American Airlines touched down in Vero Beach, Florida, for the first time on Thursday, officially launching the carrier’s newest route from Charlotte, North Carolina.
According to VeroNews.com, an American Eagle commuter flight carrying 61 passengers landed at Vero Beach Regional Airport at 11:21 a.m., slightly ahead of schedule. The return flight to Charlotte took off at 12:43 p.m.
American announced in September that it would begin daily nonstop service between Vero Beach and North Carolina. The carrier operates the route with a CRJ-900.
Vero Beach is now served by three commercial airlines – American, Breeze, and JetBlue.
WPTV-TV reported that American and Vero Beach Regional Airport have a month-to-month contract, meaning the carrier could exit the market on relatively short notice. The airport’s director told the station that if American were to leave, operations would revert back to normal without issue.
American is the largest airline in Florida by seat capacity. It serves 17 airports in the state, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando.
