USA: Regional Jet Operator ViaAir Makes New Connections

ViaAir launched flights between Orlando Sanford (SFB) and Columbia (CAE) on 21 December.

The US regional operator will serve the 573-kilometre route four times weekly, with departures on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The carrier will operate the sector using its fleet of 30-seat EMB 120s, with no other airline currently flying the airport pair.

Situated in South Carolina, Columbia Airport handled 1,077,188 passengers in 2017. During the first eight months of 2018, 772,614 people have used the airport, up 8.6% versus the same period of 2017 based on statistics published by the airport.

ViaAir becomes the airport’s fourth operator, with it already served by the USB3 carriers of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.

ViaAir has launched its second route from Austin (AUS), with the US regional operator starting a link to Tucson (TUS) on 18 January.

Joining its existing service to Hayden/Steamboat Springs which began 13 December, the carrier will operate the 1,278-kilometre route between Austin and Tucson three times weekly using its ERJ 145s, with no other airline currently serving the city pair.

The regional jet operator will launch a third connection from Austin on 1 March, a three times weekly link to Oklahoma City.

The airline previously served Austin from Branson in Missouri, but the route is no longer bookable on the carrier’s website, the last service flew in November.

ViaAir has commenced flights between Austin (AUS) and Oklahoma City (OKC). Inaugurated on 22 April, the US regional operator will fly the 578-kilometre sector six times weekly, with it facing no direct competition on the airport pair.

The airline will utilise its 50-seat ERJ 145s on the city pair. Based on MIDT data, some 24,900 passengers travelled indirectly between the two airports in 2017, with Dallas/Fort Worth being the leading hub for connecting traffic.

Demand on the Austin to Oklahoma City airport pair grew by 4.2% last year versus the number of passengers travelling between the two points in 2016.

ViaAir is a US domestic regional airline offering scheduled service across the United States. The airline originally focused on scheduled Essential Air Service from Raleigh County Memorial Airport in Beckley, West Virginia, Parkersburg/Marietta in Parkersburg, West Virginia to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Via Airlines was established on March 27, 1997 and operated public and private charter flights for corporations, sports teams, casinos, and air travel functions before expanding to scheduled passenger flight services with ViaAir.

ViaAir began its EAS scheduled flights in December 2014, with the inaugural flight to Beckley, WV taking place on December 3. Prior to ViaAir beginning flights, air service was operated by United Express.

The same day as the inaugural Beckley flight, ViaAir announced it would be operating seasonal unsubsidized nonstop service from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Northeast Florida Regional Airport in St. Augustine, Florida, with its inaugural flight taking place on December 19, 2014.

After a seasonal trial, an agreement was reached to continue service to St. Augustine from Charlotte and Beckley. In early November 2015, ViaAir announced it would extend its St. Augustine service into 2016.

ViaAir, with flights operated by the Charter Air Transport fleet, offers additional air travel options with its AirCruise and Air Tours products. ViaAir's aviation products began in 2009 with its Air Tours, and introduced AirCruise in 2011.

AirCruise introduced a concept similar to naval cruises, but that transports passengers by plane instead of by boat. While naval cruising is limited to ports, AirCruise is able to reach landlocked destinations.

On November 15, 2017, ViaAir announced two new destinations from Austin (Oklahoma City and Tucson), taking its total destinations from Austin up to four.

Coinciding with this information was the announcement that ViaAir plans to base crews and maintenance at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, positioning its Austin based operations to expand.

We will roll out additional cities throughout next year as we hope to be known as Austin’s hometown airline.

On February 9, 2018 Via announced two new destinations from Austin (Little Rock and Tulsa), bringing the total of destinations served from Austin up to six.


Tourism Observer

USA: Aircraft Shortage, Allegiant Cancels Flights At Orlando-Sanford Airport

Low-cost air carrier Allegiant Airlines canceled dozens of flights Thursday to and from airports in Florida, including some at Orlando-Sanford International Airport, because of problems with the delivery of new planes.

Las Vegas-based Allegiant issued a travel advisory saying it was canceling 26 flights Thursday and Friday, including 20 affecting destinations in Florida in Sanford, St. Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale.

The move came after Allegiant had problems getting recently purchased Airbus planes ready to fly.

Unfortunately, some of the delivery dates for aircraft scheduled to join our fleet have fallen short of the projections, leaving us with limited resources available and the very difficult choice to cancel certain flights, said an email from Allegiant spokeswoman Krysta Levy on Thursday.

Allegiant said it wasn't manufacturing delays that held up delivery of the planes, but the induction process that includes inspections, new interiors and exterior paint and registration with the FAA, Levy said.

The planes weren't coming directly from Airbus, but are used aircraft from other carriers.

Four flights at Orlando-Sanford International Airport were canceled Thursday. That included routes to and from Greensboro, N.C., and Knoxville, Tenn.

Levy said passengers were offered other flights or refunds.

Allegiant, which specializes in flying from smaller airports to vacation destinations, is in the process of transitioning from an older fleet of McDonnell-Douglas MD-80 aircraft to all Airbus A320 planes, both new and old.

Allegiant said the transition should be finished by end of the year.

Allegiant is one of the country's fastest-growing airlines, increasing passenger traffic about 12 percent in May 2018 compared with the same month the year before.

Meanwhile, Allegiant Airlines has begun offering nonstop service from Nashville, Tennessee to Tampa Bay.

The Nevada-based airline has launched a new year-round service that operates twice weekly between Nashville International Airport (BNA) and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE).

We’re thrilled to launch this new route between Nashville and Tampa, said Drew Wells, Allegiant vice president of planning and revenue.

We know Nashville-area travelers will love having a year-round, nonstop and affordable option to visit the beautiful beaches of Florida’s Gulf Coast.

In honor of the launch, the company is offering way fares on the new route for as low as $72.


Tourism Observer