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Air Charter to Provide Service From Baltimore/Washington International Airport to Ocean City

Posted on: Thursday, 18 August 2005, 21:00 CDT

With the allure of bypassing highway traffic to reach Ocean City in 35 minutes, Simmons Air has launched a new flight service from Baltimore/Washington International Airport to Ocean City

The $99 roundtrip flights are scheduled to start Sept. 20. The Annapolis-based business will start taking reservations one to two weeks before, and plans to launch a Web site soon to handle booking.

Simmons Air is the only commercial carrier to offer direct flights from Baltimore to Ocean City, outside pricey private charters.

We've had an overwhelming interest. Our phones have been ringing off the hook, said spokeswoman Kristen Schremp.

Schremp said businessmen who have to commute to Baltimore have also expressed interest. The company expects the service to appeal to beachgoers, golfers and those with vacation homes on the Eastern Shore as well.

Mr. [Wayne] Simmons has done his homework. This is a great product, and there definitely is a market for this kind of service, said Jonathan Dean, spokesman for the Maryland Aviation Administration.

Simmons Air isn't the first airline to attempt to serve the market. Salisbury-based Henson Airlines flew the route for a time. The regional airline later became Piedmont Airlines, which merged with US Airways. But US Airways now requires a layover in Philadelphia, one of its hubs, before reaching Salisbury from Baltimore, according to the airline's Web site.

Simmons Air representatives said they modeled the business on Cape Air, a small airline that flies passengers from Providence, R.I., and Boston to seaside destinations like Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.

The business plan allows the airline to cancel flights that aren't fully booked, unlike larger carriers. Simmons Air could then offer to pay a passenger's fare for a later time. A Simmons Air official said that option gave the startup business some financial security.

If we don't have a full flight we don't have to fly, said Richard Zaledonis, director of operations.

But Zaledonis said the company didn't have a hard rule on how many passengers would be needed to fly. The Cessna 404 and 402c planes the company plans to use can carry up to 10 passengers.

If I have one person that's on the plane and says, 'I got to go,' we'll go, he said.

Flights will depart from BWI and the Ocean City Municipal Airport, located three miles outside the beach town, every two hours from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The airline plans to provide shuttles at the Ocean City airport that would take passengers as far west as Salisbury and as far north as Fenwick Island for $9. A similar service is anticipated for the Baltimore airport.

Also, Simmons Air has partnered with Enterprise Rent-A-Car to have a rental car waiting upon arrival.

Hinson Corporate Flight Services will fly and operate the planes.

Flights from BWI will depart from the Pro Flight Hanger, which means travelers will have free, unlimited parking at the airport, where parking normally is at least $8 a day. Parking is also free at the Ocean City terminal.

You cut six hours of traveling time into one hour. - In today's market, there are a lot of people where money is time, Zaledonis said.

Source: The Daily Record (Baltimore)

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