WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. — This summer, air traffic across the United States is expected to ramp up, according to a release Tuesday from the Connecticut Airport Authority.
Last summer, approximately 1.6 million passengers traveled through Bradley International Airport, or BDL, during the months of June, July and August, the CAA reports. This year, over the course of those three months, the number of travelers is expected to be similar and could exceed last year’s total.
According to the CAA, several new routes and the return of other nonstop flights are coming through BDL this summer.
The CAA said Breeze Airways is now offering new, nonstop service from BDL to Cincinnati, Ohio; Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; New Bern, N.C. and Orlando, Fla. Nonstop routes that have returned to BDL and are operating during the summer include JetBlue to Los Angeles; Sun Country to Minneapolis, Minn.; Spirit to Myrtle Beach, S.C. and Southwest to Denver. The flights are part of more than 40 nonstop destinations on 11 different airlines at BDL, according to the CAA.
In partnership with Travelers Aid International, the CAA is launching a new concierge service for passengers at BDL. Beginning on July 1, a concierge team member can be booked to meet and greet passengers who arrive at the airport, the CAA said.
The concierge team members can assist in checking in at the airline ticket counter, going through the TSA security checkpoint via priority access, accompanying passengers directly to their gates, delivering food directly to the gate through BDL Market, retrieving checked bags and assisting to and from parking, pick up or rental car, according to the CAA.
Additionally, all TSA PreCheck lanes have been relocated from the main TSA security checkpoint to the secondary checkpoint located between the United Airlines ticket counter and the hallway to the Sheraton Hotel. The CAA said the secondary location is dedicated for passengers enrolled in TSA PreCheck and those who have both TSA Precheck and CLEAR.
With the recent opening of the Beercode Kitchen & Bar, passengers have one more dining option to choose from this summer. The restaurant is in the gates 21-30 concourse, according to the CAA.
There are more than 15 other locations inside the main terminal where passengers can enjoy food and beverages, and there are more than 10 retail locations and kiosks for shopping and travel supplies, the CAA said. Several of these concessions were recently remodeled and now have new names, looks and merchandise.
For passengers considering other airports in the northeast for their travel needs, the CAA advises that ongoing construction projects could lead to traffic delays and longer wait times, as in Boston, the Sumner Tunnel, which takes drivers from Logan Airport, will be closed seven days a week during much of the summer for construction. Detours will be in place during that time. Also, at New York’s JFK Airport, a major renovation project is underway, which could potentially cause delays because of detours and shifts in traffic patterns.
For more information on BDL’s nonstops, concessions, amenities and travel tips, one can visit here.
BDL is New England’s second-largest airport and contributes $3.6 billion to the regional economy. The CAA was established in 2011 to develop, improve and operate BDL and the state’s five general aviation airports. The CAA endeavors to make the state’s airports more attractive to new airlines, bring in new routes and support Connecticut’s overall economic development and growth strategy. To learn more, visit here.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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