Tykethia Williams was all smiles — and somewhat shocked — as she debarked from United Airlines’ inaugural non-stop flight from Washington, D.C. to Mobile’s Regional Airport on June 27.
“I didn’t know this was the inaugural flight,” said Williams, who lives in the D.C. area. “I travel to Mobile a few times a year, but I fly direct to Pensacola because that was the only nonstop. They used to have it before 9/11, so I’m glad it’s back. My mother lives right off Schillinger Road, so it’s a lot easier.”
It was part of a celebration as that flight kicked off non-stop service from Mobile to Washington’s Dulles International Airport, as United will offer non-stop flights between the two cities twice a day, seven days a week.
“This will open us up to so much international travel, which will be a boon to Mobile,” said Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson.
Mobile Airport Authority president Chris Curry was also on the flight from Washington to Mobile, and said the trip, which took approximately two-and-a half hours, was a big boost for Mobile as a whole.
“It was fast, and this is a big deal for Mobile Regional,” he said. “Certainly service from Washington Dulles to Mobile is big for the region. Washington is a great city to visit on its own and has its own destination, but connectivity to Washington Dulles Airport provides to us a connection to the world.
“We’re trying to provide a service that will bring our passengers back. We leak about 60 percent of passengers who should be using this airport, and so by moving the airport downtown by bringing in additional service, we can get those passengers back so they can use Mobile airports.”
“We’re super excited to be a small part of this,” Visit Mobile CEO David Clark. “This is truly transformative for our city as a destination and as a city. In terms of tourism, there is nothing more important as a destination to add service, especially having direct service to an international hub.”
“We’re very confident working with Visit Mobile and the Airport Authority that this is going to significantly increase the number of people who are flying out of Mobile,” said Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bradley Byrne.
Curry said the process to get passenger service from Mobile to Dulles Airport was a very long process.
“It was seven years in the making,” he said. “When I got her seven years ago, Washington, D.C. was our top choice because it was the No. 1 underserved market for us. So it was seven years of communicating with United Airlines and seven years of communicating with the airport authority to bring this service to fruition.”
As for gateways to other destinations, Curry said: “I think it will bring an opportunity for other destinations, not only with other airlines, but also United. They have made their hubs in Denver and Chicago, and those are cities that are ranked very high on our list. We will look to start the conversation rather quickly to those other hubs as well.”
Courtesy of the Call News.
