News

Arnold Palmer Regional Airport officials announced Monday that Northwest Airlines has begun offering leisure travel packages out of the airport near Latrobe.

"Our packages will make it very easy and affordable for people in and around Latrobe to book a vacation," said Christy Sazama, a spokeswoman for NWA World Vacations, a subsidiary of Northwest Airlines.

Sazama said passengers can find discounts ranging from 5 percent to 20 percent on packages offered to a wealth of popular vacation destinations.

"This is a good opportunity for leisure travelers to take advantage of the service here," airport Manager Gabe Monzo said.

Monzo admitted that business travelers made up most of the 800 passengers who have flown out of the Unity Township airport since April 4, when Northwest started its three daily departures and returns to Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

"Vacation travel was something that was still untapped here, and I think this will help," added Gene Lakin, executive director of the Westmoreland County Airport Authority.

"Now, you can book airfare, hotel, entertainment and other options all at once," he said, noting the service is available "on the airline's Internet Web site or through any travel agent."

"We've been waiting for this," said Lynn Ann Malinak, president of Run Away Travel Inc. at the airport near Latrobe.

"Basically, you can go from Latrobe to anywhere Northwest sells as a vacation destination," added Barb Twaddle, manager of the travel agency, "and cheaper than what you do booking everything separately."

Malinak noted that the vacation packages "are not nonstop charters. It's Northwest's scheduled service, and you still have to fly to Detroit and change airplanes. But it's priced lower."

As an example, she cited a package to Las Vegas that recently sold for $1,928 when booked separately now going for $1,208 when booked through the new service.

And the list of destinations is extensive, Lakin said.

"There has to be a couple of hundred vacation spots listed," he said, citing Orlando, Fla., and Cancun, Mexico, as two more examples.

Tom Rabis, station manager for Northwest Airlink partner Mesaba Airlines, said the number of passengers so far has been "right about what we forecasted, but we expect a little more this month."

Rabis added that "with the new leisure packages and more competitive rates, I expect we'll see an increase in passengers."

He also noted that a new electronic ticketing kiosk has been installed at the local airport to provide additional convenience for passengers.

"It's something that anyone who has been to any major airport has come across," he said, noting the device can assist passengers with several essential services.

"It prints boarding passes, baggage tags, itineraries and receipts," Rabis added. "They can even choose upgrades or book alternate flights. There is a whole range of options."

That means savvy travelers can now check in without assistance, but passengers can still seek assistance from a service agent, he said.

• Most Read
• Most E-mailed
• Latest News