CWT - Regional - October 2008

Regional - October 2008

Baltimore Airport offers incentives for continued BA operations
British Airways (BA) will continue to fly between Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and London Heathrow for at least two more years, thanks to a subsidy the carrier will receive from the Maryland Board of Public Works. While fuel prices had made it difficult for BA to operate profitable flights on this route, the subsidy will serve as an incentive to continue this route. If BA’s rate of return on sales out of Baltimore falls to less than 8 percent, it will receive up to $5.5 million in subsidies per year for two years to offset the impact.

Sources: Associated Press, The Baltimore Sun

Delta offers short-term $45 JFK helicopter shuttle
During the month of October, Delta Airlines is offering certain coach-class customers a one-way helicopter shuttle between Manhattan and JFK Airport for about the same cost as a cab ride. Regular cost for this service is about $159, plus taxes and fees.

The helicopter ride (provided by U.S. Helicopter Corp., the only helicopter operator in the United States that offers regular scheduled service) takes about eight minutes to get from its two heliports in downtown and midtown Manhattan to JFK and Newark airports. This service began in March 2006; and the company says it plans to expand its routes and schedule in New York, and to establish new routes in other major cities.

Sources: USA TODAY, flyush.com