Over the past few months, those of you following the MDT's Twitter stream may have seen the hashtag #MDT324 in use. What appears to be a nonsensical collection of letters and numbers actually represented an event planned to bring several of our more active twitter followers to MDT for an opportunity to meet one another in person. In total 5 "tweeps" flew or drove in from across the country for an evening "tweetup" with the airport tweeter. Each tweep has graciously agreed to share their experience in a wrap up blog series.
Chris Stotz's post is the third of the wrap up series on #MDT324. Maybe we'll be seeing you at the 2012 event!
Harrisburg International Airport (HIA) is my hometown airport. I was born and raised in central Pennsylvania, graduated from Penn State in 1998, and lived in Harrisburg until I moved to Fort Lauderdale in late 2002. I remember the original Harrisburg Airport, the newer terminal in the 1980s, and I’m thrilled with the new facility. Until I moved out of the area in 2002, I was flying in and out of HIA all the time. I think the progress of HIA over the years, and what it has become today, really reflects how special and unique central Pennsylvania is. I’m so proud of what HIA has become, and it was exciting to be a part of a special event showing off HIA known by Twitter followers as #MDT324.
#MDT324 was a gathering of HIA Twitter followers from all over the United States. Stephanie Gehman, Marketing Manager for HIA, has developed an impressive online presence for the airport on websites like Facebook and Twitter. She coordinated the event with the HIA fans, and provided a special “VIP” behind-the-scenes tour of the airport. For me, it was a very special event because this state-of-the-art airport, with bright and shiny concourses, busy gates, and great vendors like Starbucks and Subway, is the kind of airport I’ve always imagined for Harrisburg and the surrounding area. It’s nice when you can return to the place you grew up and lived as a younger adult and see things going well, especially in this current economic climate. It was a great feeling to see people from around the country be impressed with what I think is the perfect airport.
In the last few years I’ve been especially lucky to be able to enjoy direct, nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and Harrisburg on AirTran Airways. This makes it very easy and affordable to fly home and visit family and friends, with a flight time of about two hours. Lucky for me, there are many options and carriers going in and out of HIA, so getting home to central Pennsylvania will never be difficult no matter where I am. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again…there’s no place like home!
I really am proud to call HIA my hometown airport, and appreciate the opportunity to connect with HIA on Facebook and Twitter and make lasting friendships with other fans of what has become an airport that many cities would envy. Thank you to everyone involved with the #MDT324 event, and the friendly and hard working staff at HIA, especially Stephanie, for making this fly-in possible, and making HIA a pleasant and “hip” airport!
Showing posts with label AirTran Airways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AirTran Airways. Show all posts
18.10.10
Guest Blog: AirTran Delivers Nonstop Service Between MDT & FLL
Today we'd like the feature the first guest blog of it's kind. A few weeks ago we put out an invitation for our Facebook fans and Twitter followers to author a guest blog post. An avid & active fan and follower, Chris Stotz wrote the following customer testimonial post about his experience of flying AirTran Airways between MDT and FLL. Chris was born and raised near Harrisburg International airport in Central PA, but now lives in Fort Lauderdale.I’m originally from central Pennsylvania but have been living in Fort Lauderdale since 2002. Finding a flight home to Harrisburg from either Fort Lauderdale or Miami airports always involved long and sometimes hectic connections in major airport hubs, usually resulting in about a six hour adventure between here and there. Last winter, the chaos of
running through busy airports to make the connecting flight to/from Harrisburg became a thing of the past. While checking out updates on Harrisburg International Airport’s website (flyhia.com), I noticed the big announcement that I had been waiting eight years to see… AirTran would begin nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and Harrisburg. I remember sending out a mass email to family and friends still living in central Pennsylvania because this was big news. What a treat! Not only was there nonstop service between Harrisburg and Fort Lauderdale, it was on AirTran. AirTran’s low fares, hassle-free customer service, newer Boeing jets, and available in-flight WiFi service make them one of the best values in the air today (and one of my preferred carriers). Suddenly, what often ends up being a six-hour ordeal getting to Harrisburg would now take about 2 hours, without the stress of having to make a connecting flight.I’ve made several quick weekend trips to visit family in central Pennsylvania from Fort Lauderdale since the new seasonal, nonstop service began. If I had to think of one word to describe each AirTran experience between Fort Lauderdale and Harrisburg, it would be “smooth.” No issues, no delays, no worries. Each time I was dropped off at Harrisburg International Airport for my return flight to Fort Lauderdale, I browsed the retail options in the Harrisburg International Airport terminal like Perfectly Pennsylvania, grabbed my coffee at Starbucks (I can’t believe there is now a Starbucks inside the HIA terminal), and boarded my quick flight back to South Florida. Smooth! Why drive to large, crowded airports in Baltimore or Philadelphia when HIA has everything a traveler needs… including nonstop flights to popular destinations?
