Ithaca airport improves travel options despite industry trends

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Ithaca, 2 July 08 -- Just as many airlines are tightening their belts and industry specialists say at least 150 airports are in danger of service cutbacks, the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport has announced the addition of jet service on an existing route, as well as a new airline serving a new city. On Tuesday night, the airport announced Northwest will begin flying Canadair Regional Jet aircraft on flights to Detroit, and Continental will return to Ithaca, operating four daily routes to and from Newark International Airport.

Jet Set: Northwest speeds service to Detroit

Effective August 19th, Northwest Airlines, which serves Ithaca with two daily flights to Detroit and two daily flights from Detroit, will replace the Saab 340 turboprop aircraft on the morning flight from Ithaca and the evening flight from Detroit with a Bombardier CRJ200 jet featuring twelve first-class seats as well as 64 seats in coach. Northwest plans to run the larger planes for three months to gauge demand for the service.

The move represents the first time in many years Ithaca's airport has had first-class air service available. In addition, the switch to the CRJ jets will shorten the travel time to detroit by over a half hour. Michelle Berry, the airport's marketing consultant and a former member of Ithaca's Common Council, says Northwest's jet service "increases our overall offerings to business travelers and other frequent fliers." She says Borg Warner travelers, in particular, should appreciate the improved service, as the company's headquarters are in the Detroit area.

Continental serves Newark and beyond

An even more dramatic improvement to Ithaca's air service arrives in October, when Continental Airlines will begin operating four daily round-trip flights between Ithaca and Newark Liberty International Airport. The new flights to the New York metro area, on 37-seat Dash-8 turboprops, will significantly improve Ithaca's connections not just to New York City, but to the world.

Continental says the new Ithaca-to-Newark flights will more than double the number of international cities reachable from Ithaca with a single stop, and will cut travel time by as much as six hours to popular international destinations.

Continental's return will help them increase their international service. The airline previously served Ithaca until the mid 1990s, but their service was discontinued after a shuffling of regional airline ownership resulted in a duplication of routes. This time around, the Continental Connection service will be operated by CommutAir.

Just last week, Continental decided to join the Star Alliance, along with US Airways, United, and several international carriers. Following regulatory approval, travelers on Continental flights will be able to choose to earn US Airways Dividend Miles or United Mileage Plus points.