Airline’s Keys Plans Still in Holding Pattern

By Ryan Mccarthy, Florida Keys Keynoter, Marathon

Dec. 22–Despite basically announcing plans to begin service to Florida Keys Marathon Airport Dec. 14, Vintage Props & Jets remains no closer to doing so, Monroe County Airports Director Peter Horton said.

“Where it stands is they’re trying to get a code-share agreement with someone. What that means is they could haul for another airline and travel is then seamless,” Horton said. “Right now they are point to point; you cannot check your bags through with another airline.”

The New Smyrna-based airline in October had a graphic on the home page of its Web site depicting Marathon as one of its stopping points. Vintage spokesman Ren Crete said at the time the company made its intentions known to the Global Distribution System because of the length of time it takes to set up flights.

Crete did not immediately return calls for comment Friday.

Vintage flies nine-passenger Beech King Air 100 turbo-prop planes.

Horton said he met with Vintage officials two weeks ago and that the company had not addressed several important issues. Aside from lacking a code share with another airline, Vintage was unaware the Transportation Security Administration requires a 120-day window to provide service.

Horton said Vintage was unwilling to begin service to Marathon in the summer months.

“After Delta left with load factors in the very low percentile for the off-season months – as low as 35 percent – it has been very difficult. No one we have talked to wants to start service in the summer,” he said.

Horton said if Vintage was willing to forego receiving incentive money and fly non-sterile, they could begin service immediately.

Flying non-sterile is when a passenger doesn’t go through security leaving one destination where the TSA doesn’t have screeners. That means that passenger would have to go through the entire security process after reaching his or her destination.

Sterile means once in the system at the initial takeoff site, you don’t need to go through security again.

“They said they didn’t want to do that, but that’s exactly what they’re going to do in Key West,” he said. Vintage is slated to begin a daily flight to Fort Lauderdale from Key West International Airport sometime before the new year, Horton said.

Meanwhile, Horton said he has been in talks with Cape Air, another nine-passenger operation.

“We’ve had some very good conversations and a site visit with Cape Air, they are very enthusiastic,” he said. “It looks favorable for a start in the fall of 2008.”

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