Fort Lauderdale, about 20 minutes north of Miami, is home to the second-largest cruise ship port in the United States. Winter days are balmy, usually around 80-degrees with little or no humidity. The beaches are lined with towering palm trees and the ocean water is warm and blue. With AirTran’s direct service from Harrisburg, Fort Lauderdale is now a quick, easy, and affordable getaway for people in central Pennsylvania looking to escape the harsh, cold winter, even for just a long weekend. With AirTran, you can get to Fort Lauderdale from Harrisburg faster than it takes you to drive to the mid-Atlantic beaches.
For me, the best part of the nonstop service between Harrisburg and Fort Lauderdale is somehow home doesn’t seem so far away anymore. See you in the air!
Have you flown nonstop on AirTran Airways to/from MDT? What's been your experience with those flights?
If you enjoyed reading Chris's post and would like to guest blog for fly HIA blog, please let us know. Send an email to info@saraa.org with your interest!
4.2.10
Guest Blog: In-Flight WiFi Availability on Airlines at MDT
We have asked a few select guest bloggers to join us on this blog as part of a six week mini series on hot button aviation topics that effect you, the traveler. These guest bloggers will no doubt enrich your travel experience by bringing in their own various perspectives and experiences from different horizons. Today we would like to introduce Dan Webb as the fifth guest blogger*.
Dan Webb, is sophomore at Bryant University. After a year of thinking, he decided to major in business administration, concentrate in finance, and minor in actuarial math and supply chain management.
He absolutely loves planes ever since his first flight from Boston on a Northwest Airlines Boeing 757-200. When he was young, he made an airport made out of Legos, and drew the “Dan Airways” route map in inflight magazines my dad would bring home from trips (he still collects them to this day). He actually keeps track of all the flights he's ever been on. He's fairly confident that he wants to enter the airline industry after college. His professional profile is available on LinkedIn.
You can find more about Dan and his aviation/travel interests at his blog Things in the Sky and by listening to his podcast Airplane Geeks online. You can also follow Dan on Twitter.
Today Dan will share with us the in-flight wireless internet availability on the airline partners at Harrisburg International Airport (MDT).
It really impresses me how quickly inflight Wi-Fi has been installed on aircraft across the country. I've yet to be on a flight with the service, but friends who have really enjoy it. Here's a summary on the availability of Wi-Fi on carriers that fly out of MDT:
Air Canada
Like many airports in the Northeast, MDT gets its Air Canada service from Air Georgian Becch 1900 aircraft, which have no Wi-Fi. Air Canada has been testing the service on flights to Los Angeles from Toronto and Montreal, but there's no word yet on if they will expand it to the rest of their network.
AirTran
AirTran was the second carrier to get Wi-Fi on all of its aircraft, so if you're flying them out of Harrisburg, you'll have the service! The only exception is flights operated by AirTran's partner SkyWest, but that's a small operation based out of Milwaukee.
American
It was simply fantastic news when American announced that it would be returning to MDT with flights to Chicago O'Hare in April. Unfortunately, none of the flights to MDT will have Wi-Fi as they will be operated by regional subsidiary American Eagle. Nevertheless, it could be available on a connecting flight. American has Internet service on all of its 767-200 aircraft, and some MD-80s and 737-800s. You can check if your flight has Wi-Fi with it's handy widget.
Continental
The airline is still figuring out what it's doing with Wi-Fi. It will be testing out Aircell's Gogo service (the industry leader) on 21 757-300 aircraft, while the 737-900s are getting a different service from LiveTV. So, we'll just have to see what happens. Commutair flights to Cleveland and Newark from MDT won't have the serivce, though.
Delta
Like other carriers, service to/from MDT won't have Wi-Fi has they're operated by regional partners, but the service could be available on connecting flights. But Delta has made great progress - pretty much the entire pre-merger Delta fleet has Wi-Fi. So if you're connecting to a mainline flight out of Cincinnati or Atlanta, there's a great chance of Wi-Fi availability. The airline is just getting started on the Northwest fleet, however, so if you're going through Detroit your chances aren't the greatest.
United
The airline has only installed Wi-Fi on its 14 757-200s that fly to Los Angeles and San Francisco from New York as part of it's P.S. (premium service) brand. There are no plans in place to expand the service right now, but that could always change.
