Spirit Airlines to Commence Flight Operations in Birmingham this Autumn

New Opportunities for Travelers

Vice-Chair of the Birmingham Airport Authority Board, Darlene Wilson, welcomed the airline’s announcement, stating: “Spirit Airlines is showing a tremendous amount of confidence in this market and we are thrilled to have this new option available to travelers. The carrier’s foray into Birmingham will be the first time Spirit Airlines will serve the state of Alabama.

A Gateway to the Caribbean and Latin America

In addition to offering low-fare service to Florida, the new flight service will open up convenient one-stop connections to Latin America and the Caribbean for Birmingham travelers. Ronald Mathieu, the President and CEO of the Birmingham Airport Authority, revealed that this development has been years in progress. Fort Lauderdale was the preferred choice given that it is the top destination for Birmingham travelers who lacked direct flights.

Cruise Traffic and Vacationers

Mathieu believes that a significant factor for this preference is the abundant cruise traffic. Vacationers, until now, had to bear an added cost of reaching their cruise destinations. He added, “This has been five years in the making and we’re excited about it because the community has consistently said that they’d like to see some lower fares, they’d like to see us have a low-cost carrier. Well, guess what? We have one!

Promising Future Prospects

Positive reactions from the community to the initial nonstop flight service to Fort Lauderdale could potentially lead to additional flights and destinations from Spirit. John Kirby, Vice President of Network Planning at Spirit Airlines said, “We can’t wait to welcome aboard Birmingham travelers looking for both an affordable and convenient way to enjoy Fort Lauderdale’s beautiful beaches. It will also make it easier for our Florida guests to enjoy Birmingham’s southern hospitality.

The Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport is Alabama’s largest and busiest airport. The nonstop flights from BHM to FLL are currently open for booking.