Frontier Airlines is poised to offer more air travel options from Delaware in the near future.
Frontier CEO David Siegel announced Wednesday morning it is expanding its service at the New Castle County Airport. The Denver-based budget airline plans to begin service from Delaware to Atlanta and Detroit three days a week this spring.
Frontier’s previously announced flights from New Castle to Fort Myers, Florida begin on November 16th.
This expansion comes just two months after Frontier cancelled its direct service from Houston to Delaware.
"There was a better market we should have chosen had we been better listeners," admitted Siegel. "We don't expect to be right 100% of the time, but I think with the input of the local community, we can improve our batting average."
Siegel added that all of the other service destinations are doing well and have brought over 70,000 passengers through New Castle County Airport since beginning service in July.
Director of Airports for the Delaware River and Bay Authority Stephen Williams says those are promising numbers for both the airport and Frontier.
“Every time we gather here it is a further validation of this market, further validation of what we are doing at this airport, the partnership that we have with Frontier Airlines," said Williams. "We are really grateful that they have elected to add service here. We think we will do very well from this market.”
Governor Markell encouraged Delawareans to take advantage of Frontier's service.
"Their success is our success, so it is up to us to make them successful and it is absolutely in our interest to do so," said Markell. "When they are successful here, it means that people are working here and providing great options for the traveling community."
Frontier's parent company Republic Airways is currently in talks with Indigo Partners Group about a capital investment in the airline. Siegel says deal or no deal, customers can still expect the same low prices, destinations, and customer service standards that Frontier currently has.
“If the Indigo Partners deal does close we will have more capital and well have a financial backer that has an unmatched track record of success in low cost airlines," said Siegel. "You’ll see us growing at a much more significant rate.”
Indigo Partners Group most recent investment was in Spirit Airlines, a budget airline similar to Frontier. Under Indigo control, Spirit became on of the fastest growing airlines in the industry.
Indigo sold its stake in Spirit this summer.