SALISBURY, MD — The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded Wicomico County an $800,000 grant under the FY23 Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP) to support a new flight route from Salisbury Regional Airport (SBY) to Orlando International Airport (MCO). This strategic investment, made possible through the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, aims to expand air service accessibility for Eastern Shore residents, while fostering economic growth and enhancing the region’s connectivity.
The grant funding will support a comprehensive revenue guarantee, essential start-up costs, and an associated marketing plan designed to attract and sustain the new Orlando route. The project aligns with Wicomico County’s ongoing commitment to develop Salisbury Regional Airport as a regional transportation hub that serves both local travelers and visitors to the Eastern Shore. The initiative underscores the County’s dedication to enhancing travel options and economic vitality through strategic infrastructure investments.
“This is a milestone achievement for Salisbury Regional Airport and Wicomico County,” said County Executive Julie Giordano. “With the support of the DOT and in collaboration with our local partners, we are excited to bring new flight options to our community, connecting Eastern Shore residents and visitors to one of the nation’s most popular travel destinations.”
The service expansion is part of Salisbury Regional Airport’s broader vision to increase flight options and connectivity for area residents, reducing travel times and costs associated with reaching major domestic destinations. This project is expected to benefit residents throughout the First Congressional District and attract tourism and business investment to the region.
What a bunch of fools. The truth is $800,000 in revenue guarantees will do little to cover the annual operating costs of an airline (yet to be found) flying between Salisbury and Orlando. Think about it this way. The average round trip ticket on Southwest to Orlando is $400 round trip. $800,000 divided by $400 equals 2,000 passengers. No airline can survive flying only 2000 passengers. Ain’t going to happen.
so will there be the same amount of fanfare and coverage next year when this program fades away and the taxpayers are out $800,000?
Allegiant Airlines tried this in 2012 – 2013 and pulled out of SBY after a little under a year of operations. Allegiant Air began twice a week service to Orlando-Sanford International Airport in February 2012, using its McDonnell Douglas MD-80 jets, but ended the route less than a year later on January 5, 2013, due to the route’s relatively small number of passengers.[
So who is trying to push Orlando again ?
Maybe the people of our surrounding area would be more interested in flying out of SBY if there was more options to choose from. Example, PIT, RDU, ATL, BWI, DCA, IAD ( and so on ) and than connecting flights to else where.
It is up to an individual airline to decide if they want to expand into SBY and be profitable in doing so.
And Allegiant was flying that MD-80 off Salisbury’s existing 6,400 feet runway.
Interesting. I was talking to a pilot on one of my flights who was catching a ride back to Salisbury, and he told me that with the runway expansion, they were looking at adding O’hare in Chicago
Adding Orlando doesn’t make much sense. They already have Charlotte, which is on the way to Orlando. Go another direction to catch connecting flights.
What’s interesting about that pilot’s comment is he should know that American Airlines recently announced an order for 90 new, 76-seat, Embraer 175 which will replace all 50-seat jet before December 2030. That means between now and 2030, Piedmont’s fleet of 50-seat jet will be all-gone. It’s not that difficult to search on Embraer’s web page and find that a fully load (maximum gross takeoff weight) only requires a runway length of 5,389 feet which is more than capable of operating off Salisbury already available 6,400 feet runway.
This runway extension project is totally unnecessary and a complete waste of taxpayers money. Remember, Allegiant Airlines was flying 150-seat MD-80 nonstop between Salisbury and Orlando from an existing 6,400 feet runway.
Somebody will need to be held accountable for this waste of money.
Salisbury can invest all the money they want into the airport, but nothing is going to turn it into the thriving city many are dreaming of. Stopping the deposits of illegals and or haitians might help, but I fear Salisbury has already seen its best times much like other small town being ruined by illegals.
Roanoke Regional Airport has a pair of runways;[37] The longer is 6,800 feet (2,100 m) x 150 feet (46 m), and the other is 5,810 feet (1,770 m) x 150 feet (46 m).[38]
Airlines Destinations
Allegiant Air Orlando/Sanford, St. Petersburg/Clearwater
American Eagle Charlotte, New York–LaGuardia, Philadelphia
Delta Air Lines Atlanta
Delta Connection Atlanta, New York–LaGuardia[50]
Sun Country Airlines Charter: Atlantic City
United Express Chicago–O’Hare, Washington–Dulles
FedEx Express Louisville, Memphis
UPS Airlines Greensboro, Louisville, Norfolk
Largest planes flying there. A300, A319, B757
Several construction projects were recently completed in late 2011 to extend runway 14-32 an extra 1,000 feet (300 m) to a length of 6,400 feet (2,000 m). Along with the main runway being extended, the taxiways around the runway were extended and a new ILS system was installed with new approaches. These multimillion-dollar projects will allow flights using larger aircraft such as regional jets which had previously been unable to operate at the airport due to the short length of the runway. Today, the airport spans 1,081 acres (437 ha) and is the second-largest in the state of Maryland.[6] In 2016, a plan was announced to again extend runway 14-32 an additional 600 feet (180 m) to 7,000 feet (2,100 m).[5] In 2017,