Travel to New York City just got easier for Worcester-area residents. Thanks to Massport's aggressive regionalization efforts, American Eagle started service today between Worcester Regional Airport and JFK Airport in New York City with three daily roundtrips. From JFK, travelers can connect to 19 other domestic American Eagle destinations as well as American Airlines wide array of domestic and transcontinental destinations.

"Daily service to New York is a big plus for local business travelers," said Massport Executive Director and CEO Virginia Buckingham. "In the time it would take to drive from Central Mass to Logan, travelers can now be in New York City. This is a win-win for the airport and the people of Central Massachusetts."

Massport took over operation of Worcester Airport on January 15, 2000 under an agreement aimed at reviving the underutilized facility. Since then, two major airlines, Delta/ASA and American Eagle, have started new service to Atlanta and New York, respectively. Delta ASA serves Worcester with twice daily non-stop flights to Atlanta. American Eagle will operate three daily round-trip flights to JFK on 34-seat Saab 340b turboprop aircraft.

Currently, Massport officials are marketing the regional airport and meeting with representatives of airlines operating out of Logan to highlight Worcester Airport as an option. In addition, Massport launched an ad campaign in May with the headline "Even Worcester Airport has delays. 5 minutes to park, 2 minutes to check in." The ads are aimed building awareness about the new service and added convenience of using Worcester Airport; the campaign is targeted to potential passengers within 25 miles of the airport. The three-month campaign will be displayed at area cinemas and local newspapers and radio stations.

Massport is tapping into the nearly one million people in the Worcester market area who generate approximately 2 million trips per year. In 1999, the airport served fewer than 50,000 passengers --- less than three percent of the region's demand for air service.

"We are confident that with convenient, reliable air service and competitive fares, Worcester Regional Airport can play a significant role in our regional aviation system," said Buckingham.

In marketing Worcester Airport, Massport is building on the success seen at regional airports in Manchester and Providence - the two fastest growing airports in the nation in 1997 and 1998 - which have grown at about 40 percent. While regional airports are booming, Logan's growth has declined to about two percent a year. Increased service at Worcester and a new runway at Logan will improve the efficiency of New England's regional transportation system.

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