Green’s gain

Weekly scheduled flights to Cape Verde Islands start in June

Posted 2/3/15

Convenience.

That’s what T.F. Green Airport has been promoting for years. Despite the ease of traveling from Green, passenger traffic has been on a downward path since the heydays of 2005 when …

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Green’s gain

Weekly scheduled flights to Cape Verde Islands start in June

Posted

Convenience.

That’s what T.F. Green Airport has been promoting for years. Despite the ease of traveling from Green, passenger traffic has been on a downward path since the heydays of 2005 when annual passenger traffic bumped 5.7 million. Traffic last year was 3.6 million, down 6 percent from 2013.

Now, for the first time, an airline carrier is packing up operations at Boston’s Logan and finding convenience – and it would seem plenty of enthusiastic passengers – at Green.

In a hastily-called press conference Friday, Governor Gina Raimondo, who was joined by Mayor Scott Avedisian and Rhode Island Airport Corporation board chair Jon Savage, announced Transportes Aereos de Cabo Verde (TACV) will commence scheduled flights twice a week to the Cabo Verde Islands beginning June 2. An announcement had been scheduled for Feb. 23, but since the airlines started selling tickets with Green rather than Logan the point of departure and arrivals, the announcement was put on the fast track.

It all happened so quickly that an airline representative couldn’t be present for the announcement. Even Dr. Isadore Ramos and Dr. Claire Andrade-Watkins, representing the area’s Cape Verdean community estimated to number 300,000 between New Bedford, Fall River, Providence and East Providence, were caught by surprise. Both thought flights from Green would be a vast improvement over Boston.

“It’s a nightmare to get into Logan,” said Andrade-Watkins.

The regularly scheduled international flights could serve as the beginning of a new future for Green as an international connector airport. Also starting in June, as announced in September, Condor Airlines will commence a season schedule of flights to Frankfurt, Germany. The two airlines will share Gate 8, which provides direct access to departing passengers to customs, said Timothy Pimental, Air Service Marketing & Landside Operations manager. RIAC president and CEO Kelly Fredericks named Pimental and Patti Goldstein, vice president of Public Affairs & Air Service Marketing, as playing pivotal roles in bringing TACV to Green.

TACV had operated from Logan for about 10 years. The airlines will be flying 757 aircraft, seating 210 passengers. Introductory fares as low as $299 one way are available. Flights over are projected to take six hours, with the return at seven hours.

“The vision [for Green Airport] is simple,” Fredericks said in introductory remarks. “It’s to connect Rhode Island to the rest of the world.”

Savage credited the “team” at the airport, state officials and the hospitality community with providing the venue for airline growth. He sees the new service as beginning to “claw back some of the seats we’ve lost.”

“I’m pleased to be seen not as an adversary but part of the team,” said Avedisian. “Bit by bit all the pieces are coming together.”

The mayor noted that contrary to the forecasts of some, Warwick does have a rail connection, it has more hotel rooms than any other Rhode Island municipality and that hotel occupancy rates are high. He also sees the advent of service to Cape Verde as celebrating the state’s cultural heritage.

“This is an example of what happens when everyone works together,” said Gov. Raimondo, “now let’s make it successful.” She reminded that this new service is “not a silver bullet” and that rebuilding airport traffic will take multiple additions of service and a stronger state economy.

In a statement, João Pereira Silva, TACV president and CEO, said, “TACV’s strategy to grow its Praia hub and international presence takes a bold step today with flights to Providence, where we have a strong diaspora and a shared vision for a resurgent future.”

The audience at Friday’s press conference included representatives of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce and the tourism industry. Among them was Dale Venturini, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Hospitality Association.

“This is one more piece to a very important puzzle,” she said.

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  • bendover

    WHY??? What happened to Dublin, London, Paris ? Silly me, this is about votes....So, how much is the subsidy?

    Tuesday, February 3, 2015 Report this