The Federal Department of Transportation has done what many locally expected and the North Central West Virginia Airport will have a new daily air service provider flying out of Bridgeport. NCWV Airport Director Rick Rock confirmed that the DOT has approved Via Air to provide the daily service through the Essential Air Service (EAS) program funded by the FAA.

 

“The DOT did their due diligence and we just recent received the word. Via is preparing to begin that service and barring something unusual, will begin flights Oct. 1 or very shortly thereafter,” said Rock. “We’re anticipating Oct. 1.”

 

What that means is come Sept. 30, the current daily service provider, Silver Airlines that provides flights to Washington-Dulles International Airport for visits there or to make connecting flights, will come to an end. Although Silver was one of several airlines that bid to receive the EAS funding that subsidizes service to rural communities, the Benedum Airport Authority – the  airport’s  governing body – opted to go with Via Air.

 

“Via is doing everything to be ready to go. We expect this to be a very positive experience for travelers,” said Rock. “They’re going to be selling tickets in short order.”

 

Rock said he didn’t know the fare schedule as it hadn’t been officially released as of this morning, but was “certain” they would be much cheaper than the flights currently being offered by Silver to Washington. Authority President Ron Watson said recently that the tickets would be “really, really, really cheap.” Rock said you could check Via’s Web site for potential updates that would include fares in the very near future.

 

Via Air will not be going to Washington-Dulles. Instead, they will have twice daily flights to Baltimore-Washington International Airport Monday through Friday. And there will be solo flights to and from Bridgeport on Saturday and Sunday. There will also be four flights a week to Charlotte and four return flights.

 

“We’ve seen a schedule, but they’re making tweaks to it,” said Rock. “We hope the community can get behind this and build momentum with daily service. The first priority is a reliable product and the second is that it’s affordable.”

 

Numerous Authority meetings in recent years have featured complaints from travelers, as well as board members, about constant flight cancelations and delays through Silver as well as high priced fares. The one benefit Silver did have was code sharing, which allowed you to book a flight through Silver and the connecting flight booking to another destination was also made.

 

Authority members said that was a great thing Silver offered, but it was a moot benefit since flights were constantly scrapped and fares were causing fewer people to use the service. Via, as well as every other airline except Silver that bid on the EAS program for Bridgeport, does not have a code share agreement with any major airline. What that means is that the traveler has to book their flight with a major airline as well as with Via.

 

“Via is working to acquire a code share agreement. We feel confident that progress is being made as does Via, but this is still a positive situation for the airport, the region and travelers,” Rock said. “We hope to draw new passengers with this service.”

 

The air service will involve a 30-seat Embraer 120 Brasilia aircraft. It is a turbo prop plane. BWI has Amtrak service that goes to multiple destinations, including Philadelphia and New York City, Rock said. Also, the BWI Hub is primarily a Southwest hub.

 

Click HERE to go to the Via Air Web site.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo is of NCWV Airport Director Rick Rock, while the Embraer 120 Brasilia aircraft is shown below.