Located about 30 miles southwest of Washington, the Manassas Regional Airport has long been associated with the quaint features of its namesake community, with a field of two runways and a small terminal used by private carriers and the occasional pilot in training.
But the airport may soon acquire the word “Washington” in its name as it undergoes a $125 million renovation project and prepares to accept commercial passenger service as early as next spring.
That idea has sparked a debate in the community of nearly 44,000 residents, many of whom moved to Manassas — featuring a historic downtown and quiet, tree-lined streets — to get away from the bustle and politics of Washington.
“History is being lost,” said Timothy Plevniak, a 67-year-old mail carrier who has lived in Manassas for more than 30 years. He said he opposes the change because he thinks the name is important for the city’s identity.
“I’m a traditionalist,” he said in a phone interview. “I like the name. I think we should keep the name, or keep Manassas as the center of it.”
The city’s airport commission and the airport’s operator, Avports, which is leading the redevelopment, have recommended that the name be changed to Washington Manassas Airport.
The decision is up to the city council, which is scheduled to vote on the change Monday. If they approve it, the city will then submit the airport’s new name to the Federal Aviation Administration for the official okay.
Some of the council’s six members say adding “Washington” would improve the airport’s chances of success because it would be easier for passengers heading to D.C. to find it online.
“The success of the venture is of paramount importance,” said Vice Mayor Mark Wolfe. He added that Avports told him that the rebranding is “vital” for airlines considering services to the airport. “The reality is no one’s flying to Manassas. They are flying to Washington,” Wolfe said.
Still, he said, there was more feedback about preserving “Manassas” at the beginning of the name. “It’s a part of our community pride, our culture, our heritage. And I understand that totally. But at the end of the day, I think there’s a larger picture that we have to look at,” Wolfe said.
City Council member Theresa Coats Ellis agreed, saying, “No one’s going to search for ‘Manassas Airport.’”
Virginia-based Avports, which operates more than a dozen airports around the country, did not respond to a request for comment.
Tucked near a corner of Prince William County a short drive from hiking trails and a Civil War battlefield site, Manassas has been engulfed by changes in that portion of Northern Virginia.
The city has gained about 11,000 residents since 2000 and is surrounded by recently developed cul-de-sac neighborhoods and an increasing number of businesses and data centers.
The 94-year-old airport at Harry P. Davis Field is currently used primarily by private aviation companies, including corporate jets, and as a training ground for new pilots. The redevelopment project, which will include a new passenger terminal, will significantly boost traffic.
Avport says on its website that several major carriers have expressed interest in flying out of the airport.
At a March 25 council meeting, Rick Levinson, another resident, said he welcomed the change but not at the expense of diminishing what it means to be in Manassas.
“I’m excited to see if we do get traffic in here. I believe we will,” Levinson told council members. But he added that he didn’t think the airport’s success hinged on rebranding. “I think that may be a political motivation,” he said.
Levinson also wondered whether the proposed name could cause legal issues for Manassas, given that Washington Dulles International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport already use “Washington” in their official names. “When the airport takes off, and it will take off, that wouldn’t be the time to see that come back at the city of Manassas,” he warned city officials.
Wolfe responded that the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority was aware of the renaming. “They don’t have a trademark on the name ‘Washington,’” he said.
Ellis said she understood that residents have an emotional attachment to the airport’s name. “The community is very proud of our airport,” she said.
But, she said, the economic benefit that the city stands to gain from a successful commercial airport outweighs the nostalgia of keeping the current name.
“There’s a lot of potential for growth,” she said. “We hope that it will also generate more tourism.”
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