Swift service to SWF: AirTran heads for the Hudson Valley

A major move by discount airline AirTran Airways into the exurbs of New York City, specifically the Hudson Valley. To kick things off, the carrier is offering introductory discount airfares as low as $79

The high-frills, cheapseater plans to launch nonstop service from Newburgh’s Stewart International Airport (SWF) to a quartet of destinations: Atlanta (ATL), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Orlando (MCO), and Tampa (TPA). 717s will begin plying the routes south starting January 11, 2007.

To encourage Hudson Valley fliers to give them a try, AirTran is offering an introductory, one-way discount airfare of $79 to Atlanta, and $89 to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, or Tampa.

These special fares require a 21-day advance purchase, and have to be bought by October 31. You can travel through March 1, 2007. Neither taxes nor fees are included in these prices. They’re extra.

The news is especially good for Hudson Valley fliers, who have long been in search of a significant commitment by a low-fare airline.

Once, SWF seriously flirted with discount airline Southwest, but it started service out of Islip, on Long Island. JetBlue JetBlue would have been perfect but the carrier was too close geographically, with its major base at New York JFK.

That left open the way for AirTran.

Aside from politicians praising the decision by AirTran to set up shop at Stewart, the airport itself is clearly happy. “AirTran Airways is one of the best-run low-cost airlines in America today,” says Charles Seliga, President and COO of Stewart International Airport. He predicts that the new service will "turn into a huge success”.

There will be a pair of daily nonstops to Atlanta — site of AirTran’s primary hub — as well as single daily sojourns to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Tampa.

© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler