Orlando, Fla. – A new airline with an old name is promising to launch direct flights from Orlando three East Coast cities by late July.
PEOPLExpress Airlines today announced plans to start service between Orlando International Airport and Pittsburgh, Penn., Providence, R.I. and Newport News, Va.
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"When you take a look at most Northeastern cities, Orlando ranks at the top of vacation destinations," PEOPLExpress Chief Operating Officer Mike Morisi told Local 6.
The airline is a startup that will be based out of the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport in Virginia.
Morisi said the company is targeting service to cities that have lost non-stop flights to destinations like Orlando because of airline consolidations.
He said he's had had several meetings with OIA officials, and said that he hopes PEOPLExpress can add other cities as destinations from Orlando as the airline grows.
Morisi said the company will offer deep discount fares. He said the airline won't charge fees that have become standard on other airlines, such as fees for checked bags and seat assignments.
PEOPLExpress will fly a fleet of Boeing 737-400 aircraft, each seating 158 passengers.
For some longtime flyers, the name PEOPLExpress may sound familiar.
Another airline by the same name was a pioneer in offering no-frills passenger service. Fares were paid in cash on board the planes. It was one of the first airlines to charge for meals and for checked baggage. The original PEOPLExpress operated from 1981 to 1987 before being bought out by Continental Airlines.
The new PEOPLExpress has filed its initial certification paperwork with the Federal Aviation Association. It still needs to file an application with the US Department of Transportation to become a regularly scheduled passenger airline.