US Airways
US Airways is planning on installing Wi-Fi on A321 aircraft this year, but that hasn't started yet. Currently, the airline doesn't fly that aircraft to/from MDT.
*The opinions expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Harrisburg International Airport.
Dan Webb, is sophomore at Bryant University. After a year of thinking, he decided to major in business administration, concentrate in finance, and minor in actuarial math and supply chain management.
He absolutely loves planes ever since his first flight from Boston on a Northwest Airlines Boeing 757-200. When he was young, he made an airport made out of Legos, and drew the “Dan Airways” route map in inflight magazines my dad would bring home from trips (he still collects them to this day). He actually keeps track of all the flights he's ever been on. He's fairly confident that he wants to enter the airline industry after college. His professional profile is available on LinkedIn.
You can find more about Dan and his aviation/travel interests at his blog Things in the Sky and by listening to his podcast Airplane Geeks online. You can also follow Dan on Twitter.
Today Dan will share with us the in-flight wireless internet availability on the airline partners at Harrisburg International Airport (MDT).
It really impresses me how quickly inflight Wi-Fi has been installed on aircraft across the country. I've yet to be on a flight with the service, but friends who have really enjoy it. Here's a summary on the availability of Wi-Fi on carriers that fly out of MDT:
Air Canada
Like many airports in the Northeast, MDT gets its Air Canada service from Air Georgian Becch 1900 aircraft, which have no Wi-Fi. Air Canada has been testing the service on flights to Los Angeles from Toronto and Montreal, but there's no word yet on if they will expand it to the rest of their network.
AirTran
AirTran was the second carrier to get Wi-Fi on all of its aircraft, so if you're flying them out of Harrisburg, you'll have the service! The only exception is flights operated by AirTran's partner SkyWest, but that's a small operation based out of Milwaukee.
American
It was simply fantastic news when American announced that it would be returning to MDT with flights to Chicago O'Hare in April. Unfortunately, none of the flights to MDT will have Wi-Fi as they will be operated by regional subsidiary American Eagle. Nevertheless, it could be available on a connecting flight. American has Internet service on all of its 767-200 aircraft, and some MD-80s and 737-800s. You can check if your flight has Wi-Fi with it's handy widget.
Continental
The airline is still figuring out what it's doing with Wi-Fi. It will be testing out Aircell's Gogo service (the industry leader) on 21 757-300 aircraft, while the 737-900s are getting a different service from LiveTV. So, we'll just have to see what happens. Commutair flights to Cleveland and Newark from MDT won't have the serivce, though.
Delta
Like other carriers, service to/from MDT won't have Wi-Fi has they're operated by regional partners, but the service could be available on connecting flights. But Delta has made great progress - pretty much the entire pre-merger Delta fleet has Wi-Fi. So if you're connecting to a mainline flight out of Cincinnati or Atlanta, there's a great chance of Wi-Fi availability. The airline is just getting started on the Northwest fleet, however, so if you're going through Detroit your chances aren't the greatest.
United
The airline has only installed Wi-Fi on its 14 757-200s that fly to Los Angeles and San Francisco from New York as part of it's P.S. (premium service) brand. There are no plans in place to expand the service right now, but that could always change.
US Airways
US Airways is planning on installing Wi-Fi on A321 aircraft this year, but that hasn't started yet. Currently, the airline doesn't fly that aircraft to/from MDT.
*The opinions expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Harrisburg International Airport.
13.10.09
Traveling with Junior
For today's blogging purposes, this is Junior.Okay, parents, let's face it, traveling with your children is at times an exercise in humility. You have high hopes and expectations for how your trip will go, but Junior has other ideas. Whether he's in diapers relying on your for every need or moodily listening to his iPod barely acknowledging your existence; kids alter the way you travel.
Traveling with your mini me doesn't have to be burdensome, in fact, it can be quite fun, if you're in the know! You need to know what to do when different situations present themselves. For starters, how about making reservations for your child(ren) to fly? If your tot is under the age of two, you don't need a seat for him, you can hold your infant/toddler while you fly. However, once he reaches the age of two, Junior will need his own seat reservation. And, your young'n needs to be in a booster seat just as he would when in your personal vehicle.
Okay, so you've reserved your seats on the plane for you and Junior. Now what? Well, how about packing for baby? What you take along for your and your little one will be scanned at the security checkpoint if you're carrying on an appropriately sized bag or two, and all other luggage you take will be scanned once checked with your airline. The Transportation Security Administration has a great section on their web site to help make your packing and subsequent checkpoint experiences as hassle-free as possible. A few key points about taking your kiddos through the security checkpoint:
The TSA employees are not here to harass your kids, they have every intent on working with you as much as possible to keep Junior happy while going through the checkpoint process.
