MCALLEN, Texas - The excitement among upper Rio Grande Valley residents for direct flights to Austin is palpable, says the city’s director of aviation, Jeremy Santoscoy.
Three nonstop flights per day during the week and two on Saturdays are being provided to the state’s capital by Delta Air Lines.
The lower Valley has been served with direct flights from Valley International Airport in Harlingen for many years, thanks to Southwest Airlines.
In an exclusive interview interview with the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service, Santoscoy said McAllen has hit a home run.
“Super excited, a much-needed flight for our area, for this side of the Valley, that has the need to be in Austin on a frequent basis,” Santoscoy said. “The three times daily will really support our business community, our government community, education. The community is just ecstatic about this new flight. And so, we're really excited to be launching it today.”
Having flights three times a day to Austin will be great for the business community, Santoscoy said.
“You could essentially leave first thing in the morning, do your business in Austin, come back and sleep in your own bed (that night),” Santoscoy said. “And Delta will be nonstop. So, you're going to take off from McAllen and you're going to land in Austin, you’re not going to go through any other hub. That has is a great thing for our community.”
Santoscoy acknowledged that not having a direct flight to Austin has been a weakness for McAllen.
“Ever since I've been part of the airport, the number one empty destination has been Austin. Austin is right on the threshold of the driving limits that airlines look at. It falls very close there. So, Austin has always historically been a hard sell for us, especially since it has been served by another airport, by another airline,” Santoscoy said.
“And so, working with Delta, with our partners, we’ve put in a lot of work to make these routes happen and to make these routes work. To bring them in, to get them situated so we can actually start operating the flight, it has been a lot of work. And we're grateful for the partnership that we have with Delta Air Lines.’
Santoscoy said it is a good sign that the first Delta flight to Austin was full.
“Again, the community has been up in arms waiting for Austin and now that we have got it, they're so excited about it. So, we're excited to be able to support the community and the growth and the need to travel to Austin,” Santoscoy said.
“Me personally, I am ecstatic. Working with Delta Air Lines has been a really good experience. They exited the market here a while back. They're back in, they really are looking for a presence in Texas. And they know that with McAllen, they hit it right.”
Editor's Note: Here is a video recording of the Guardian's interview with Santoscoy:
