ROUTES AMERICAS: Denver in High Spirits as LCC Returns

Spirit Airlines has announced its return to the Denver market after an eight year absence with new daily links to be offered from Denver International Airport to its four largest bases, Chicago O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Fort Lauderdale and Las Vegas from May 3, 2012. The airline is taking advantage of a contraction from the city’s largest carrier United Airlines to provide new low-cost flight options for travellers in a market that is also served by Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

Spirit Airlines will offer a single daily rotation to Chicago O’Hare and Fort Lauderdale but a double daily offering to Dallas/Fort Worth International (second rotation begins from May 17, 2012) and Las Vegas. All four routes are currently served by its rivals with more than 130 weekly flights already being operated from Denver to Dallas and Las Vegas and the table below highlights the key data for each route, with strong annual traffic flows on all four.

"We understand that Denver has been looking for an ultra low cost carrier and we are here to satisfy that need," said Barry Biffle, Chief Marketing Officer, Spirit Airlines. "Our cheap fares and optional services have saved customers millions because they give consumers the freedom to choose only the extras they value and they only pay for what they use."

The Denver announcement follows a period of notable network expansion from the budget carrier, which will also see it significantly grow in the Dallas market. Starting from March this year it will phase four additional routes into its network from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport having already inaugurated three new routes to Atlanta, New York LaGuardia and Orlando earlier this month. The new flights comprise daily rotations to Boston and Phoenix Mesa from March 22, 2012; a three times weekly link to Myrtle Beach from May 3, 2012 and a four times weekly service to Tampa from May 4, 2012. Spirit has also applied for rights to fly to Toluca in Mexico.

Elsewhere, the low-cost carrier will introduce a daily rotation between Atlantic City and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport from May 17, 2012 and will resume daily seasonal flights from Atlantic City to Boston (from March 1, 2012) and to Chicago and Detroit (from May 3, 2012). A new daily non-stop link will also be offered between Arnold Palmer Regional Airport near Pittsburgh and Orlando, Florida on May 17, 2012: Spirit describes Arnold Palmer Regional as an “excellent alternative” to Pittsburgh International Airport as its location in Latrobe is is conveniently located along Routes 30 and 981 in Western Pennsylvania.