Thursday, October 3, 2024 The Altoona-Blair County Airport, located in Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, has made a strategic move that is poised to reshape both local travel and the broader airline industry. With a fresh four-year contract with Contour Aviation, the airport now offers 12 weekly roundtrip flights to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. This change, starting Tuesday and announced in a press conference featuring Altoona-Blair County Airport manager Tracy Plessinger and Contour Aviation’s CEO Matt Chaifetz, is set to create a ripple effect across both domestic and international travel markets.
Plessinger and Chaifetz emphasized that these flights will not only bring local travelers better service, but will also open up access to hundreds of destinations through American Airlines, thanks to a strategic partnership with Contour. The significance of this shift extends far beyond Altoona, affecting passengers, tourism, and economic development in ways that will be felt for years to come. The centerpiece of this contract is the rerouting of flights from the Altoona-Blair County Airport to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.
Previously, the airport’s main connection was through Philadelphia International Airport, which offered limited options. Charlotte, on the other hand, is a major hub with about 700 connecting flights daily—more than ten times the 50 offered by Philadelphia. By connecting to Charlotte, passengers can now easily access a vast network of dome.
