There has been a little birdie chirping about March...
Delta flight service to return to island in March
By DON McLOUD
[email protected]
843-706-8139
Published Wednesday, November 19, 2008
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Delta Air Lines announced Monday it will resume flights between Hilton Head Island Airport and Atlanta starting March 2.
The announcement follows the company's acquisition of Northwest Airlines, a deal that gives Delta a type of plane suitable for the island's short runway.
The return of Delta flights in the spring will follow a three-month suspension of service at Hilton Head that will start Nov. 30. During the suspension, Delta will retire the planes it currently is using on the island, according to Delta spokeswoman Susan Elliott.
Delta announced the suspension in service in July, but said it would resume flights in the spring after it found a plane better suited to the island's 4,300 foot-long runway.
The airline is retiring its 66-seat ATR-72 turboprop aircraft, which was deemed by the company to be old and inefficient. That plane will be replaced by the 34-seat Saab 340 turboprop.
The carrier will have four daily flights out of the airport, Elliott said. It currently offers three flights a day. Reservations for spring flights can be made starting today at
www.delta.com, Elliott said.
Despite Delta's promise to resume flights to and from Hilton Head, some local officials were concerned that the carrier might not come back. Then, as now, the airline industry was struggling with high fuel costs and other financial problems.
A contingent of county and town representatives recently made a goodwill trip to Charlotte to visit officials at US Airways, the other airline serving Hilton Head, to make sure all was well with that company's service between Hilton Head and Charlotte. US Airways has said it has no plans to change its service on the island.
When Delta acquired Northwest on Oct. 29, it became the largest airline in the world. As part of the deal, Delta acquired Mesaba Airlines, a Northwest regional carrier that flies the Saab 340.
The smaller Saab 340 will be a good fit for the island, Elliott said.
Delta began service to Hilton Head in March 2007. Airport officials hailed it as a chance to tap into the busy
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Delta initially planned to serve Hilton Head only during peak-travel summer months, but the success of the route led to flights throughout the year. Elliott said Delta's Hilton Head service will fly year-round when flights resume in March.
"We are happy to be returning to the Hilton Head market," she said.
That sentiment was echoed Tuesday by Hilton Head political leaders.
Town officials hadn't yet heard about Delta's decision when they gathered at 4 p.m. Tuesday for a council meeting, but the news was welcomed.
"We were always hoping they'd come back, but you never assume," said Mayor Tom Peeples. "That's good news -- for once."
Town officials had exchanged several letters with Delta.
"That's wonderful news for the community," said town manager Steve Riley, "and good news for tourism."