Avelo lands with inaugural flight to Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
Jun. 21—Avelo Airlines' first flight to Manchester-Boston Regional Airport landed Wednesday morning, with a couple aboard who plan to elope near Lake Winnipesaukee this weekend.
Later in the day, another couple took off on flight XP603 to Raleigh-Durham International Airport to spend time golfing and looking at real estate on a scouting trip for a potential retirement spot.
The Boeing 737-800 touched down just before 10:30 a.m. with about 135 of its 189 seats filled. The visitors were greeted with swag and certificates to commemorate the first flight to MHT. The flights between Manchester and Raleigh-Durham are scheduled twice weekly, on Thursdays and Sundays.
The ultra low-cost carrier (think Spirit, Allegiant and Frontier) launched in 2021 with Burbank, California, as its first base.
MHT also offers service from American, Spirit, United and Southwest, which is the airport's largest carrier.
One-way fares on Avelo can run as low as $59, with additional fees for seat selection ($11 and up) and priority boarding ($15). One free personal item is allowed, but charges apply to overhead carry-on and checked bags.
The airline only offers direct flights, with no connections.
Melissa Schmidt and Jason Caudle flew to New Hampshire to tie the knot on Saturday at a farm in Alton.
"We saw an article about Avelo being a new airline, and the flights were priced very competitively, so we decided to do it," Schmidt said.
Schmidt has always flown on JetBlue to Boston when traveling. Caudle has never been to the Northeast.
"I thought it was just as good as any other airline we've been on," Schmidt said, moments after stepping off the plane.
"They are starting their life together here and it says a lot," said Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig. "There were many people coming home who lived here at one point who were visiting family. There was a dad who grew up right around the corner from where I did. He graduated from Memorial High as well and is visiting with his son."
Economic development officials say the twice-weekly flights could create strong ties with businesses in the area known as the Research Triangle.
Andy and Terri McDonough were the first off the plane after it landed. Originally from Rochester, they flew into town to spend time with family and will return to North Carolina on Sunday.
"It's an hour to the Seacoast," Andy McDonough said. "It's better than landing in Boston and dealing with trying to get out of Logan Airport."
MHT's newest airline arrives after Spirit Airlines launched flights to Florida destinations in October 2021. Spirit also has seasonal flights to Myrtle Beach.
Airport Director Ted Kitchens had a simple message for those looking to travel.
"Low fares are back in Manchester," he said during a brief news conference. "You do not have to go to Boston to find that low fare."
Traveler reaction
Tyler Girouard, a member of Manchester-Boston Regional Airport Spotters/Information Facebook group, took the inaugural flight down to Raleigh-Durham.
"Seats are comfortable and the legroom is surprisingly good for a budget airline. (I'm 6 foot)," he wrote. "I found my last trip on JetBlue was a bit more tight than this."
The aircraft offers between 29 and 38 inches for legroom. The seats with more space run $18 more.
Avelo's goal is to inspire travel with low fares and convenience, said spokeswoman Courtney Goff.
"Anytime you can bring a low-cost carrier in the community, it is beneficial because you'll see the other airlines start adjusting pricing accordingly and adding destinations," she said. "It builds a bunch of demand and establishes a presence."
The company has 15 planes — all 737s — right now. Tickets to and from Raleigh-Durham shortly will be available through the end of the year. The airline hopes to add more destinations for Manchester travelers in the future.
'Right now, our limitation is aircraft," she said. The company hopes to add two to four more by the end of the year and more in the first quarter, Goff said.
After all the hoopla, Karin and Skip Mahoney got ready to join 113 other passengers for the flight to Raleigh-Durham. They were excited about golfing and visiting the sights, including the Carolina Tiger Rescue about a half hour from the airport.
"We are looking around at different places to see where we might want to retire," Karin Mahoney said.
The couple said they were able to fly there and back for less than $200 each, including fees and taxes.
"The most expensive part of our time is renting a car down there," Skip Mahoney said.
