"Services to be added at Harrisburg airport"

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Services to be added at Harrisburg airport
BY DAN MILLER
The Harrisburg (PA) Patriot-News 


Airlines emerging from bankruptcy have helped Harrisburg International
Airport reverse a 20-month decline in passenger traffic, officials say. 

They hope that trend will be strengthened now that Delta Air Lines Inc. has
shed bankruptcy protection. Some promising signs have been seen. 

HIA spokesman Scott Miller said yesterday that Delta, starting June 7, will
add a sixth daily nonstop flight from Harrisburg to Atlanta. The flight will
be operated Sunday through Friday via Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc.,
which is one of two Delta affiliates that serve HIA. The other affiliate is
Comair, which provides service from HIA to Cincinnati. 
 
The five current daily nonstop flights from HIA to Atlanta are all seven
days a week. Miller said the additional flight is meant to serve business
travelers. 

Miller said Delta also is adding a check-in kiosk that should be in place in
the HIA terminal later this week. Equipment in the kiosk is designed to
speed the check-in process for travelers who do not have baggage to check. 

Among the six other major airlines that serve HIA, US Airways, United,
Northwest and Continental already have check-in kiosks in place. Now that
Delta is adding one, American Eagle and Air Canada will be the only airlines
that don't have kiosks. American Eagle is a regional affiliate of American
Airlines. 

After emerging from bankruptcy, United in 2006 increased the number of seats
it has for sale at HIA by 5 percent from 2005. Through March 31, United has
flown 5.2 percent more passengers to and from HIA than a year earlier. 

In January, US Airways cut fares to 75 airports the airline serves out of
HIA. So far this year, US Airways has served 4.3 percent more passengers at
HIA than in 2006, increasing its market share at HIA to nearly 33 percent. 

Delta serves about 19 percent of HIA passengers, placing it third among
airlines at HIA. United ranks second, behind US Airways. 

"Now we're hopeful that with Delta out of bankruptcy, they will be able to
grow here as have US Airways and United when they exited bankruptcy," Miller
said.

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