The Essential Air Service program, a state-funded scheme to subsidize aviation in more remote and less developed areas, already brought me to a couple of interesting places in the United States already. In February 2025, it gave me two absolutely cheap tickets for flights between Parkersburg (PKB) and Beckley (BKW), two airports in West Virginia. My first review based on that experience is Parkersburg Airport (PKB). It is typically also named Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport or MOV.






Parkersburg Airport (PKB) – Location & Transport
The airport is located some 12 miles Northeast of Pakersburg in West Virginia, quite in the middle of the city and Marietta North of the Ohio River in Ohio. There is no public transport to the airport. You more or less can only drive there, either by an own car, a rental car or a ride service like Uber. The airport does have a parking lot. There are facilities to pay parking fees. However, these were not in use during my visit, so that parking was free. The closest facilities like a gas station or a grocery store are located in the nearby village of Williamstown (WV).

Parkersburg Airport (PKB) – Connections
As said, Parkersburg Airport (PKB) is connection with Essential Air Service flights. At the time of writing, Contour Airlines is connecting to Charlotte (CLT) with a stop in Beckley (BKW). My flight was served by one of their Embraer 140 planes, which was very comfortable, regarding the flight distance. It is equivalent to my Embraer 135 experience with Contour I already shared. On weekdays, there are two daily connections in each direction.The airline has interline agreements with United, Alaska Airlines and American Airlines, so that you can transfer in Charlotte (CLT) to these airlines. Funnily, there is even a map of the walking routes in Charlotte (CLT) at Parkersburg Airport (PKB).

Arriving at Parkersburg Airport (PKB)
Arriving at Parkersburg (PKB) was rather easy. There is a ramp to exit the plane, which is also suitable for handicapped people. Next to the check-in counter, there is your luggage belt. You always arrive landside, i.e. you have to pass security again if you want to connect.



Departing from Parkersburg Airport (PKB)
The check-in desk is at one wing of the terminal building. Check-in opens two hours in advance, you typically need to ring a bell to call the agent. The check-in was very effective. As in many regional airports, the airside area is opened rather briefly before the flight. This leads to the opportunity to explore the airport, which is actually quite nice and has some minor showcases with pictures and historic information. The waiting area is nice and very fit for purpose. However, there are no work desks or similar facilities and the supply of power outlets is limited.






A special characteristic of the airport is that you get back your checked luggage. Before security screening opens at Parkersburg Airport (PKB), TSA is collecting your checked luggage and screens it through the same facilities. The airport has modern scanners which do not require to take electric devices out of your hand luggage, if you are a TSApre traveler. The airside waiting area is rather small, but absolutely fine regarding the capacity of the Contour flights. There is no airside toilet. You walk to the plane. Interestingly, boarding was done at Gate 2, before you walk through Gate 1 to the plane.


Parkersburg Airport (PKB) – Services
Parkersburg Airport (PKB) offers free WiFi. The staff was very friendly. I had an early Friday morning flight (7:40 scheduled departure). At that time, the restaurant and cafe was not open. You also can rent and return a car at the airport.
Parkersburg Airport (PKB) – My View
The Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport is a nice place. I really enjoyed being there. A bit on the downside is its remote location, leading to limited transport option. The services are nice, though.

