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Cape Air Fills Niche Indiana Market
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| Photo courtesy Cape Air |
(posted Jan 24)
It has been about two months since Cape Air started its commuter route from Indianapolis to South Bend and Evansville. Cape Air Communication Director Michelle Haynes explained the airline is about providing transportation to topographically challenged areas. Whether it involves moving people from island to island or just to reduce a long distance drive from South Bend to Evansville, Cape Air can cut the commute time in half.
It was Indianapolis officials that approached Cape Air to start the route
as a means to reduce vehicle travel time. She credited all three airports
with giving them support and cooperation to start the venture. She said
the route was developed more for the business travel market while their
other markets have a stronger passenger mix of leisure travel. However,
she expects to beef up the marketing as it gets closer to May to capture
the fans heading to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Part of the strategy
includes coordinating with Indianapolis officials to spread information
about the service.
Like other areas it serves, the commuter airline assists people with reaching
the major hub airports to make connecting flights. Haynes explained that
not many people are aware that residents of the rural or smaller towns
rely on Cape Air to reach major markets like Indianapolis for medical needs.
While smaller county hospitals play an important role, they can't
offer all of the medical services and research like major cities with medical
universities.
Haynes said last year Jet Blue approached the airline to partner in the
Boston market to link passengers to Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Provincetown
and Hyannis Massachusetts.
Since its start in 1989, Cape Air has evolved into the largest independent
regional airline with 600 employees that served 670,000 passengers in 2007.
Its other travel destinations are the Cape and Islands, South Florida,
Caribbean and Micronesia.
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