You’ve probably heard the old story about the gentleman who stops to ask for directions. The fellow thinks for a moment, scratches his head and replies, “Buddy, you can’t get there from here.”

Of course, that’s only perception, not reality, but it reflects the difficulty people sometimes have getting from one place to another.

And that includes air travel. For years, people in southern West Virginia have driven to Charleston, or farther, to places like Charlotte, to catch a flight because their local options were limited. That has meant having to pay for fuel and long-term parking in addition to their airline ticket, not to mention the notorious long lines.

That’s no longer the case. Now, you can get anywhere from Raleigh County Memorial Airport.

Locair, a growing taxi airline based in Florida, announced last week it will offer flights between Beckley and Atlanta beginning Dec. 3. Southern West Virginia travelers will be able to use Raleigh County Memorial Airport to access destinations or connecting flights at Atlanta, Baltimore-Washington International (Locair) and Washington Dulles (Colgan).

The Atlanta announcement is a major breakthrough. It not only opens up the South for local travelers, it also provides a direct link to one of the major airline hubs in the country.

“The southern route is something we’ve tried to get for many years,” airport Manager Tom Cochran said, adding that local travelers previously had to connect at a northern airport to fly south. “We think Atlanta is a good hub and a major entry into the South.”

Cochran says the new southern route will not be the last addition to the airport’s list of services. He says a survey will be conducted before the end of the year to determine where area residents are most interested in traveling.

That’s more good news.

Raleigh County Memorial Airport is a major part of the economic landscape in southern West Virginia. It continues to offer growing industrial park space. And now, the facility is becoming an important player in commercial airline service.

And on the latter point, it needs your support. The airport is putting the necessary flight service in place. It’s up to the traveling public in southern West Virginia to take advantage of it.

“We want this airport to be a service to the community and we want to try to go to the most favorable and convenient places,” Cochran said. “We have a beautiful airport here in southern West Virginia and it can be a service not only to Raleigh County, but to surrounding counties as well.”

Yes, you CAN get there from here.