Archive: News

A far-reaching deal, announced today, between US Airways and Delta Air Lines to swap slots at New York’s LaGuardia airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will enable Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport to offer direct flight service to Washington, DC.

At 9:15 a.m. Eastern Time on August 12th, US Airways announced the agreement with Delta to swap 125 pairs of slots at New York’s LaGuardia Airport for 42 pairs of slots at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport plus traffic rights to Sao Paolo, Brazil and Tokyo, Japan. (One pair of slots equals a round-trip flight.)

The transaction, which requires government approval, is seen by both airlines as a way to consolidate and strengthen their respective networks. The additional slots in LaGuardia will allow Delta to build a hub in the Northeast and the added presence in Washington, Sao Paolo and Tokyo will give US Airways access to key business centers and allow expansion of service in the nation’s capital.

With the 42 pairs of additional slots in Washington, US Airways will expand to 15 new destinations including Ithaca, NY. Other new destinations include Birmingham, AL; Little Rock, AR; Myrtle Beach, SC; Savannah, GA; and Tallahassee, FL.

Commenting on the news, Airport Manager Bob Nicholas, said, “This is tremendously exciting news for the community. It reinforces all the other positive things we are experiencing and it confirms our contention that the more people use this airport, the better the service will be.”

In addition to the proposed Washington, DC service, Ithaca passengers currently have non-stop direct service to Newark, NJ; LaGuardia, NY; Philadelphia, Detroit and ongoing service to over 200 cities worldwide with just one stop.

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