Airport Employee Says Ryan Air Coming To RFD

It`s not confirmation from the airline, but it`s the closest thing yet. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Office in Chicago, Ryan Airlines has moved its operating certificate out of Wichita, Kansas. The FAA says no certificates can be based out of Rockford, because we don`t have an FAA office, but it is coming to the area. "The operations certificate is coming, but it`s coming to Chicago," says FAA Spokesperson Elizabeth Isham Cory. "It has to come to the closest FAA office, which is Chicago." Cory says an operations certificate is needed for an airline to operate under FAA rules and regulations. And an airport employee who wants to remain anonymous says it`s common knowledge at the airport that Ryan Air is moving its headquarters to RFD from Kansas. But when we asked Airport Executive Director Bob OBrien about the certificate he says it means, "Operation will be taking place here which means lots of jobs, lots of benefits." But O`Brien wouldn`t confirm the move to RFD. There already has been evidence of Ryan Air jobs coming here. Ryan recently held a job fair in Rockford and its website has several postings for jobs in Rockford. Ryan Air is a subsidiary of Rubloff development which is based here in Rockford. But Ryan and Rubloff officials could not be reached for comment. Isham says the transfer of the operations certificate should be complete by the end of June.