SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio International Airport is set to launch its first nonstop, seven-day-a-week commercial flight to Washington, D.C.
Texas politicians said the approved plan, which has been evolving for 20 years, will begin with daily service starting Monday.
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American Airlines will launch the flight, becoming the only airline to offer nonstop service between Reagan National Airport (DCA) and San Antonio International Airport (SAT).
Flight 1718 will depart from SAT at 6:35 a.m. and arrive at DCA at 10:41 a.m.
“It’s a big win for our entire community,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg said.
The two main goals in adding this historic flight from SAT and DCA are efficiency and connections.
“Majority of the time, you have to go to a major airport to get a flight to where you wanna be,” traveler Adam Lucio said.
“We have 46 nonstop sites now, that continues to grow,” Nirenberg said. “It’s also the reason why we’re expanding our airport, so San Antonio travelers stand to benefit. There’s more competition. The prices are improving [and] becoming more competitive, and they’re able to get to new locations nonstop.”
Amid all the excitement, there is still a looming question of airline safety.
“Aviation remains the safest way to travel in the United States,” Senator Ted Cruz said. “That being said, safety has to be the number one concern.”
KSAT asked Cruz about his thoughts on safety regarding direct flights to DCA following the tragic crash of American Airlines Flight 5342.
“The American Airlines flight that was inbound from Wichita, Kansas, and the Army Black Hawk helicopter, it was truly a horrific accident,” Cruz said.
Since then, changes have been made, and safety has remained the top priority of all airlines nationwide.
“We’ve already seen things like the FAA has halted the helicopter routes that were crossing across the runways at DCA airport,” Cruz said. “I think that made a lot of sense.”
“Everything we do is going to be to operate safely,” said Jesus Saenz, director of airports with the City of San Antonio aviation department.
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