Originally Posted by
iahphx
One additional problem with maintaining a small presence at a small airport is getting the word out that you even exist. Sure, Frontier did an initial advertising campaign in Wilmington and Trenton to launch their service, but the small operation cannot sustain a large, continued ad campaign. So people forget you're there, and future travelers often don't even realize it.
As an example, I recently had a Delaware friend complain to me about how she was facing a high ticket cost for a PHL to MKE flight at the time she wanted to take to southeast Wisconsin. It didn't even immediately occur to me that perhaps ILG-MDW might be a reasonable alternative for her. If I can't remember that, what are the odds that a "regular" traveler would (like my Delaware friend has no clue that Frontier was operating out of Wilmington). And most flight searches that "normal" people would do wouldn't pull up this option.
I can't speak for your Delaware friend but as a resident of New Castle County I can tell you that my colleagues and friends are very aware of Frontier's service out of New Castle County Airport. It's also been prominently featured in our (only) newspaper. The situation here is unique - we've been without service for a long time, ever since DL bailed, and Frontier's arrival is more than just another airline entering a market. Even my friends in Kent County are well aware of the service. I don't think the issue is lack of awareness of the ILG service, it's more an issue of the limited schedule.