ViaAir (Orlando International) has made nine route terminations, while at least six previously announced routes will now not be launched, ch-aviation research has revealed.
The Floridian virtual carrier will terminate five routes from Austin-Bergstrom International, namely to Branson, Amarillo Rick Husband International, Little Rock, Tulsa International, and Baton Rouge Metropolitan. From Orlando Sanford it will terminate four routes, to Baton Rouge Metropolitan, Mobile Downtown, Columbia, SC, and Montgomery Dannelly Reg..
According to ch-aviation analysis of schedule data, ViaAir will retain only the Jackson Evers International, MS-Orlando Sanford route with a twice-weekly E145 service for the time being.
Announced routes that will now not be launched would have linked Hartford Bradley with three destinations, Austin-Bergstrom International, Memphis International, and Pittsburgh International, while planned routes from Memphis International to both Austin-Bergstrom International and Pittsburgh International, and between Birmingham, AL and Raleigh/Durham have also been scrapped.
A statement from the City of Austin dated May 24 said: "Due to failure to meet contract obligations with the City of Austin Department of Aviation, Via Airlines' last day of service at AUS [is] on May 30, 2019."
A ViaAir connection linking Sanford with Tallahassee announced in October 2018 will not be happening "anytime soon", according to David Pollard, interim director of Tallahassee International Airport, WCTV reported on May 28.
Earlier in May, the airline cut its frequencies between Birmingham, AL and Austin-Bergstrom International in half, before suspending all flights from Birmingham last week, WCTV added. After operating in Pittsburgh International for just six weeks, it said it would suspend all operations there as well, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on May 23. In these and other cases, the airline has blamed a shortage of pilots at capacity provider and parent, Via Airlines (Orlando International).
