New airline, destination added for AZO
A new airline and a new destination were announced July 28 by officials at Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport.
Avelo Air will begin twice-a-week service to Orlando (MCO) in fall 2022. The direct-flight service from AZO begins Oct. 26 and the Texas-based company is offering an introductory rate of $59 one-way for flights that are booked on or before Aug. 2.
After its inaugural AZO flight, the company will service Kalamazoo each Monday and Friday.
Jim Olson, Avelo’s head of communications, was joined by airport director Craig Williams in making the announcement. Olson said Kalamazoo fits the company’s niche in servicing what he calls “hometown airports.”
“This community and this airport fit perfectly with our mission of serving secondary, small, hometown airports," Olson said.
New service also was announced this week for airports in Lexington, Ky., and Lansing.
Olson said Avelo conducts extensive market research and, based on that, the airline concluded Florida is a popular destination for the Kalamazoo region and Orlando is its No. 1 destination in Florida.
He said demand for the route will dictate whether Avelo adds more flights per week or even other destinations.
“If you fill up these planes, there will be more to come,” he said. “Our purpose is to inspire travel and the best way to inspire travel is to take people and make travel easier, more affordable to places they want to go, and that’s exactly what we’re doing here today, that’s exactly what we’re doing when our plane arrives here in October.”
He also promised “a friendlier experience” when flying with Avelo.
Avelo’s fleet is composed of 737-700 and 737-800 airplanes that have a capacity of about 170 passengers. Flights will depart from Orlando late-afternoon Fridays and Mondays, land in Kalamazoo around 8 p.m., board passengers and depart from Kalamazoo an hour later, making the 2 1/2-hour return to Orlando.
AZO also is serviced by American Airlines, which flies to and from O’Hare International in Chicago, and Delta, with service to and from Detroit.
This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: A new airline and a destination were announced at Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport.
