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Closing in on a record year, Peoria airport welcomes first direct flight from Fort Lauderdale

Posted December 13, 2007 10:00 pm

Dave Haney

Call it the icing on the cake.

With the Greater Peoria Regional Airport closing in on a record year for passenger travel, the inaugural flight between Peoria and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Thursday held all its own just desserts.

"The introduction of Fort Lauderdale marks a day in history in Peoria," said airport Director Ken Spirito. "We continue to be the leading airport in central Illinois with the amount of destinations and passengers."

Fort Lauderdale marks the 11th destination the airport flies to, officially more than doubling the number of destinations available this same time last year.

"We are continuing a pace to break 540,000 passengers in 2007, and on pace to break 550,000 passengers in 2008, an all-time record in airport history held since 1978," Spirito said. "It's a great way to close out 2007."

Allegiant Air unveiled its Fort Lauderdale route, its third route to Florida, on Thursday, offering the service from Peoria twice weekly. The Las Vegas-based, low-fare airline now offers five destinations from Peoria.

Flights will depart Peoria on Thursdays and Sundays at 4:15 p.m., arriving in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport at 7:55 p.m. Flights leaving Fort Lauderdale will depart on Thursdays and Sundays at 1:55 p.m., arriving in Peoria at 3:40 p.m. (all flight times are local).

"We are extremely pleased to offer the central Illinois community yet another Florida vacation destination," Maurice J. Gallagher Jr., Allegiant Travel Company president and CEO, said in a news statement. "This is an exciting new addition for our airline and our customers as we launch the only nonstop, all-jet service between Peoria and South Florida."

For Greg Kaufman of Peoria, who was flying out on the inaugural flight, it was simply a chance "for a quick couple days of relaxation," making note of the 80-degree temperatures in Florida.

Bonnie Mills and Connie Varble, two telephone company retirees from the Quad Cities, were using the direct flight as a jump board to getting to the Everglades, Biscayne and Dry Tortugas national parks, as well as the Florida Keys.

On the other hand, the flight in also helped bring some local people home for a holiday visit.

Jennifer Stamm, formerly of Morton, and her four-month-old Maltese dog, Charlie, were on the inbound flight. "It's nice to fly direct," said Stamm, who now resides in West Palm Beach.

For more information on the Allegiant flights, visit www.allegiantair.com or your travel agent.

Dave Haney can be reached at (309) 686-3181 or dhaney@pjstar.com.

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