CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Residents of southern West Virginia will have a new option in traveling to Orlando.
Yeager Airport and Spirit Airlines officials announced a new nonstop flight to Orlando International Airport on Tuesday. The flight begins on February 14 and will run three days a week and be year-round.
“This will allow people to fly nonstop to Orlando International which is more convenient and closer than Orlando Sanford,” Yeager Airport Director Nick Keller said. “People going to Disney can take the Disney Express from Orlando International. It’ll be a seamless experience and much more convenient.”
Disney was the theme of the announcement with characters in attendance and the majority of the large crowd wearing Mickey Mouse ears.
Mike Penland, the General Manager for Spirit Airlines: Myrtle Beach, Jacksonville, Charleston spokes along with Charleston Mayor Amy Goodwin, Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper and Yeager Airport Board Chair Ed Hill.
“When I have been working in the operations, a number of guests have asked for service for Orlando direct, ” Penland said. Over the years, just hearing what the local community has had to say and has been asking for it. It’s really exciting to see we do have that direct service now.”
Keller said the new flight with lower airfares, although it’s unknown how much the Orlando flight would cost. He also expects the addition to generate around 25,000 more enplanements and passengers through Yeager per year.
He is not worried about the ability to fill the flights, citing the success of Airtran Airways similar flight to Orlando International from Yeager Airport from 2009 to 2012. The Airtran service was canceled due to the discontinuation of the airline after being bought by Southwest Airlines.
There is an expected event on February 14 to commemorate the first flight to Orlando.
You ain’t gonna need no country roads when you can now fly home to mountain mamma. Starting on Valentine’s Day 2020, @SpiritAirlines is adding nonstop 3/week service, to Charleston, WV. Time to climb that hill and lift your spirits high. pic.twitter.com/aSMAR5mLER
— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) November 19, 2019