Tailwind Air announced the launch of a new route that will connect New York City with the Washington D.C. area, with the particularity of being the only one to do so with seaplanes departing from the Skyport Marina located in Manhattan to arrive at College Park Airport in the U.S. capital.
The inaugural operation is scheduled for September 13, and Tailwind has scheduled ten flights per week, with up to two services Monday through Friday to allow passengers to fly there and back on the same day. They will be operated in Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft with seating for eight passengers in premium leather seats.
Fares start at USD 395 per leg, but to celebrate the launch Tailwind is offering a promotion of one free ticket for a companion for purchases made by September 10 and to fly between September 13 and December 21, by putting the code TWDCBOGO when booking.
«»We’re very excited to be adding Washington, D.C., to our scheduled service. When factoring in the full journey—one hour and twenty minutes in the air (comparable to DCA-LGA service except with no need to access crowded and congested airports on both ends) or the three hours fifty minutes for the Acela—Tailwind Air will offer the fastest, least stressful, premium way to travel between DC and Manhattan. That, paired with the unforgettable views, makes this a compelling experience,» said Peter Manice, co-founder and director of scheduled services for Tailwind Air.
«Bypassing the congestion of the northeast corridor between New York and Washington, DC remains the core mission of Tailwind Air. This new D.C. service complements our existing groundbreaking service between Manhattan and Boston Harbor as well as our numerous summer destinations in the Hamptons and Provincetown,» added Alan Ram, CEO and cofounder of Tailwind Air.
Opened in 1909, College Park is considered the oldest airport in the world still in operation. It is located northeast of Washington D.C., 25 minutes from Capitol Hill and Georgetown and 5 minutes from the University of Maryland.
In New York, Tailwind Air operates its seaplanes from the Skyport located at the east end of 23rd Street on the East River. Its current schedule includes up to three daily flights to Boston, as well as several weekly services to East Hampton, Montauk, Sag Harbor Bay, Shelter Island, Plymouth, Provincetown, and Bridgeport.
The company emphasizes the practicality of its services aimed at a premium audience for whom time is the most valuable commodity (compared to other airlines, fares are significantly more expensive). For this reason and aided by the possibility of operating in less congested airports, flight check-in closes just 10 minutes before departure time.
