By: Caitlyn Finnegan
Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) is continuing its battle to secure a direct flight route to New York City. Airport officials are asking for input from the community regarding a nonstop service to the New York City Metro area to help build its case to present to legacy airline route planners.
GNV has been pursuing a direct route to NYC for some time as Gainesville continues to experience growth in technology, bio-tech and other creative service industries that require frequent travel to the northeast region. GNV’s passenger analytics show that an average of 70.8 daily passengers fly to New York or Newark each day, according to airline consultant Boyd Group International.
“Passenger traffic is growing along with our community,” said Allan Penska, the CEO of GNV. “We are approaching the point of having enough daily New York passengers to attract a new service. But it will be a challenge to convince airline route planners to give Gainesville a shot given the climate of the air travel industry.”
To take the survey, visit the airport’s website www.flygainesville.com.
