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Cheap seats at Dulles
Virginia Business
October 2004
How
low can airline tickets go? Not much lower than what’s
being offered by new discount airline Independence Air,
which operates from a hub at Washington Dulles Inter-national
Airport. A special sale in August had passengers paying
$29 for a one-way flight to Norfolk, $44 to New York
and $54 to Chicago, Detroit and Boston.
Until this year, Independ-ence Air operated as Atlantic
Coast Airlines (ACA), a commuter feeder for United and
Delta Airlines that, unlike others in the industry,
actually turned a profit of $83 million in 2003. When
United filed for bankruptcy in December 2002 and insisted
on a new contract with its partner airlines, Kerry Skeen,
CEO of ACA, decided to go independent. The company’s
first flight took off in June.
Since then Independence Air has grown quickly, offering
300 daily departures to 37 destinations. Skeen says
his company gives travelers “exactly what they’ve
been asking for: low, simple fares, excellent service,
a faster, easier travel experience and a convenient,
flexible schedule of flights.” For business and
leisure travelers — especially in cities such
as Richmond, which isn’t served by a discount
carrier — Independence offers an incentive to
hit the road and drive to Dulles to take advantage of
the cheaper fares.
Return to Virginia Business - October 2004
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