Vision Airlines pulls out of Toledo after less than a month

6/21/2012

Toledo Express Airport’s new service to Myrtle Beach, S.C. is being cancelled after less than a month of operation.

The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority announced today that Vision Airlines will withdraw its Toledo route, which began flying June 1, after the round trip flight of June 29. The port authority statement blamed poor ticket sales for the airline’s pull out.

“Despite the Port Authority’s efforts to support this service — through waiving off all airport fees, including landing fees and terminal use fees, and an aggressive advertising and marketing campaign — the traveling public did not support the route to the level necessary to maintain this air service,” the port’s statement said.

Port spokesman Holly Kemler said she did not have ticket-sales counts or other information about the airline’s decision. So far, Vision Airlines has not responded to an interview request.

The port authority said the airline planned to contact ticketed passengers affected by cancellation of flights after June 29, and also provided a Vision telephone number, 877-359-2538, for those wishing to initiate contact to make alternative arrangements.

Port officials had hoped Vision’s seasonal South Carolina service — flights were only planned through the end of October — would be popular enough that the airline would also fly between Toledo and a south Florida city during the wintertime.

In that regard, Vision was touted as a replacement for DirectAir, which for several years had flown popular scheduled charters between Toledo and Punta Gorda, Fla., near Fort Myers, but which shut down all operations in March and declared bankruptcy shortly thereafter.

Vision’s withdrawal from Toledo Express leaves the local airport with four daily round trip flights between Toledo and Chicago on American Eagle Airlines and several flights per week on Allegiant Airlines to Orlando/Sanford and St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Fla.