CHARLESTON, W.Va. — On the heels of losing its Spirit Airlines air service to Myrtle Beach International Airport, West Virginia International Yeager Airport Director and CEO Nick Keller plans to meet with Spirit officials at meetings in June.
Keller told the airport’s board during its most recent meeting that he will be in Florida the second week of June and meet with various airlines including Spirit. He said he wants conversations to focus on long-term opportunities with his airport (CRW).
In addition to Keller’s travels, Dominique Ranieri, Esq., CRW Assistant Airport Director & COO has plans to head to Reno, Nevada for airline meetings this summer.
“We’re always trying to get new air service. We’re trying to retain what we have. Trying to retain what you have is a challenge, you saw that with Myrtle Beach,” Keller told 580-WCHS.
In April, Spirit Airlines announced a reduction in its summer flight schedule due to staffing and network issues, and that CRW venture was on the list to be cut. Keller said the decision was a disappointment to CRW.
The popular vacation air service to MYR, which was twice a week, was scheduled to run Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Keller is ‘positive’ that the air service will come back in summer 2023.
The current Spirit Airlines service from CRW to Orlando International Airport was not impacted by the summer reduction announcement and Keller said it will likely be the center of the conversation. That service is direct and flies Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.
“We want to talk about how is our route. For this meeting, it’ll be about how Orlando is performing. What can we do, with revenue guarantees or incentive, to get additional service to Orlando,” Keller said.
Keller added that the meetings of the newly formed Charleston Air Service Working Group, which was created by the Charleston Area Alliance has focused on attracting airlines with revenue guarantees and incentives.
“New York City and Texas and additional Orlando are top priorities. From a business community perceptive, New York City, Dallas and Houston are the top three demands we have here for additional non-stop air service,” Keller said.