
That generated pushback from Tweed, which claims it then complied as a courtesy.
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A month later at the CAA’s regular board meeting, board member and CT Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner Laoise King gave Dillon some pointed questions about how his initial letter to Tweed was delivered.
Laoise King: “Could you tell us a little bit more about that situation and also give some assurance that in the future you’ll at least give the board a heads up if you’re going to be sending out a rather controversial letter?”
Kevin Dillon: “I do think the board was fully advised of the issue. If the board wants me to let them know every time I take action that I’m required to take under the law, I guess the board can direct me to do that. But right now, I don’t feel the necessity to do that.”
Laoise King: “I’ll acknowledge I haven’t been on the board for that long. But I’ll just say it was uncomfortable as a board member to get questions about it, and to not have known that it went out or what the appropriate response was.”
A fellow board member agreed with King that notice should be given. No action was taken, though, to put that directive in place.
At previous CAA meetings this year, Dillon had mentioned how the introduction of a new airline at Tweed had made a dent in Bradley Airport’s passenger traffic.
Earlier in the meeting, Dillon was honored for almost 50 years of service to the aviation industry by the American Association of Airport Executives.