If you don't suspect your stroller, diaper bag, etc will fit through the bag scanner, you need to let a TSA employee know in advance. Hand scanning is available for over sized items.
- Your child needs snacks and drinks while on the plane? You may take breast milk, juice, or formula in your carry-on in reasonable amounts greater than the mandated 3 ounces.
- It is your responsibility to review what you can and cannot take on the plane for Junior. Please don't get upset with the checkpoint personnel if they tell you cannot take prohibited items on the plane.
Okay, so you've made it through the checkpoint successfully and you're now waiting in the gate area for your flight to arrive. Junior is happily camped out in his stroller while you're between reading the paper and attending to him. Before you know it, the airline gate agent announces via the intercom that XYZ airline is to begin boarding for your flight from HIA to your vacation destination. Let's run through the easy way to get on the plane with a little one. Make sure all of his items are packed away, that his stroller, if you're traveling with it, is collapsed for easy transport and stowing on the plane, and that you got him with you. If Junior is over two, and mobile [requiring his own seat on the plane], we'd recommend that mom or dad hold onto his boarding pass at all times during travel. This lessens the likelihood that it gets lost and enables all of you to get through your travels more quickly. So the gate agent's called for your seat assignments to board, and you make your way to on to the plane.
You make your way onto the aircraft and find your seats. Let's assume for our blogging purposes that Junior is a lap-sitter, and you're sharing a seat. You have his drinks, snacks and entertainment stowed at your feet under the seat in front of you for ease of access. As your row mates are filing onto the plane, you discover the fine seat occupant to your left has an apparent disdain for your infant. What do you do? How do you handle a fellow traveler who seems, for whatever reason as your flying, annoyed with your child?
The plane's been boarded, door closed, and the aircraft is being pushed back from the gate. You begin taxiing and your flight is taking it's spot in line for take-off. In an ideal situation you discover that Junior has fallen asleep, or is happily busying himself with one of his toys. However, you discover that your little one is not real happy with the prospect of being confined to your lap, or worse yet, has taken ill with what seems to be motion sickness. What do you do when your young, primarily non-verbal child(ren) are ill or unhappy while in-flight?
Let's assume that today's flight is headed for a warm-weather vacation in Orlando. Your flight is about to land at Orlando International Airport (MCO) and AirTran Airways has been your airline today. You've had a safe, uneventful, and successful flight. You land, deplane and enter the terminal in search of your Mickey Mouse car service. With Junior, the rest of the family, and all of your gear in tow, you head out to the curb, find your awaiting Magic Kingdom chauffeur and are well on your way to your family vacation!
What have you found to be successful tips for making family vacations successful? Where are some of your favorite family-friendly destinations to visit?
28.8.09
Be prepared! Fun is upon you!
Shhh! Can you keep a secret? We're going to let you in on a tidbit of information. HIA has some upcoming fun and exciting news regarding Fort Lauderdale, AirTran and freebies! That's right, we're partnering with low-fare airline, AirTran Airways and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau to bring you some fun and exciting prizes and giveaways over the next eight weeks.
Be prepared for fun-in-the-sun antics at the upcoming Harrisburg Kipona Festival. It involves scuba gear and "beachy" tourists! Followed, shortly there after by an announcement in the coming days of a very exciting beach-themed giveaway! Do you want to be amongst the first to receive the giveaway info? Then sign-up today for the fly HIA e-news!
Stay tuned to www.flyHIA.com/FLL for more information!
Be prepared for fun-in-the-sun antics at the upcoming Harrisburg Kipona Festival. It involves scuba gear and "beachy" tourists! Followed, shortly there after by an announcement in the coming days of a very exciting beach-themed giveaway! Do you want to be amongst the first to receive the giveaway info? Then sign-up today for the fly HIA e-news!
Stay tuned to www.flyHIA.com/FLL for more information!
14.7.09
Internetiquette for Inflight WiFi Users
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Now that AirTran Airways is the first major airline to have WiFi available on their entired aircraft fleet, they have authored an Internetiquette manual for inflight wireless network usage. Tips range from discouraging the use of the lavatory as your personal conference room (tip #134) to encouraging you to meet your row mates (tip #127) for the purpose of being friendly, not so that you can search for them online!What tips are missing? Do you have any thoughtful suggestions?
AirTran Airways serves Orlando (MCO) and Atlanta (ATL) from MDT with daily, nonstop service on 717 aircraft equipped with free WiFi!
12.5.09
Your new favorite hot spot is at 10,000 feet!
