Public uncertainty over the conflict in the Middle East, which continues to drive up fuel costs, and the May 1 shutdown of Spirit Airlines have contributed to declines in Las Vegas visitation in three of the past six months.
But an aviation consultant that monitors visitation and seat capacity for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority on Tuesday indicated there is reason for optimism for Southern Nevada in the months ahead.
Joel Van Over of Atlanta-based Ailevon Pacific Aviation Consulting told the LVCVA board of directors that more than half of the Spirit Airlines flights that disappeared when the airline went out of business have been replaced by other airlines and recent new route announcements will add 1.1 million seats annually into Las Vegas.
Van Over, in a 20-minute presentation, also listed three other reasons for optimism for Las Vegas: non-stop service between Las Vegas and Paris began earlier this year and new non-stops between Las Vegas and Sydney, Australia, begin in December; a Mexican airline added the first new core-Mexico route since 2012; and special non-stop flights during January’s CES convention will bring passengers from Hong Kong and Taipei for the first time, and airlines often look at those special flights as “tryouts” for eventual regular service.
Air France began seasonal non-stop round trips between Charles de Gaull International Airport in Paris and Harry Reid International Airport on April 15. Australia-based Qantas Airlines begins flight from Sydney to Reid on Dec. 29.
Mexican discount air carrier Volaris will begin twice-weekly non-stop flights between Reid and Querétaro Intercontinental Airport on Dec. 4. Querétaro, just northwest of Mexico City, is the fastest-growing city in Mexico and is considered an industrial and economic powerhouse with a wealthy population base.
Special flights to deliver CES attendees to and from Las Vegas are a commonplace strategy in which flights only run for about a week. But Van Over said he hopes to parlay flights into regularly operating service. The Air France Paris flights were the latest to start out as temporary CES service and blossom into scheduled flights.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.
