MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - As of Thursday, Spirit Airlines is now offering five new direct flights to and from Myrtle Beach International airport.
Flights are now available to the following:
- Washington DC
- Latrobe, PA
- Charleston, WV
- Niagara Falls, NY
- Plattsburgh, NY
Passengers flying from Charleston, WV, to Myrtle Beach Thursday were some of the first people to take advantage of the new flight options. Many of them found the flight to be quick and inexpensive - making flying a feasible alternative to driving.
"I don't know how they can do it so cheap," commented Kathleen Marcum. "It's a whole lot cheaper than driving."
Brock Bradley echoed that thought. He is exactly the type of passenger many business people in the Myrtle Beach area would love to hear about. More visitors in the area means more money spent in the local economy.
"With gas four dollars and 30 cents a gallon, I mean, 80 dollars, you can't make it halfway on 80 dollars in a vehicle," commented Brock Bradley. "I haven't been here since 2002. So it's been a while since I've been down, but this flight makes it a lot easier to get down here."
Other passengers said they will likely make return trips more often because of the new flight from West Virginia.
Travelers like Marcum and Bradley are exactly what Spirit Airlines expected. The company's research determined flights between the five cities and Myrtle Beach provided the most potential for growth.
Niagara Falls and Plattsburgh are thought to be a huge success especially among Canadian visitors. In the spirit of competition, Direct Air already offers the same New York flights, which could be good news when it comes to airfare.
Flights from DC might draw business travelers and help people get to our nation's capital easier. Charleston and Latrobe are both new destinations for Myrtle Beach International Airport.
Lauren Morris, spokesperson for Horry County Airports said these flights will give locals and visitors more options.
"It's a family destination, you can get here affordably," Morris said. "The beach is free. Our dining and entertainment options are kind of for every person and every budget so I think we're really well positioned in that so we've seen the success from that."
The new flights will also help the airport in reaching their goal of seeing one million passengers go through the airport. Myrtle Beach International wants people to know that with the addition of these flights everyone should expect lines to be longer and parking to be more of a challenge. An additional challenge is the construction which is currently underway. Officials at the airport recommend budgeting at least an hour and half to get through TSA and check-in.
Some flyers say they will not take advantage of these new flights because they do not like to fly spirit. They said the additional charges for soft drinks and the restrictions for carry-ons is not worth it. Others disagree and believe the flights will allow them to vacation more. They are also hopeful more tourists will come through our area.
"Well I mean we have a lot of people from the New York area," local Patrick Martin said. "A lot of golfers so that will help out a lot and there are a lot of families...I have a practice in Surfside beach and I have a lot of patients who come in for the winter so I think it will be good for them too."
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