By Betty Lin-Fisher
Beacon Journal business writer
The Akron-Canton Airport and accompanying regional travel market are strong with room for growth, the head of Spirit Airlines said on Thursday.
Bob Fornaro would know. The CEO of Spirit Airlines was also with the former AirTran Airways during its years of massive growth at Akron-Canton Airport, including serving as its CEO.
Spirit Airlines launched its new service from Akron-Canton with its first flight arriving from Fort Lauderdale Thursday morning.
The big yellow plane — about one-third of the airline’s planes are yellow — arrived to a welcome of officials holding signs on the tarmac and a water cannon salute.
“This was the best small airport [for AirTran],” said Fornaro during an interview before the flight arrived.
He expects the airport to similarly be successful for Spirit, where he has been leader for 10 months.
“I’ve worked with a hand full of communities that stood out. I’d put this airport at the top of the list,” said Fornaro. That includes airport administration willing to work with airlines and travelers.
Fornaro said Northeast Ohio is large enough to have Spirit Airlines serve both Cleveland Hopkins (where it flies to nine destinations) and Akron-Canton (where it will have four daily departures as of Friday and two more in April.)
“We think we’ll have good [market] share in Cleveland and a higher pull here,” he said of Akron-Canton. “Quite frankly, we think this market is big enough for us.”
On Thursday, Spirit began daily service to three destinations: Orlando International Airport, Tampa and Fort Lauderdale. Daily service to Fort Myers starts on Friday.
On April 27, the airline will begin daily service to Myrtle Beach (seasonally) and year-round service to Las Vegas. At that time, Tampa and Fort Myers will end for the season.
Fornaro said the airline actually moved up its announcement and decision to bring Las Vegas to the Akron-Canton market once it heard that Allegiant Air, the airport’s newest airline, was pulling its six destinations and moving them up to Cleveland next April.
Additionally, the reduction of Southwest flights earlier this year — pulling all of its flights except three daily to Atlanta — also creates an opportunity for Spirit, Fornaro said.
When Fornaro was asked what he sees for the Akron-Canton market in the next five years, he said he continues to see key destinations in Florida and possibly flying to the West Coast.
Airport CEO Rick McQueen said the airport’s runways and plane engine technology have made it possible for Akron-Canton to host planes that could go to the West Coast and even internationally to Europe and South America. The airport’s focus is not travel internationally to Europe, though McQueen said he could see airplanes going to the Caribbean and Mexico, in addition to the West Coast.
Advanced bookings for the new Spirit flights are doing well and the airline is encouraged, said Matt Klein, Spirit senior vice president and chief commercial officer.
“It’s great service and fares. We’re very encouraged,” he said.
Linda Baron of Kirtland and Randall Walker of Willoughby were waiting to board the inaugural flight to Fort Lauderdale to go to an aikido martial arts seminar. It was their first time flying Spirit. They paid a base fare of $149 for the two tickets round trip and a total of $206 once they paid for a carry-on bag.
Walker said it was a learning experience to figure out the various pricing levels for add-ons with the airline. But Baron said they were still pleased with the cheap flight, which they estimate saved them at least $100 over another airline.
Spirit is considered an ultra-low carrier model, similar to Allegiant. Spirit’s low ticket prices — some starting at less than $50 one way — only include a seat and one personal item that can be stowed underneath a seat. Other things, such as a carry-on bag, checked bag and seat assignments are extra. They are on a graduated price scale, with the cheapest prices at the time of booking on www.spirit.com. Spirit’s yellow airplanes, the youngest fleet in the United States, also pack in about 20 more passengers than other airlines and seats don’t recline. There is no first class or business class, but the airline has its “big front seat” area.
Also to celebrate its arrival at the Akron-Canton Airport, Spirit awarded one traveler free monthly flights for two people for four years. Ryan Smith of North Canton, who works in marketing at Mount Union, was the lucky winner.
Smith, 22, said he didn’t have enough vacation time to take a flight every month (the free flight is not transferable), but said he looks forward to going to some of Spirit’s destinations with his girlfriend.
Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her @blinfisherABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/BettyLinFisherABJ and see all her stories at www.ohio.com/betty