A new airline is on course to arrive at Daytona Beach early next year, which not only should give a welcome shot in the arm to the airport, but also could help boost the area economy.
The Volusia County Council on Thursday unanimously approved a $400,000 marketing agreement with JetBlue, the popular low-cost airline that operates direct flights to and from New York City. Under the agreement, Daytona International Airport will contribute $200,000, while the Daytona Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority and West Volusia Advertising Authority will contribute a combined $200,000 to a marketing plan, which is expected to launch in October and November. The first JetBlue flight is scheduled to land here Jan. 7.
Previously, the business community negotiated an incentive package that includes pledges by members of the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce to purchase nearly $250,000 tickets for JetBlue flights in both 2016 and 2017.
The airport had been pursuing JetBlue for more than a decade before the airline finally announced in February its intentions to add Daytona Beach to its routes. That was a big catch for the airport in a very competitive market. Along with Southwest Airlines, JetBlue is one of the nation’s most desirable carriers. For example, the Cincinnati Enquirer this week published a story asking the question, “What will it take to lure JetBlue?”
“Getting JetBlue has been viewed by many local leaders as the centerpiece to (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport’s) reinvention,” the newspaper wrote.
Score one — a big one — for Daytona Beach.
Daytona Beach International could use the additional business. Although the airport has rebounded nicely from the downturn of the Great Recession, passenger traffic declined in August for a fourth straight month. Airport officials have attributed the decrease primarily to Delta Air Lines and US Airways offering fewer flights than they did in August of last year, and to Delta’s switch to smaller planes. The good news is those smaller aircraft are being filled — the percentage of available seats filled on arriving and departing flights rose in August to the highest level this year.
Adding JetBlue will provide travelers with more options. Competition is a good thing.
The nature of JetBlue also should provide added value. The airline this year topped several surveys of customer satisfaction with airlines — often a tough crowd to impress. Its low-cost flights to and from JFK International Airport in New York open a new gateway to Daytona Beach. Residents here are eyeing affordable weekend getaways to the Big Apple, while Volusia County has a unique new tool to probe the New York market. Local tourism officials here say that JetBlue service changes people’s perceptions of Daytona Beach.
Finally, having JetBlue service could create economic development opportunities for this area, enticing businesses to give Volusia County a closer look when considering moving or expanding their operations.
Approving the marketing agreement was a no-brainer for a deal with this much potential. It shows what can be accomplished when local officials and the business community work together to reach a common goal.
Source: http://www.news-journalonline.com
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