Direct flights from La Guardia to Glacier Park "International" starting in 2020

"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
08/29/2019 at 16:08 • Filed to: What will we see on the police blotter next year?

What will we see on the police blotter next year? Will Highlander and fam go to NYC and visit times square ? Will New Yorkers come to M ontana and get eaten by bears?

American Airlines will operate a direct flight from Glacier Park International Airport to New York City’s LaGuardia Airport starting next June, the airline announced Thursday.

Direct flights to La Guardia will be available on Saturdays beginning June 6, 2020. They will be on sale starting Sept. 1, 2019.

“The GPIA team is excited to welcome this new service next summer,” Airport Director Rob Ratkowski said in a press release. “We appreciate these expanded opportunities to make a great first and last impression on new visitors to the Flathead Valley.”

American also is expanding seasonal flights to Dallas-Fort Worth and Chicago with larger aircraft. The airline is switching from 76-seat planes to 160-seat planes “based on the success of this year’s new service” to Glacier Park International, according to the release. This upgrade will increase passenger capacity on these routes by 50%.

Vasu Raja, vice president of network and schedule planning for American Airlines, said, “national parks are a huge attraction for many families. As soon as school’s out next year, our customers will have more than 145 weekly flights to Montana to choose from.”

Service into GPIA continues to increase as traffic into the airport has risen significantly in recent years. The airport reports a 33% increase in passenger volumes since 2014. In July, the airport announced a $1 million expansion project set for fall 2020 that will add 40,000 square feet to the terminal.

Ratkowski stated, “Demand is clear for more flights and more seats. It’s our responsibility to meet the demands and we’re working towards an improved passenger terminal every day.”

Reporter Bret Anne Serbin may be reached at bserbin@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.

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DISCUSSION (21)

Ash78, voting early and often > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/29/2019 at 16:18

There’s going to have to be a flyer, just like the Dutch give their immigrants to help them understand local culture. Just some FAQs.

Page 2: Where all the buildings at?

Page 5: The Sky is Actually the Same Size as at Home.

Page 7: Pizza - Hut vs Caesar?

Page 9: Blocks vs Miles - A Primer on Distance Measurement

Page 11: Bears - Do NOT Name Them “Mr. Chocolate”

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Ash78, voting early and often
08/29/2019 at 16:22

I would be equally lost in NYC my current “Big City” frequent is San Francisco and that intimidates me enough.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Ash78, voting early and often
08/29/2019 at 16:23

I must say that I think this is a fantastic idea, or current furthest east flight is Atlanta, and that’s not that far east compared to NYC. Shit we could visit family in NH again with only one stop!

HammerheadFistpunch > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/29/2019 at 16:27

if its near a national park, you bet new yorkers will take it.

HammerheadFistpunch > Ash78, voting early and often
08/29/2019 at 16:28

Page 7...thats where I got me.

Ash78, voting early and often > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/29/2019 at 16:31

Dumb question, but can you use Montreal as a destination for upper New England?

ATL is our regional hub for most airlines, but getting out there without having to stop in SLC. It’s easier -- and sometimes cheaper -- just to go to Europe from here.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > HammerheadFistpunch
08/29/2019 at 16:31

Confirmed. We need more N ew Y ork tourists and less Canadians .

lone_liberal > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/29/2019 at 16:33

I can picture the New Yorkers in rental RVs doing Glacier. That should be ... interesting. Alaska just announced direct flights from Spokane to LAX and SFO which will help keep the number of connections needed to get to far flung places down.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Ash78, voting early and often
08/29/2019 at 16:35

I don’t see why you couldn’t. Never really though about it.

facw > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/29/2019 at 16:36

I no longer live in NYC, but I’m still very concerned about being eaten by bears when I’m out west. Regardless I see more flights as a good thing, though LGA is already packed, and the extensive terminal rebuilding going on now can only help so much. If I were G od- E mperor of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, I’d require at least 50% of flights into LGA be wide- bodies to increase capacity (I’m actually not sure how much this would help, bigger planes need more spacing between planes on runways ).

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > lone_liberal
08/29/2019 at 16:37

That’s great, but you also get decent SWA service, I do not. I have to fly through Seattle all the damn time and that airport is getting very busy. Delta is doing like 150 flights a day and AK is doing 300+. I’m not even counting United, ‘merican, SWA and international.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > facw
08/29/2019 at 16:39

I’ve only flow through LGA once. It took 45 minutes in the line up to take off on our 35 minute flight to Manchester NH.

facw > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/29/2019 at 16:43

Yep, it seemed like airlines routinely tacked an hour on to estimated flight times to account for the time spent waiting around on the tarmac at LGA. The renovations should make taxiing more efficient, but ultimately there’s only so much you can do with the runways. In theory they could probably build another runway or two out in the water, but there would be fierce resistance from a bunch of fronts.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > facw
08/29/2019 at 16:47

The currently worst airport in the west is Seattle, it can take 15-20 minutes to get through the line up. I’ve see up to 15 planes at a time waiting. The prevailing winds and runway configuration don’t help at all.

facw > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/29/2019 at 16:51

I had much less luck with SFO than SEATAC on my recent trip out. At the moment my main complaint about Seattle is that I felt like I had to walk about 5 miles from my terminal to get the to light rail. (Google tells me it’s less than half a mile, which I can only assume means that the parking garage warps space).

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > facw
08/29/2019 at 16:53

I’m almost always a through traveler in S eattle. I typically fly to San Jose, San Fran, or Sacramento for work things.

For Sweden > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/29/2019 at 16:58

“ Will New Yorkers come to Montana and get eaten by bears?”

Probably

lone_liberal > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/29/2019 at 17:05

I should have said that the reason that matters to me is that we have an Alaska rewards card so that allows us to use points and check a bag for free and avoid the SWA cattle car. I saw they also announced a Missoula to LAX direct flight. All of which is probably due to merging with Virgin America .

DipodomysDeserti > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/29/2019 at 21:12

It’s Montana, I’m sure plenty of them already have addresses there.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > DipodomysDeserti
08/29/2019 at 21:41

Given Caffeine and Carbure tors, I’d agree at least a mailbox

For Sweden > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
08/30/2019 at 11:40

Lifehack: the drive from Kalispell to Calgary is shorter than the drive from Kalispell to Bozeman.