For several years, OregonThe state capital Salem, located right in the state’s wine country, has no commercial air service.
But that is about to change.
Ultra-low-cost startup Avelo Airlines announced that it plans to launch flights from the city to its bases in Las Vegas and Burbank, California.
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Twice-weekly flights between Salem, Oregon and Las Vegas will begin October 5 and fly on Thursdays and Sundays. Avelo will also operate flights twice a week on Fridays and Mondays between the Oregon capital and Burbank, California, on October 6. One-way fares to the two cities start at $39.
The ultra-low-cost startup says it wants to launch flights out of Salem Municipal Airport (SLE) due to its location in the Willamette Valley, Oregon’s wine country. The area is home to 70% of the state’s population.
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Chris Hoy, mayor of Salem, praised the announcement made after the city spent millions of dollars to prioritize its airport for commercial air service.
“As our city continues its journey of maturity, commercial passenger air service will make it easier to invest in our city and will make it easier for our residents to travel the world. a little more approachable,” Hoy said in a statement.
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The addition of Salem to Avelo’s map fits the startup’s business model of operating flights out of smaller cities that often have no commercial air service or very limited passenger flights. to popular entertainment destinations. Earlier this year, Avelo make the first flight from Wilmington, Delaware, which once held the title of being the only state in the United States without commercial air service.
Avelo may also consider adding flights to San Francisco And Phoenix if its operation in Salem is successful, according to a report from politician magazine.
For the past two decades, Salem has been hoping to launch commercial air service in the city to no avail. Delta Airlines fly for a short time from Salem, Oregon, to Salt Lake City between 2007 and 2008. However, AtlantaThe carrier based here quickly scrapped the route, blaming the 2008 recession and soaring fuel prices. SeaPort Airlines, a regional airline founded in 2016, also temporary operation flights in Salem in 2011, using the capital as a stopover for the route between Newport, Oregon, and Portland, Oregon.
Despite past failed attempts to bring commercial air service to Oregon’s capital, Avelo CEO Andrew Levy seems optimistic that the ultra-low-cost airline can succeed.
“As the first airline to serve the Capital City in nearly 15 years, Avelo makes getting to your favorite destinations easier and more affordable than ever,” Levy said in a statement. . “Say goodbye to the hassle of long and gas-consuming drives to other remote airports, and say hello to a new era of convenience, low fares and reliability.”
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