New Orleans-based GLO will begin offering nonstop flights from Huntsville International Airport (HSV) to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in September.

The 3-year-old regional carrier made the announcement today on 1000 Glenn Hearn Boulevard with Gov. Robert Bentley, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong and other north Alabama business leaders. The Huntsville market is the fifth U.S. city where GLO is providing nonstop service to New Orleans.

One-way, $99 fares will include taxes, fees and three checked bags. The introductory price expires after Aug. 18 and must be for travel through Nov. 7, after which fares will jump to $149.

Port of Huntsville Director of Business Development Barbie Peek said they have been working for 6-8 months to recruit GLO, which may add more HSV destinations in the future.

"This is one of our markets where we've had a lot of leakage," she said. "It's always a great air service announcement when you're going to be able to help both the business and the leisure traveler. We're very excited about having some new nonstop destinations."

The service, which does not have a round-trip requirement, will be available Sunday, Wednesday and Friday beginning Sept. 30. The flights will depart from New Orleans at 1 p.m. and arrive at Huntsville at 2:45 p.m. Flights will also leave Huntsville at 3:15 p.m. and touch down in New Orleans at 5 p.m.

Corporate Flight Management (CFM) will operate the service, which will create 150 direct and indirect jobs in Huntsville. GLO officials expect the expansion will have an estimated $1 million economic impact.

GLO, which declined to say how much it is investing in Huntsville, will receive certain incentives from the airport.

"Generally, when you're working with attracting a carrier, you do things like waive their costs to be here for a period of time," Peek said. "Waiving of landing fees, rental fees and things like that are very common. All the carriers that are here today have taken advantage of that at some point and then we'll put some advertising dollars into a program to promote them."

GLO will use 30-passenger, Saab 340B aircraft with speeds of 300 mph for the new routes. Free snacks and beverages will be available to travelers, who may bring up to three bags and one personal item without paying an additional fee.

Louisiana native Trey Fayard founded GLO in 2013 as a travel alternative for business and leisure passengers in the Gulf and Mid-South regions of the U.S., which are undeserved by existing air carriers. Fayard said GLO offers faster connectivity than road travel, which often wastes time and productivity.

While business and leisure passengers may benefit from the service, Bentley said economic development recruitment is also dependent on transportation.

"It is vital to bring not only services and products, but it's also to bring people," he said. "We consider this a major port here at Huntsville International Airport, one of the longest runways in the country. It's a major part of economic development for any state, but Huntsville certainly it is a major part of what we're trying to do in this part of the state."

Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, said the service will also help NASA at Marshall Space Flight Center and the tourism industry.

"To give us a nonstop flight to New Orleans I think will be a very good boon for our community and for people who want to take a little bit of time off from the Tennessee Valley in order to enjoy other parts of the United States," he said.

To book flights or learn more about the new service, visit flyGLO.com.