AirTran Airways will enter another market served by low-frequency leisure carrier Allegiant Air when it inaugurates once daily service between Grand Rapids, Michigan and Florida's Orlando International airport on 4 May.
Las Vegas-based Allegiant currently links Grand Rapids three times per week with Orlando-Sanford International airport, roughly 54.07km (33.6 miles) north of Orlando International, according to Innovata. But starting on 12 February, the Boeing MD-80 operator will relocate its Grand Rapids operation to Orlando International -- one of 10 routes that Allegiant is moving to Orlando International.
Grand Rapids is the latest destination that both Allegiant and AirTran will serve from Orlando. AirTran plans to launch two weekly flights between Des Moines, Iowa and Orlando International on 6 March -- a day after Allegiant shifts its thrice weekly Des Moines operations to Orlando International from Orlando-Sanford.
In addition to Allegiant, Delta Air Lines' wholly-owned regional subsidiary Compass Airlines flies between Grand Rapids and Orlando International once a week, according to schedules in Innovata.
On the same day that AirTran launches flights from Grand Rapids to Orlando International, the airline will also start service between Grand Rapids and Baltimore/Washington International airport. AirTran will operate its Grand Rapids-Baltimore connections twice daily.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
