United Airlines will launch nonstop service between Hartford and Denver starting in May. Airport officials said United’s Denver hub will be a convenient way to access other cities the airline serves.
The service will commence on May 5, 2016 utilizing an Airbus 319 aircraft with 128 seats. The flight will depart Bradley at 8:04 a.m. and arrive in Denver at 10:23 a.m. Mountain time. The return flight departs Denver daily at 3:43 pm Mountain time and lands at Bradley at 9:27 p.m.
Kevin Dillon, executive director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, said no airport funds were used as an incentive for the new route. “We may do marketing of the route as we do with other routes,” he said in a phone interview.
Dillon said no landing fee waivers were offered for the new flight because the airport already has service to Denver from Southwest Airlines. He said that incentive would only be used when trying to get an airline to start service to a new destination not offered currently. “It would be rare to do it on a competitive route,” he said.
This will expand United’s offerings at Bradley from 12 to 13 flights a day when service starts. Financial details were not immediately available in terms of assistance. Airports, under FAA rules, are allowed to provide marketing assistance to airlines for flights.
United will be the second airline offering nonstop service to Denver from Bradley. Southwest Airlines also offers daily service. Its flight, according to the Southwest Airlines website, leaves at 8:45 a.m. and arrives at 11:05 a.m. Mountain time. The return trip departs at 5:05 p.m. and arrives at 5:05 p.m. Denver time and arrives at 10:50 p.m. at Bradley.
h/t: Hartford Business