Southern Airways Express announced at a press conference Wednesday that air service will be available to and from Oxford-University Airport beginning June 20.
Scores of people from the Oxford, Ole Miss and press communities gathered at Oxford-University Airport for the announcement from Southern Airways Express. The airliner encouraged all in attendance to tour and view the newly renovated aircraft.
The planes seat nine comfortably, and the airline provides passengers with iPads and Bose headphones during flights.
Chairman and CEO for Southern Airways Express Stan Little made the formal announcement.
“Frankly, you’re going to be able to fly out of here for cheaper than it would be for you to drive to Memphis and park, much less buy an airline ticket,” Little said. “Virtually any day of the week you’re going to have a flight from Oxford into Destin or Panama City Beach.”
According to a press release passengers will not be charged with baggage or parking fees. Year-round destinations include Destin, Fla., and New Orleans. Panama City begins as a seasonal destination. Other possible future destinations to and from Oxford mentioned include Nashville, Jackson, Gulfport and Atlanta.
According to Little, football weekends should see near-constant traffic.
“We will be flying routes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of every home football weekend from New Orleans, Gulfport and Destin,” Little said.
As for away games, week three at the University of Texas has been drawing attention from the public. Little says Southern Airways Express is working on a flight to Austin, Texas, for that game.
“I think from the response we’ve gotten about that — we’re going to need a bigger aircraft for that one,” Little said to a chorus of laughter from those in attendance.
“We are promoting Oxford as a tourism destination,” Keith Sisson, chief operating officer for Southern Airways Express. “It is very important for us to be the transportation provider to a great tourist destination like this (Oxford).”
Little says no seat to or from Oxford will ever be more than $249.
Oxford will also have the only red-eye flight in the Southern Airways Express network. The flight leaves Oxford late Sunday night and arrives in the early morning hours in Destin.
Southern Airways Express refers to the fare options for that flight as the “Archie Manning Special” which will cost $18 and the “Chucky Mullins” which will cost $38 in tribute to the former Ole Miss Rebels football players.
Little said costumer service, quality flights and reasonable fares are what Southern Airways Express plans to bring to Oxford.
“We want to make the trip on the airplane part of the vacation and not just an inconvenience to get you to the vacation,” Little said.
