The airport director for the Delaware River and Bay Authority says low fares and too many seats to popular destination have reduced chances of service returning to New Castle County Airport.

“Average one-way airfares at PHL (Philadelphia International Airport) to Florida must moderate before we can re-establish sustained service,” Williams stated. “There is just too much capacity right now at PHL at unsustainably low fares.”

“We are hopeful that this will change soon and an airline can enter ILG (New Castle Airport),” Williams stated. The River and Bay Authority operates the New Castle Airport.

Frontier Airlines, which reduced and later dropped all service from New Castle in 2015, returned to Philadelphia with a schedule that includes flights to mid-sized cities. Frontier offers low “ala carte” fares that add charges for carry-on baggage and other services.

Fuel prices also dropped, reducing the high costs associated with operating in Philadelphia.

Adding to the difficulties for sustaining service in New Castle, according to aviation observers, was Frontier’s practice of dropping destinations during the off season. That is less of a problem in Philadelphia, where other carriers offer flights year-around.

In Philadelphia and other destinations, Frontier typically operates flights a few times a week.

Allegiant Travel Co., a low-fare airline that has been mentioned as a possible candidate for New Castle, recently announced plans to serve Trenton, NJ with flights to Sanford, FL (Orlando); Tampa; and the Punta Gorda area on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Allegiant served Salisbury, MD, but dropped service after less than a year.

Earlier, Frontier had announced plans to fly to Punta Gorda, FL from Philadelphia and Trenton. The small city is on the southwest coast of Florida

Spirit, which shares a similar fare strategy with Frontier, became the fourth airline to offer nonstop service to Orlando from Philadelphia. Orlando had been one of the destinations on Frontier’s schedule from New Castle.