Ever have the urge to log onto your favorite airport's blog while you were cruising at 10,000 feet, but have the sudden realization that you couldn't? Well that landscape is changing as more and more airlines are adding inflight wireless internet services to their flights.
This morning, AirTran Airways announced that they will provide inflight WiFi on every flight by July 2009. AirTran is not the first to implement this amenity to its flights, click here for a list of WiFi-providing airlines.
Have you already surfed your favorite airport blog while inflight? If so, which airline were you flying at the time? Did you vote in the Every Flight effort AirTran spearheaded? We did! Our vote was for access to our blog for all AirTran passengers!
This morning, AirTran Airways announced that they will provide inflight WiFi on every flight by July 2009. AirTran is not the first to implement this amenity to its flights, click here for a list of WiFi-providing airlines.
Have you already surfed your favorite airport blog while inflight? If so, which airline were you flying at the time? Did you vote in the Every Flight effort AirTran spearheaded? We did! Our vote was for access to our blog for all AirTran passengers!
5.5.09
Atlanta, Affordable.
Atlanta is now easier than ever, with daily nonstop service from HIA on AirTran Airways. Connect to more than 38 cities, including Fort Lauderdale, Dallas, Denver and Las Vegas. And take advantage of a low-fare airline with full-sized airplanes, business class, free drinks and satellite radio. All at the airport that’s closer to home. Go. There’s nothing stopping you. Service starts June 11. Book today at http://www.airtran.com/.
2.4.09
AirTran Airways to Expand Service at HIA
AirTran Airways offers nonstop daily service to Orlando International Airport (MCO) and will begin seasonal nonstop daily service to Atlanta International Airport (ATL) on June 11th through September 8th!
You don't have to stop at Atlanta, you can connect to more than 35 destinations like: Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Dallas/Fort Worth, Las Vegas, San Antonio, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and more. View the available connections on AirTran Airway's interactive route map.
For Orlando & Atlanta fares and reservations, visit www.airtran.com, don't forget to use FAA Code: MDT.
Will you fly Delta or AirTran Airways nonstop from MDT?
You don't have to stop at Atlanta, you can connect to more than 35 destinations like: Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Dallas/Fort Worth, Las Vegas, San Antonio, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and more. View the available connections on AirTran Airway's interactive route map.
For Orlando & Atlanta fares and reservations, visit www.airtran.com, don't forget to use FAA Code: MDT.
Will you fly Delta or AirTran Airways nonstop from MDT?
20.11.08
Tackling High Fares at HIA!
A new era of convenient and affordable air travel began today as AirTran Airways flight 1002 pushed back from gate B2 just after noon with more than 100 passengers bound for Orlando, Florida.
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI), launched service today at Harrisburg International Airport in Harrisburg, Pa., with former Penn State and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jack Ham and Eric Madden, deputy secretary of transportation for Pennsylvania, in attendance to welcome AirTran Airways to the airport.
The airline offers daily nonstop roundtrip flights between Harrisburg International Airport and Orlando International Airport. The flights will be operated with the airline’s quiet and fuel-efficient Boeing 717 aircraft.
“AirTran Airways will help bring fares down in Harrisburg and give vacationers a direct route to Orlando, one of the most popular leisure destinations in the country,” said Matthew Klein, director of pricing and distribution planning for AirTran Airways and a native of Lancaster.
“We are thrilled that AirTran Airways now provides convenient, high-quality and affordable daily nonstop service between Harrisburg International Airport and Orlando,” said Tim Edwards, executive director for Harrisburg International Airport. “Orlando is central Pennsylvania’s top destination for fun and excitement and is very popular for business travelers as well. Thanks to AirTran, driving hours out of your way for daily nonstop service to Orlando has become a thing of the past. With the region’s strong support, we look forward to earning more AirTran service in the future.”
The following nonstop service between Harrisburg International Airport and Orlando International Airport will begin November 20, unless otherwise indicated:
| From | To | Flight | Departs | Arrives | Frequency |
| Harrisburg | Orlando | 1002 | 12:22 p.m. | 2:55 p.m. | Daily |
| Orlando | Harrisburg | 1001 | 9:20 a.m. | 11:46 a.m. | Daily |
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI), a Fortune 1000 company,
is ranked number one in the 2008 Airline Quality Rating study. The airline offers coast-to-coast flights, North America’s newest all-Boeing fleet, friendly service and Business Class and complimentary XM Satellite Radio on every flight. To book a flight, visit www.airtran.com.Read more about this story online at www.flyhia.com/airtran!
Have you booked a flight? Are you traveling for a visit with family? Vacation? Business? HIA wants to know your travel story!
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