ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, March 18, 1997 TAG: 9703180035
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MEGAN SCHNABEL THE ROANOKE TIMES
Two Delta Connection carriers will use larger planes on some flights to Cincinnati and Atlanta.
Starting May 1, Roanoke-area travelers may find it easier - and maybe even cheaper - to fly to Atlanta and Cincinnati and points beyond.
Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and Comair Inc., the two Delta Connection regional carriers offering flights through Roanoke Regional Airport, both announced expansion of their Roanoke service Monday.
Comair, which flies between Roanoke and Cincinnati, will add a second 50-passenger Canadair jet to its Roanoke service. The jet will make one round trip each afternoon. The flight arrives in Roanoke at 4:10 p.m. and leaves at 4:40.
With the jet upgrade, two of Comair's four daily flights will be on Canadair jets. The other two are on 30-passenger Brasilias.
ASA, which offers flights between Atlanta and Roanoke, will upgrade two of its nine daily round-trip flights to 66-passenger ATR 72-210 aircraft. The flights now are served by Brasilias. The affected flights leave Roanoke daily at 4:25 p.m. and 8:22 p.m.
Once the upgrades are in place, travelers may find it easier to nab those quick-to-disappear discount fares, said Rob Gustafson, ASA's regional sales manager. The additional seats that will be available May 1 may mean the airlines can offer more of them at promotional fares, he said.
And as ASA continues to expand its fleet, he said, direct flights from Roanoke to Dallas - the carrier's other major hub - may be a possibility.
LENGTH: Short : 38 linesby CNB