Newest Dayton airline could add route; overall airport traffic up slightly

Avelo had a good launch in Dayton, and bookings are still doing well, though there’s still room for growth, said Courtney Goff, Avelo’s communications manager.

Passenger traffic at the airport was up in the first quarter of this year, even though airlines have reduced capacity mainly due to pilot shortages, officials said.

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Avelo Airlines launched twice weekly air service to Orlando from the Dayton International Airport on Jan. 13, and all 189 seats on the inaugural flight were sold out.

Bookings were strong at launch and are still doing well, even though demand has softened some, Goff said.

Bookings from Dayton to Orlando International Airport have been good, compared to other markets that serve that facility, but they could be even better, Goff said.

The share of seats sold and occupied on Avelo’s flights from Dayton to Orlando increased to 86.1% in March from 64% in February, airport data show.

All airlines saw sizable increases in “enplanements” in March, but Avelo’s growth far exceeded the rest. The number of passengers on Orlando flights increased by more than 50% in March, according to the airport.

Avelo has already started selling tickets for Orlando flights through the end of October, which Turner said is a good sign.

Avelo has decided to pull out of some of the markets it served just months after launching because of weak demand and performance.

Turner recently said Avelo by fall or early 2023 possibly could announce new service out of Dayton, likely to Tampa.

Goff, the communications manager, said Avelo has not solidified any new routes for Dayton, but she added that Tampa is a great destination that offers a completely different Florida experience, with world-famous beaches and vibrant metropolitan areas to explore.

“We’re always exploring how we can grow,” she said. “The first step is to knock it out of the park with existing service.”

Florida is a top vacation destination and every market in the Sunshine State is sought after, said Linda Hughes, Dayton’s air service manager.

Hughes noted that demand for air travel is up at the Dayton airport, even though airline capacity is down.

The Dayton International Airport saw a more than 4% increase in passenger traffic in the first quarter of this year, even though the number of available seats on departing flights declined by about 8%.

Delta reduced capacity and suspended service to Detroit and Minneapolis, officials said, and the airline gave up one of its gates, meaning it now only uses two.

Flights departing the Dayton airport have an 80% load factor — signifying that 80% of seats are filled — and that means airlines are making money, officials said.

“It makes a good case for them to add more service in Dayton,” Turner said.

Airport staff continue to try to convince airlines to bring new service to Dayton. Officials said they’d love to add flights to Las Vegas, Boston and other markets.