Elite Airways on 27 February commenced a weekly (Saturdays) non-stop service on the 1,759-kilometre sector between Naples (APF) in Florida and New York Newark (EWR

The carrier will also operate a twice-weekly one-stop service to New York’s second largest airport via Vero Beach (VRB) on Thursdays and Sundays. The service marks the end of a 10-year hiatus of scheduled services to Naples. Delta Air Lines ended services from Atlanta to Naples in 2007 according to OAG Schedules Analyser data.

On 29 February, the carrier launched a second route from Naples to Portland (PWM) in Maine, a service which will operate via Melbourne (MLB) twice-weekly on Mondays and Fridays. Elite Airways will use its CRJ fleet on the new services, with no incumbent carriers on any of the sectors. Ted Soliday, Executive Director of Naples Airport, where he has been for more than 20 years, is retiring in April. After several failed deals, there was a point in Soliday’s career where he said that he didn’t think he would be around to see commercial flights return to Naples. “It is nice to be able to be back to being a full-service airport, so those people who have been calling us just a place for the rich and famous to play can’t quite say that now!”. Jack Wert, Executive Director of the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the commercial flights “will definitely have a positive impact,” especially for downtown Naples and Marco Island.

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