Spirit Airlines will launch tomorrow, Tuesday, a direct flight between Orlando and Ponce, which will have an economic impact of $8.7 million and 44,370 additional seats until December, according to projections by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC).
The arrival of the airline at the Mercedita Airport will strengthen the air offer in the south of the island, since it will have a daily frequency. Until now, JetBlue was the only company that operated commercial flights in Poncewith flights to and from Orlando International Airport (MCO) and John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK), in New York.
“This represents an important step in the expansion of air access, as it constitutes the entry of an additional airline into Mercedita International Airport (PSE). Likewise, it represents an excellent alternative for travelers with business or vacation plans in the southern region of the island”indicated the executive director of the CTPR, Carlos Mercado Santiago, in written statements sent to El Nuevo Día.
This is not the first time that Spirit has operated in Mercedita, since the airline inaugurated a daily flight between Ponce and Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 2007, which was equivalent to 600 seats during the Christmas season, when demand traditionally increased.
For the director of the Ports Authority, Joel Pizá Batiz, the investment of $12.8 million during the past three years in the Mercedita Airport was vital for the return of the airlineas they expanded the departure hall to serve two flights at the same time, improved the inspection points of the Transportation Security Agency (TSA, for its acronym in English) and rehabilitated the roof waterproofing system of the terminal of passengers.
Spirit’s first flight is scheduled to arrive in Ponce at around 7:38 pm, while the flight from Ponce to Orlando will depart at 8:40 pm, according to a search on the airline’s website.
Spirit will use 145-passenger A319 aircraft with new interiors, including ergonomic seats and Wi-Fi, allowing passengers to enjoy streaming on their personal electronic devices.
With this new route, Spirit will expand its presence in Puerto Rico, following its arrival in 2001 at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, where it operates ten non-stop routes to the United States. The airline also has a presence at the Rafael Hernández Airport in Aguadilla, with flights to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Spirit’s new route between Orlando and Ponce will increase the number of direct flights offered by the airline between Puerto Rico and Florida to eight.
In 2021, Spirit Airlines CEO Ted Christie He maintained in an interview with this medium that Puerto Rico is one of the most important destinations for the company, for which they sought to consolidate themselves as the first low-cost in the country. Their expressions came two months before it was confirmed that Frontier Airlines would buy Spirit for $2.9 billion.
“We thank Spirit for continuing to bet on our market as a key connection point in the Caribbean and for paying the efforts that we carry out in our government, together with Discover Puerto Rico and our industry partners, for continuing to generate demand and expand the offer of air access on the Island, taking into account our regional airports,” Mercado said.
