Daytona Beach International Airport welcomes United with nonstop
service to Washington, Chicago.
Shortly
after United Airlines announced service between Daytona Beach
International Airport (DBIA) and Washington Dulles International
Airport, there was more good news. United officials made a
subsequent announcement of service between DBIA and Chicago’s O’Hare
International Airport, also beginning this month.
“This is
great news for business and leisure travelers here in Volusia County
and in the Washington D.C. area and Chicago area,” said Volusia
County Chair Frank Bruno. Bruno last summer led a delegation of
county and DBIA officials on a sales mission to United’s home in
Chicago, where they met with United officials to make the case for
the Washington D.C. service. Airport research shows there is healthy
demand for travel to and from Washington and the load
factors will become strong within a few months.
“There
is a great deal of travel between Volusia County and Washington D.C.
and between Volusia County and Chicago,” said Daytona Beach
International Airport Director Dennis McGee. “Passengers appreciate
the fact they can fly nonstop to Washington Dulles and Chicago
O’Hare. Flying out of DBIA saves them time here in Volusia County.
The nonstop flight saves them time in Chicago or the D.C. area.”
The new service to Washington follows efforts by airport officials
to convince United the route would address unmet demand for more air
service at DBIA. Airport officials were joined by county, city and
tourism officials in a celebration February 8 to mark the start of
the new flights.
In
partnership with the three Volusia County advertising authorities
and United, the Volusia County-operated DBIA launched an extensive
marketing campaign locally and in the Washington/Northern Virginia
markets. As part of that initiative, DBIA is offering local United
passengers free parking through August 7 as an added incentive to
try this new service.
The
Halifax Area Advertising Authority (Daytona Beach Area Convention
and Visitors Bureau), the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority
and the West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority (St. Johns River
Country), funded $75,000 of the $200,000 being spent on marketing
the United service. Advertising has been running since December in
Central Florida and the Washington D.C. area.
In
addition to print, radio and direct mail advertising in Florida, the
Volusia County Department of Economic Development pitched in by
loaning DBIA nearly a dozen
billboards normally dedicated to other economic development
promotions.
In the Washington D.C. area, print and radio advertising was
directed at consumers and business travelers. Additionally, a 12’ x
16’, two-sided “sky banner” was created and hung over the food court
at Dulles Towne Center, a mega-mall near Washington Dulles
International Airport.
The D.C.
marketing efforts were augmented by individual marketing initiatives
launched by the three tourism advertising authorities as well as
area chambers of commerce. All of this has caused load factors to
increase steadily, which local officials expect to continue
throughout 2006.
As for
the new nonstop service to Chicago, United Airlines announced this
as seasonal temporary service for February and March, but with the
possibility of extended service, based on market demand.
”The
DBIA to Chicago service has been particularly well-received,”
according to Steve Dennis, Executive Director of the Southeast
Volusia Chamber of Commerce and Chair of DBIA’s Air Service
Development Working Group. “O’Hare is in the heart of the nation and
serves a huge market, as well as being a gateway to dozens of other
important domestic and international locations.”
Daytona
Beach International Airport also offers service by Delta Air Lines,
Continental Airlines and Vintage Props & Jets. Delta provides
nonstop service to Atlanta, with connections to hundreds of domestic
and international destinations. Continental Express provides nonstop
service to Newark and seasonal nonstop service to Cleveland. Vintage
Props & Jets offers scheduled charter service to the Bahamas and
Florida Keys.
