Vaccines will be key to Frontier’s success in the early going

583
Advertisement

This week’s two most popular posts centered on Frontier Airlines and its nonstop flights to Orlando from New Castle Airport. (Frontier prefers the Wilmington-New Castle designation).

To be sure, the snowy weather around Groundhog Day was a factor in that desire to getaway.

This time around, Frontier has been patient in resuming service, despite the delays brought on by the dramatic impact of coronavirus on the airline industry.

Several years ago,  the airline rolled out and quickly pulled back on flights to several destinations that included Detroit.

In the interim, the Delaware River and Bay Authority have pumped a couple of million dollars in improvements. Some were completed before Frontier exited the airport in 2015.

Advertisement

Focusing on the Orlando market makes sense. The Florida city remains a top destination from nearby Philadelphia International Airport. Frontier faces American and Southwest in competing for business. 

It will take perseverance from the airline and support from passengers in building the market. Frontier noted that while it is not afraid to quickly exit markets, it saw signs that many of its Philadelphia travelers reside in Delaware and could support service.

Over the short term,  the ability to administer vaccines will be a big factor. We learned this week that the state now can administer 100,000 doses a week if the supply was available.

Long term, it is essential that a new terminal enter the picture as an economic development necessity that can serve both airlines and charters.

For now, state and federal health officials are concerned about travel spreading more infectious variants of the virus from Brazil, the United Kingdom, and South Africa.

The UK strain showed up in northern Delaware and appeared to have been linked to a family get-together attended by people from other states.

Stay safe. Spring is coming, and please don’t pay too much attention to that Pennsylvania rodent that saw his shadow. – Doug Rainey, chief content officer.

Advertisement
Advertisement