ROUTES AMERICAS: Start-up Brings PEOPLExpress Back to US Domestic Skies

A new carrier plans to launch operations this summer from Newport News / Williamsburg International Airport under the PEOPLExpress Airlines brand serving many of the markets previously flown by the carrier of the same name back in the 1980s prior to it becoming absorbed into Continental Airlines. The start-up is expected to initially operate as a virtual airline on the Air Operators Certificate (AOC) of an established venture and is currently formalizing its planned route network.

With a mission to serve markets currently underserved by major carriers, PEOPLExpress says it will offer deeply discounted fares to select cities in the eastern US initially from Newport News / Williamsburg International Airport, but potentially from other locations across the US. It has selected the Boeing 737-400 for its flights and says these will be configured in a single-class, 158-seat layout.

PEOPLEexpress Airlines is expected to launch operations with three or four aircraft but already has plans to expand to a fleet of up to ten units by the year-end. Although its network has not been officially announced, the carrier’s management has Pittsburgh, PA, Providence, RI, West Palm Beach, FL and Newark, NJ, as potential markets. It says opportunities exist in these locations as airline consolidation over the past few years has led to a reduction of non-stop air service.

The legacy namesake of the new PEOPLExpress operated in the United States from 1981 to 1987, and was at one time the fifth largest domestic airline with flights to most major US cities, as well as select European destinations. The original PEOPLExpress changed the face of the airline industry in the 1980s, and the revived brand vows to re-ignite the brand’s unique spirit of innovation to address today’s market needs.

“With the recent decline in airline service due to mergers and consolidations, we have all had to travel farther out of our way to get anywhere. Flights are more expensive and the many ancillary fees make flying a hassle. Our goal is to make flying fun again,” said Mike Morisi, Chief Operating Officer, PEOPLExpress Airlines.

According to Morisi, the start-up will eliminate most fees for items such as checked bags and seat assignments and will offer a pricing structure that is “significantly more affordable than regional service provided by feeder airlines,” he notes.

Newport News / Williamsburg International Airport is currently served by Allegiant Air, Delta Air Lines, US Airways and AirTran Airways, although the latter has recently revealed plans to stop its flights.