Festival Airlines Story

Chicago-based Festival Airlines is circling the Niagara Falls International Airport and may soon be landing there. Officials from the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority confirmed they are negotiating with the fledgling commercial passenger carrier to begin service to Niagara Falls International Airport -- perhaps as soon as next year.

Festival Airlines has been scouting airports in both the U.S. and Canada as the company is eyeing Niagara Falls as one of its primary destinations. Festival flies a 200-passenger, 757 airplane. The company uses Chicago-Rockford International Airport as its main hub and has plans to fly into several Florida cities. Festival is planning on running its service between May and October, according to William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation.

Representatives from Festival Airlines met with tourism officials and political leaders in April to discuss their plans. Niagara Falls caught the company's eye for the vast number of tourists it attracts including 14 million annually on the Canadian side and 8 million in the U.S. Larry Lewin, a former Hyatt executive who is working with the airline as a consultant, is very familiar with the area having served as the immediate past president of Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort and Casino Niagara.

Festival is one of several airlines and air cargo companies looking at the under-utilized Niagara Falls International Airport for services and routes. NFTA officials are also negotiating with Myrtle Beach Direct, an adjunct of Golf Holdings, that wants to run charter service between the airport and Myrtle Beach. Niagara Falls is attractive to the company because of the large number of Canadians who vacation in and around Myrtle Beach. Because of the marked difference between flying out of Toronto or Hamilton and the Buffalo Niagara region, Canadians make up a larger number of passengers at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Canadian passengers account for approximately 20 percent of the airport's traffic count.

"There is an opportunity for Myrtle Beach Direct to bring some people back this way, too," Vanecek said. "So we could feel some impact here as well." Landing either Festival or Myrtle Beach Direct could be one the final pieces the NFTA needs to secure the last bit of public-sector funding required for the proposed $23 million new passenger terminal at Niagara Falls International Airport. The project is about $4 million shy of its goal.