The sight of Spirit Airlines’ bright yellow Airbus passenger jets approaching or departing West Virginia International Yeager Airport will fade into the sunset in May.
Officials at the Charleston airport announced Thursday that Spirit had given notice it will end its year-round nonstop service to Orlando, as well as its seasonal nonstop flights to Myrtle Beach, effective May 4.
The low-cost carrier’s association with CRW began in 2013, with twice-weekly seasonal flights linking Charleston to the popular warm weather vacation destination of Myrtle Beach.
The airline will issue notices of cancellation to all ticketed passengers who have booked flights after May 4, 2023, according to a news release from the airport. Spirit is advising its customers to contact the airline directly for assistance by visiting its website or calling 855-728-3555.
Airport officials credited a Small Community Air Service Development Grant that provided a minimum-revenue guarantee for new commercial air service routes with convincing the airline to begin staging nonstop flights between Charleston and Orlando.
Last year, the Charleston airport was awarded a $600,000 Small Community Air Service Development Grant to support its effort to restore nonstop flights to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
The airport “will continue to actively pursue other air service providers to resume flights to Orlando International Airport and Myrtle Beach International Airport and other routes in our region,” according to Thursday’s news release.
“I’m disappointed to learn that Spirit Airlines will be ending service from Yeager Airport in Charleston due to more cuts the airline is making,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said in a statement released Thursday. “In the meantime, my office is working closely with Yeager to find any and all options.”
Rick Steelhammer is a features reporter. He can be reached at 304-348-5169 or rsteelhammer@hdmediallc
