BWI2MCO97
Mar 6, 03, 9:35 pm
US Airways to start new direct flight from Bermuda to southern Florida
US Airways will start Bermuda's first direct flight to southern Florida from this British mid-Atlantic territory in June, the transport minister said.
The weekly flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, beginning June 7, will run every Saturday through Sept. 27 during the height of the tourism season in the resort island, Transport Minister Ewart Brown said Wednesday.
"We are confident that direct Florida service will prove to be highly successful and quickly able to stand on its own as a profitable daily route," Brown told the House of Assembly. US Airways is based in Arlington, Virginia.
US Airways, Delta, American Airlines, Continental, Air Canada and British Airways currently service Bermuda. There are several direct flights to international destinations, including New York, Boston, London and Toronto.
Part 2
US Airways Express intends to start daily nonstop jet flights between Chattanooga and New York City in May, officials said Wednesday.
Mark VanLoh, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority president, said the airline plans to use 50-seat regional jets starting May 4 to fly into LaGuardia International Airport.
"That's right in the business sector. That's minutes from Manhattan," said Mr. VanLoh.
He said the airport doesn't have a record of any Chattanooga to New York nonstop service at least as far back as the 1970s. Newspaper reports show Eastern Airlines started a nonstop New York flight in December 1970.
US Airways Express spokeswoman Amy Kudwa said the airline plans to make a formal announcement about the service soon, adding the flights haven't been loaded into the reservation system yet.
"We do intend Chattanooga to LaGuardia" service, she said.
Mr. VanLoh said there will be one roundtrip flight between the cities. A flight will leave LaGuardia at 2:50 p.m., arrive in Chattanooga and then depart for the return trip to New York at 5:40 p.m., said Mr. VanLoh.
For a business person going to New York City, the timing will require an overnight stay for a meeting the next day, said the airport official.
"We'd like an early-morning departure. We think that will come," he said.
Mayor Bob Corker said having nonstop service to New York City is an economic development tool.
"There's no question having access to the major city in America is a tremendous enhancement," said the mayor.
John Foy, Airport Authority chairman, said it's up to Chattanoogans to use the service.
"If we show load factors on these planes, it's a great opportunity to develop more nonstops," he said.
Judy Weaver, the airport's vice president of marketing, said New York is the No. 1 destination for people using Lovell Field.
"It's something we've been working on a long time," she said.
Ms. Weaver said airport officials have been talking with several airlines with hubs in the New York area. She said the LaGuardia service is better than Newark, N.J., for business people or travelers going into the heart of New York City for vacation.
US Airways Express is an affiliate of US Airways, which pulled its mainline jets out of Chattanooga after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. US Airways Express still offers Chattanooga to Charlotte, N.C, service. US Airways, meanwhile, has struggled and slid into bankruptcy. However, the airline expects to emerge from bankruptcy protection soon.
Mr. VanLoh said the bankruptcy hasn't affected service in Chattanooga to this point.
"I think they're poised to come out of bankruptcy strong," he said.
Mayor Corker said Chattanoogans have to use the planned new service so the city can keep it and possibly see it expanded.
"I may fly the first flight. When we've got great developments, we've got to take advantage of them," he said.
The mayor said the service will draw more travelers from North Georgia because of the ease of getting in and out of Chattanooga's airport.
Traffic at the airport was down slightly, less than 1 percent, last year over 2001. To draw more passengers, officials have talked about trying to woo New York service as well as flights to Washington, D.C., Detroit and Dallas-Fort Worth.
[This message has been edited by BWI2MCO97 (edited 03-06-2003).]
US Airways will start Bermuda's first direct flight to southern Florida from this British mid-Atlantic territory in June, the transport minister said.
The weekly flight to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, beginning June 7, will run every Saturday through Sept. 27 during the height of the tourism season in the resort island, Transport Minister Ewart Brown said Wednesday.
"We are confident that direct Florida service will prove to be highly successful and quickly able to stand on its own as a profitable daily route," Brown told the House of Assembly. US Airways is based in Arlington, Virginia.
US Airways, Delta, American Airlines, Continental, Air Canada and British Airways currently service Bermuda. There are several direct flights to international destinations, including New York, Boston, London and Toronto.
Part 2
US Airways Express intends to start daily nonstop jet flights between Chattanooga and New York City in May, officials said Wednesday.
Mark VanLoh, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority president, said the airline plans to use 50-seat regional jets starting May 4 to fly into LaGuardia International Airport.
"That's right in the business sector. That's minutes from Manhattan," said Mr. VanLoh.
He said the airport doesn't have a record of any Chattanooga to New York nonstop service at least as far back as the 1970s. Newspaper reports show Eastern Airlines started a nonstop New York flight in December 1970.
US Airways Express spokeswoman Amy Kudwa said the airline plans to make a formal announcement about the service soon, adding the flights haven't been loaded into the reservation system yet.
"We do intend Chattanooga to LaGuardia" service, she said.
Mr. VanLoh said there will be one roundtrip flight between the cities. A flight will leave LaGuardia at 2:50 p.m., arrive in Chattanooga and then depart for the return trip to New York at 5:40 p.m., said Mr. VanLoh.
For a business person going to New York City, the timing will require an overnight stay for a meeting the next day, said the airport official.
"We'd like an early-morning departure. We think that will come," he said.
Mayor Bob Corker said having nonstop service to New York City is an economic development tool.
"There's no question having access to the major city in America is a tremendous enhancement," said the mayor.
John Foy, Airport Authority chairman, said it's up to Chattanoogans to use the service.
"If we show load factors on these planes, it's a great opportunity to develop more nonstops," he said.
Judy Weaver, the airport's vice president of marketing, said New York is the No. 1 destination for people using Lovell Field.
"It's something we've been working on a long time," she said.
Ms. Weaver said airport officials have been talking with several airlines with hubs in the New York area. She said the LaGuardia service is better than Newark, N.J., for business people or travelers going into the heart of New York City for vacation.
US Airways Express is an affiliate of US Airways, which pulled its mainline jets out of Chattanooga after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. US Airways Express still offers Chattanooga to Charlotte, N.C, service. US Airways, meanwhile, has struggled and slid into bankruptcy. However, the airline expects to emerge from bankruptcy protection soon.
Mr. VanLoh said the bankruptcy hasn't affected service in Chattanooga to this point.
"I think they're poised to come out of bankruptcy strong," he said.
Mayor Corker said Chattanoogans have to use the planned new service so the city can keep it and possibly see it expanded.
"I may fly the first flight. When we've got great developments, we've got to take advantage of them," he said.
The mayor said the service will draw more travelers from North Georgia because of the ease of getting in and out of Chattanooga's airport.
Traffic at the airport was down slightly, less than 1 percent, last year over 2001. To draw more passengers, officials have talked about trying to woo New York service as well as flights to Washington, D.C., Detroit and Dallas-Fort Worth.
[This message has been edited by BWI2MCO97 (edited 03-06-2003).]