HYANNIS, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — American Airlines added service to Cape Cod Gateway Airport for the first time, with seasonal daily trips to New York City starting Wednesday and to Washington, D.C., starting June 22.
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, the Cape Cod Gateway Airport celebrated the first American Airlines flight that arrived from LaGuardia Airport to Hyannis.
Passengers on the inaugural flight received a complimentary “Welcome to Cape Cod” gift bag, and the touchdown was saluted with a water cannon display by the Cape Cod Gateway Airport Fire Station.
Read More: Report: AAA Northeast Says Morning Flights Less Likely To Be Delayed
Katie Servis, manager of the Cape Cod Gateway Airport, explained that around 250,000 year-round residents have been using other airports besides Cape Cod Gateway.
With the expansion of American Airlines service to the airport, people in the area now “have more flexibility to be able to have a choice of flying to their final destination. If it isn’t New York or Washington, D.C., they can make connections and go further on to other destinations," Servis told WBZ NewsRadio.
The inbound flight on Wednesday carried a wide variety of travelers from all across the U.S., shared Servis. “All over the United States, people were coming inbound to the Cape to be here for the summer.”
Tennessee, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, and Virginia were a few of the places passengers on Wednesday's flight were coming from, she said.
Read More: 10 Lucky Dads To Win Father's Day Sox-Yankees Tickets
“After COVID-19, we saw a lot of changes in how people lived, how they work, where they work… A lot of people have purchased homes here on the Cape and they’re working from their homes. They want to have that capability of being able to be in close proximity to a major transportation center such as Cape Cod Gateway Airport.”
Servis added that with the new service, "the Cape’s travel and tourism economy receives a boost, while an incredible convenience is provided to Cape residents who no longer have to travel to Boston or Rhode Island to make a connection."
Members from the Massachusetts State Legislative Delegation and the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce were at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, along with representatives from American Airlines and the Cape Cod Gateway Airport.
“American is proud to be the only global network carrier to serve the Cape Cod Gateway Airport,” said Obra Kernodle, American Airlines’s director of government affairs for the northeast, in a press release.
Listen to WBZ NewsRadio live for the latest news, traffic, and weather updates.
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App | TikTok