[S]OUTH BURLINGTON — Frontier Airlines will start offering flights from Burlington International Airport to Orlando, Florida, in 2019, restoring nonstop service to a high-demand destination that the airport has lacked for nearly two years.
Airline and airport officials announced Wednesday that Frontier would begin flying between Burlington and the Orlando International Airport in February, servicing two flights a week: one on Saturdays and one on Wednesdays.
The carrier touts low fares, which it believes will draw high demand from passengers in Vermont. Prices for its flights in February will start at $59 one-way.
“That’s not the last time you’re going to see fares that low, you might even see fares that are lower,” said Jonathan Freed, a spokesperson for Frontier. “That’s the thing I love about this airline, we make it possible for you to fly.”
Gene Richards, the Burlington airport’s director of aviation, said in an interview he expects the low-cost flights to Orlando will be popular.
“Not everybody can (afford to) fly. So what it does is opens the market to other folks that may not have an option,” Richards said. “It’s crucial to the people who do want to get down to Florida.”
Jet Blue and Allegiant Air previously offered direct flights from Burlington International Airport to Orlando. However, Jet Blue canceled the route five years ago, after it started servicing more of its flights to Orlando out of JFK International Airport in New York, according to Richards.
Allegiant stopped offering flights to Florida in March 2017, after its three-year commitment with the airport ran out.
Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger said the new Frontier flight appears to be another sign of a rosier future for the airport, which has had some financial struggles in recent years.
“This airport was hit hard by the recession back in 2008 and 2009 and we’ve had stability with enplanements for a long time,” Weinberger said. “It is great to see that we’re finally starting to see some growth.”
In just the last year, the airport has seen a boost in passengers. Between January and August of 2018, the airport saw 50,000 more travelers boarding flights than it did during the same period of 2017.
Nic Longo, the airport’s deputy director of aviation administration, attributes the uptick to lower prices. He said the cost of flying out the airport has fallen in part because the airlines that service Burlington are sending larger aircraft to Vermont, driving down individual seat prices.
Frontier’s flight to Orlando will be its first based at Burlington International Airport. And if demand for the service is as high as predicted, it’s possible the airline would offer even more flights.
On the other hand, Richards cautioned, if customers don’t embrace the new flight it may not be around for very long.
“It’s here but it’ll be gone tomorrow if you don’t take care of it,” Richards said.