Flyctory.com about US Aviation
Here are all Airports & Airlines postings related to the USA:
Flight Irregularities – and how Airlines handled them (September 2025)
Muscle Shoals Airport (MSL)
Food I Had Onboard XXV (July 2025)
The Centurion Lounge Las Vegas Airport (LAS)
Evansville Airport (EVV)
Food I Had Onboard XXIV (June 2025)
Food I Had Onboard XXIII (April 2025 – May 2025)
The Most Airports by Country I Have Flown To
Beckley (WV) Airport (BKW)
Food I Had Onboard XX (November 2024 – early January 2025)
Lufthansa Lounge Newark (EWR)
American Airlines Admirals Club Boston Logan (BOS) Terminal B
Food I Had Onboard XVII (mid-May to mid-July 2024)
Myrtle Beach Airport (MYR)
Food I Had Onboard XV (March 2024 – early April 2024)
Flying the Douglas C-47 Skytrain at Palm Springs Air Museum
Food I Had Onboard XIII (End November 2023 – early January 2024)
Food I Had Onboard XII (Late October 2023 – Mid-November 2023)
The Privilege of the Loo – On Bathroom Distribution in Airplanes
Flying Contour Airlines Embraer E135
Food I Had Onboard VII (mid-February 2023 til March 2023)
Singapore Airlines A380 Premium Economy
Food I Had Onboard V (September 2022 til November 2022)
Flying Cape Air from Marion (MWA) to St. Louis (STL)
Food I Had Onboard IV (May 2022 til August 2022)
Tupelo Airport (TUP)
American Airlines Admirals Club New York LaGuardia (LGA)
Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois in Marion (MWA)
Food I Had Onboard III (Mar 2022 til April 2022)
The Twelve Best Flights Of My Life (… so far)
Alaska Airlines A320 Domestic First Flight Experience
Long Beach Airport (LGB)
Star Alliance Lounge Los Angeles Airport (LAX)
Planespotting at In-N-Out Burger Los Angeles Airport
Flying PSA Airlines from Washington Reagan to Chattanooga
American Airlines Admirals Club Pittsburgh
American Airlines Boeing 777 Flagship Business Class
American Airlines Flagship Lounge New York JFK (now: Greenwich Lounge)
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA)
American Airlines A330 Premium Economy
Flying with Southern Airways Express
BA 1 – British Airways’ Most Exclusive Intercontinental Experience
Flyctory.com and Iceland
Here are all my postings related to Iceland:
Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 19th September 2025)
Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 30th May 2025)
Fosshotel Reykholt
The Most Airports by Country I Have Flown To
Hotel 1001 Nott (Egilsstadir, Iceland)
Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 17th January 2025)
Food I Had Onboard XX (November 2024 – early January 2025)
Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 18th October 2024)
Stracta Hotel Hella (Iceland)
WFC 3×3 Floorball 2024 – Day 1 Men’s Competition (11th May 2024)
Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 10th May 2024)
Husavik Whale Museum
Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 1st March 2024)
Krauma Geothermal Spa (Reykholt, Iceland)
Dead Eyed Creek – Out of Phase
22 Hill Hotel (Reykjavik)
Flyctory.com – My Favorite Songs 2023
Santa’s Soundtrack 2023? Some Christmas Releases This Season
Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 17th November 2023)
A Short Roadtrip along Northwest Reykjanes
Myrkvi – Early Warning
Hveradalir Geothermal Area (Pictured Story)
The Waterfalls near Seljalandsfoss (Pictured Story)
Geothermal Exhibition at Hellisheidi Power Plant
Arny Margret – dinner alone EP
Arstidir – Blik
Post-Plaza Guesthouse Husavik
Praise The Underdogs – I Look Back to the European Soccer Competition Qualifications
Reykjavik Family Park & Zoo
Dadi Freyr – I Made An Album
Home is where the heart is – My Twelve Favorite Cities of the World
Vök Baths (Egilsstadir)
Daladyrd Petting Zoo (near Akureyri)
Icelandair Boeing 737 MAX Saga Premium Class
Airport Hotel Aurora Star Keflavik
Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 14 July 2023)
Skyrland Selfoss
Hafdals Hotel Akureyri
Whale Watching with North Sailing Husavik (Iceland)
Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 23 June 2023)
Dyrholaey (Iceland, Pictured Story)
Lava Show Reykjavik
