Oct. 08--JetBlue Airways, which announced last month that it would enter the Savannah market with direct service to New York in February, added Boston to its Savannah itinerary on Monday.
JetBlue will offer one daily nonstop flight from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport to Boston Logan International Airport, beginning Feb. 13. The carrier is offering special introductory fares as low as $89 one way for travel between Feb. 13 and April 10, available for booking today.
"We are very pleased that JetBlue has elected to add Boston service to and from Savannah," said airport executive director Greg Kelly. "Of our top five market cities, Boston was the only one without a direct connection from Savannah. This has been an objective of ours for some time, an effort our community and regional partners got behind in a very meaningful way, helping to make this possible.
"This is a good day for our community and the region."
Savannah Economic Development Authority President Trip Tollison agreed.
"We've been working as a community on a Savannah-to-Boston leg for a long time," he said. "This is a big win for Savannah."
JetBlue is the largest airline in Boston with up to 121 daily flights. Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport will become JetBlue's 50th nonstop destination from Boston's Logan International.
"Bostonians work hard, and they need more great places to get away," said Scott Laurence, JetBlue's vice president of network planning.
"Savannah/Hilton Head is an easy weekend getaway or vacation and priced right so our customers can get away more often."
The Boston flight is in addition to two daily nonstop flights from Savannah to JFK, also scheduled to begin on Feb.13.
JetBlue's SAV service
Note: Flights will operate daily, beginning Feb. 13, 2014
BOS to SAV departs 11:10 a.m., arrives 1:46 p.m.
SAV to BOS departs 2:25 p.m., arrives 4:43 p.m.
JFK to SAV departs 7:10 a.m., arrives 9:38 a.m.
SAV to JFK departs 10:20 a.m., arrives 12:18 p.m.
JFK to SAV departs 12:59 p.m., arrives 3:13 p.m.
SAV to JFK departs 4 p.m., arrives 6:02 p.m.
SIDEBAR
TSA 'Precheck' starts this month
New program for low-risk, registered travelers will speed up screening
Low-risk frequent fliers will soon be able to bypass traditional security lines at the Savannah airport in favor of shorter, quicker checkpoints. They also will be able to keep their shoes, belts and jackets on and their laptops and compliant liquids stowed in their bags.
On Oct. 25, the Transportation Security Administration will open a designated "Precheck" lane at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport for the convenience of pre-registered passengers.
"The lane will initially be open during peak times to help qualified passengers get through security lines in a timely fashion," James Scott, federal security director for the TSA in Savannah, told Savannah Airport Commission members at their monthly meeting Monday.
During non-peak hours, Precheck-qualified passengers will be able to access an expedited security lane that will become operational beginning Thursday, Scott said.
"The expedited lane, which is different from the Precheck lane, will be for passengers under 12 or over 75 years old as well as those with Precheck clearance," he said. "In this lane, passengers won't have to take off shoes or jackets but will need to take out electronics and liquids."
There are several ways to qualify for Precheck, Scott said, beginning with an online application. To learn more, go to www.globalentry.gov.
Since the Precheck program was launched in October 2011, more than 15 million passengers have gone through the quicker lines.
Copyright 2013 - Savannah Morning News, Ga.
