The new air carrier servicing the Greenbrier Valley Airport got off to a rough start but the airport manager says things are getting better.
Greenbrier Valley Airport Manager Jerry O’Sullivan was very excited when Silver Airways began its daily flights to Atlanta and Washington, D.C. last August, but after six months there have been a number of problems and boarding numbers are down.
“They’ve had some issues building up their Atlanta situation—it’s been a little bit of a slow start but they seem to be gaining ground,” O’Sullivan told MetroNews Monday.
Silver has a relationship with United Airlines.
The Greenbrier Valley’s former carrier was Delta. The large airline offered two flights daily to Atlanta on 50-passenger regional jets. Silver has prop-planes that seat less than 35 passengers.
O’Sullivan says there were 36,000 available seats a year when the airport was serviced by Delta and with Silver, and its smaller planes, they’ve lost about a third of those seating opportunities.
O’Sullivan says Silver has been going through some growing pains.
“They’re now a major provider of Essential Air Service where they were not just several years ago,” O’Sullivan said. “So they had to get a lot more aircraft, pilots, etc… and start a much bigger operation so that was Silver’s challenge.”
O’Sullivan admits it’s difficult to compare Silver with Delta.
“That was one level of service, this is a different level, and it has basically different numbers so far, but I think they are going to get better as time goes on,” he said.
The Greenbrier Valley Airport is a key for the nearby Greenbrier Resort and sporting club. The airport welcomes many guests on its commercial flights and on private aircraft.
O’Sullivan says he’s cautiously optimistic Silver’s service will improve. He’s particularly excited about the daily flights to Dulles International, which opens up the northeast corridor for The Greenbrier.
“Being able to get here quickly is going to make a big difference, especially realizing it’s a United code,” he said. “They’ll be funneling in from all the big hubs of United.”
Silver also provides federally subsidized Essential Air Service to airports in Beckley, Parkersburg, Clarksburg and Morgantown.