Wednesday, May 4, 2011

High Gas Prices Increasing Air Fares

The gas prices are soaring at an all time high causing the ripple effect on the cost of flying with major airlines.  The hottest travel news right now is all about the price wars and the small public charter airlines that are emerging to profit by offering travelers extremely low air fares. The following public charter airlines are hitting the news.

Direct Air, based in Myrtle Beach, S.C., announced plans today to fly between Lakeland Linder Regional Airport and four destinations: Niagara Falls, N.Y., Hagerstown, Md., Springfield, Ill., and Myrtle Beach. The flights start June 23. The airline is offering $79 one-way fares on the new route through Saturday on its website (visitdirectair.com).  Lakeland's airport hasn't hosted scheduled airline service since the late 1970s.
From 2006 to 2007, air taxi operator DayJet provided limited flights.  In 2007, Direct Air launched flights from St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport to Myrtle Beach, Niagara Falls and Gulfport-Biloxi, Miss.  Direct Air will fly the Lakeland routes with a Boeing 737-400 supplied by charter operator King Air, which moved its headquarters from California to Lakeland last year.

Sun Country Airlines based in St. Paul, MN announced that they have been selected by the U.S. Department of Transportation to serve Washington National Airport from Lansing, Michigan. The daily round trip flight will originate in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota and stop in Lansing before continuing onto Washington, D.C. Flight times and dates will be announced in the near future.

Sun Country will offer daily service featuring modern, fuel efficient, Boeing 737 aircraft with both First Class and Coach service from Terminal 2/Humphrey in Minneapolis/St. Paul to Washington National Airport. “This service will provide a great benefit to customers in both Minnesota and Michigan by providing a competitive low fare alternative.  Sun Country will commence service December 22, 2010 to Orlando, Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Cancun and Montego Bay from the Capital Region International Airport.
In addition the Airline recently announced twice weekly service from Minneapolis/St. Paul to London Gatwick Airport commencing May 27, 2011 and operating through September 4, 2011.
They also launched a unique program called "Fall Free For All" a $499 pass, for 37 days unlimited travel to any domestic and international destinations this Fall.  For the price of a single ticket on other airlines, Sun Country travelers can reserve their pass beginning August 16th to August 24th and use the Fall Free For All pass and have access to any coach-class seat available with no blackout dates.  I think this is really a unique and smart idea that will prove to make money for this airline.

Vision, which is based in suburban Atlanta and started flying in December, has built its schedule to cover 24 cities in 14 states, almost all of them within 500 miles of its hub at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport. Until now, Vision has not gone farther West than Houston.  The company's management has closely followed the template of Allegiant Air, operated by Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel Co., which picks a resort city as the primary focus, then connects it to other cities with nonstop routes where other airlines previously required connections.  The fares are set to undercut competitors, with some promotional seats being sold as cheaply as $19 one way, but with separate charges for other items.  Vision Air Holdings, which started in 1994, has run charters to Gulf Coast casinos, Cuba and Afghanistan. Other divisions operate tours to the Grand Canyon out of the North Las Vegas Airport and sell vacation packages.

All 3 of these once charter airlines are starting to increase their momentum in capturing travelers with the excellent deals their offering and cutting the major airlines  These airlines have found their niche and are really able to compete right now with the big guys given their strategy and pricing.  Hooray for the little guy!!








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