Puffin Watching at Hafnarholmi in Northeast Iceland
Hrafnavellir Guest House (Hornafirdi, Iceland)
Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 26 May 2023)
My Traveler’s Thoughts About… Renting a Car and Driving in Iceland
Forest Lagoon Akureyri
Food I Had Onboard VIII (April 2023 til Mid-May 2023)
Husavik Eurovision Exhibition
Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Reprise)
Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Day 8 – 6th May 2023) – Day in Reykjavik & More
Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Day 7 – 5th May 2023) – Reykholt to Reykjavik
Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Day 6 – 4th May 2023) – Akureyri to Reykholt
Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Day 5 – 3rd May 2023) – Husavik to Akureyri
Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Day 4 – 2nd May 2023) – Egilsstadir to Husavik
Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Day 3 – 1st May 2023) – Hrafnavellir to Egilsstadir
Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Day 2 – 30th April 2023) – Hella to Hrafnavellir
Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Day 1 – 29th April 2023) – Germany to Hella
Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Preview)
Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 21 April 2023)
Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 14 April 2023)
Five Years of Flyctory.com – My 20 Most Popular Travel Posts (so far…)
Icelands South Coast at Routes 33 and 34 (Road Trip)
Reykjavik Maritime Museum
Isafjord – Hjartsatjaki
Arny Margret – they only talk about the weather
Gullfoss – Iceland’s Most Famous Waterfall? (Pictured Story)
View Over Akureyri from Hlidarfljall
Mani Orrason – The World Is Big and You Will Never Find Me
Ystafell Auto Museum (Iceland)
A (Partial) Trip along F899 (Flateyjardalsvegur – Pictured Story)
Icelandic Aviation Museum (Akureyri)
Flying with Icelandair Domestic (Flygfelag Islands / Air Iceland Connect)
Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 08 July 2022)
Icelandair Hotel Reykjavik Natura
Akureyrarkirkja – Akureyri Church
Cruising on the Herjolfur Vestmannaeyjar Ferry
Grenjadarstadur Turf House Museum
Viking World (Nardvik, Iceland)
Sagnheimar Natural History Museum Vestmannaeyjar
The Settlement Exhibition Reykjavik
Whales of Iceland (Reykjavik)
Vadlaheidargong Toll Tunnel and Alternatives
Keflavik Airport (KEF)
The F35 Kjölur-Route in Iceland
Arny Margret – intertwined
Rokksafn – The Icelandic Rock’n’Roll Museum (Reykjanesbaer)
Airport Hotel Grasteinn (Keflavik)
Egilsstadir Airport (EGS)
Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 28 Jan 2022)
Hallgrimskirkja Reykjavic – Church and View from Tower
Saga Museum Reykjavik
Hilton Reykjavik Nordica
Reykjavik Domestic Airport (RKV)
Flyctory.com Best Ones 2021
Flying Norlandair from Akureyri (AEY) (not) to Grimsey (GRY)
Iceland Road F347 (Kerlingarfjallavegur) and Hveradalir
Hotel Kjarnalundur (Akureyri, Iceland)
Aurora Reykjavik
LAVA Centre Hvölsvollur (Iceland)
Geysir Hot Spring Area (Iceland – Pictured Story)
Food I Had Onboard (Oct 2021 til Nov 2021)
Car Rental Review – Blue Car Keflavik Airport (KEF) – Dacia Duster 4WD
Hotel Laxarbakki (Akranes, Iceland)
Urridafoss – The Highest Flow Waterfall in Iceland (Pictured Story)
Hotel Duus (Keflavik)
Icelandic Punk Museum (Reykjavik)
Olis Deildin (Icelandic Handball Premier League) with Fram Reykjavik at Safamyri Hall
Hertz Deildin Div. 1(Icelandic Ice Hockey League) with Fjölnir Reykjavik at Egilshöll
Car Rental Review – Procar Keflavik Airport (KEF) – Dacia Duster 4WD
Hverir Geothermal Area (Pictured Story)
The Hits of the Trips – My Summer 2021 in Music
Eyjafjördur Jolahusid – The Christmas House
Myvatn – Natural Thermal Pool in Northern Iceland
Car Rental Review – Geysir Keflavik Airport (KEF) – Dacia Duster 4WD
The Bridge Between Europe and North America (Pictured Story)
Boeing 757-200 Icelandair Saga Premium Class
Litli Geysir Hotel
Icelandic Phallological Museum (Reykjavik)
Saga Lounge Kefklavik (KEF)
Akureyri Airport (AEY)
Sky Lagoon Reykjavic / Kopavogur

