DFS International Airport Announces Spirit Airlines To Begin Service In January

DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, (September 1, 2005) - DFW International Airport announced today that Spirit Airlines will begin service at the airport in January, with non-stop service to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Spirit will offer connections through its Fort Lauderdale hub to some of North Texas travelers' most popular vacations spots in the Caribbean like Nassau and San Salvador (Bahamas), San Juan (Puerto Rico), Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), as well as Montego Bay and Kingston (Jamaica), Cancun (Mexico), St. Thomas (USVI), Providenciales and Grand Turk (Turks and Caicos). The airline becomes the sixth low fare carrier to serve DFW, a market segment setting monthly passenger records as fares continue to drop. 

 “We are delighted to bring our low fares and quality service to the North Texas community and serve the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport,” said Ben Baldanza, President and Chief Operating Officer of Spirit Airlines. “Spirit offers new airplanes, low fares and terrific tropical destinations. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is an ideal choice for our next destination from our Fort Lauderdale hub. We appreciate and thank the DFW airport officials and key community leaders who have worked closely with us to provide this service.” 

Spirit Airlines, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was founded in 1990 and is the largest privately held airline in the nation. With this announcement, Spirit will serve 26 destinations in the United States and Caribbean and with 125 daily departures. Spirit is the leading low cost carrier to the Caribbean and Latin America and will have more than 20 percent of its schedule operating to the region this winter. 

Spirit will begin operations with one gate in DFW's Terminal E. It will receive more than $250,000 in support from DFW, which announced an unprecedented incentive package in January to attract new low fare service to the Airport and fill gates vacated by Delta Airlines. Spirit will assign a brand new A319 to the DFW route. 

"In a competitive marketplace, our incentive package proved to be a differentiating factor for Spirit," said Joe Lopano, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Terminal Management at DFW. "We welcome Spirit Airlines and look forward to their start of service in January, just in time for the peak winter travel season. This will give our North Texas passengers more options, lower fares and even more competition at the airport built for competition for the strength of our entire region. This is positive proof that low cost carriers can successfully compete here, and this will benefit the local community." 

In fact, the five low fare carriers currently serving DFW continue to set monthly passenger records. Through July of 2005, the low cost carriers at DFW carried almost 1.5 million customers, which is 7 percent ahead of last year’s pace. All of this competition has driven overall fares down considerably - the U.S. Department of Transportation confirms DFW fares have fallen at nearly twice the industry average over the past year - more than 11 percent. In addition, the increased low cost carrier presence has helped lower airfare by 30 percent in the top DFW destinations while helping to increase local traffic in those same markets by 70 percent. 

"I am very pleased that Spirit Airlines has chosen DFW Airport to initiate nonstop low fare service to Fort Lauderdale,” said Dallas Mayor Laura Miller. “This service will provide North Texas travelers with wonderful non-stop low fare service to Fort Lauderdale and countless one-stop options beyond to the Caribbean. I wish Spirit Airlines all the success in the world and am hopeful they will continue to expand into the DFW marketplace." 

"This is great news for DFW and for North Texans. Our Board has made bringing new low fare airlines and more airline competition a top priority,” said Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief. “DFW was built by the cities of Fort Worth and Dallas to handle exactly this type of airline expansion that benefits all of our citizens and brings new economic benefits to our region." 

Spirits were raised as the DFW owner city mayors sent their own personal pitches to Spirit Airlines to encourage them to fly from DFW. Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief sent chips and salsa from Joe T. Garcia’s while Dallas Mayor Laura Miller sent the same from Oak Cliff’s, La Calle Doce. 

About Spirit Airlines

Founded in 1990, Fort Lauderdale-based Spirit Airlines is the largest privately-held airline in the U.S., bringing low fares and friendly service to cities in the United States, Bahamas and the Caribbean with 125 daily flights. 

In addition to comfortable Coach class service, Spirit offers Spirit Plus, a business class with 2-by-2 leather seating, an extra 6 inches of legroom vs coach in the Airbus fleet, complimentary cocktails and snacks. 

Spirit is currently bringing in a new fleet of Airbus aircraft and plans to have completed its fleet renewal by early 2007. Spirit currently has 6 A319, 5 A321, and 16 MD-80 aircraft. 

For more information, fares, schedules and reservations visit www.spiritair.com or call 1-800-772-7117 (en Español, 1-800-756-7117).