Providence, Rhode Island becomes smallest U.S. airport to have European flights
In its second month of service, Providence is rockin’ it with scheduled long-haul service to Europe. Previously offering only domestic flights, T.F. Green Airport has scored it big with bargain-seeking flyers looking to fly overseas.
In June, two airlines arrived: TACV launched twice-weekly service to Praia, Cabo Verde (a Portuguese-speaking nation off the coast of Africa) and Condor Airlines started flying twice weekly to Frankfurt, Germany. Both report strong success with high load factors on flights. Condor will operate seasonally with flights ending in September, but relaunch again next summer. TACV will fly year-round.
Aviation fans may remember Condor as the holiday charter arm of Lufthansa Group. These days, it operates more as a hybrid carrier catering to both price-sensitive business travelers and leisure flyers. Flights to Europe from Providence begin at $682 roundtrip including taxes, which is unheard of during the busy summer season.
In the 1990s, Providence had charter flights to the Portuguese Azores islands by SATA International, but they were later discontinued.
New England has a strong Cape Verdean community and international interest in areas like Boston, Maine and Newport, RI. Still, Providence is the smallest airport in the U.S. to offer European flights Kelly Fredericks, president of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation, said in a press release:
“This is a huge victory for Rhode Island. Our expectation is that this is going to lead to other opportunities.”
The same concept holds true for other mid-size airports across the country. Austin, Texas never had long-haul service until British Airways launched flights with Boeing Dreamliner aircraft. So popular are the airline’s flights that it’s upgrading the service to larger Boeing 777 aircraft on Oct. 25.
Smaller, more efficient aircraft and high-hoped airport commissioners are creating unique opportunities for communities. Providence is planning to expand its runway in hopes to lure additional airlines. As part of the negotiations to bring airline service, many airports offer incentives. Providence waived landing fees for two years as part of its package to bring in Condor, which also interlines with Lufthansa (meaning you can check your bag through between carriers). For consumers, this is nothing but good news as it can help to lower fares for travelers interested in avoiding congested hubs and saving some cash.