Northwest -Des Moines Direct- Just like Fargo..lol

Des Moines' direct link to Washington, D.C., was restored today, with 38 people flying on a 44-seat Northwest Airlines jet.

A mix of business people, government workers and elected officials traveled aboard the flight, which began eight months after Midwest Airlines ended its direct service. Midwest said the route lost more than $1 million a year.

The daily flight leaves Des Moines at 7:30 a.m., arriving in Washington at 10:55 a.m. EST. The return leaves Washington at 5:40 p.m. EST, arriving in Des Moines at 7:25 p.m.

The Quad City Airport in Moline, Ill. is is also adding passenger service this spring.

Existing Northwest Airlink routes from Minneapolis and Detroit will use bigger aircraft. Regional carrier AirTran will boost service to Orlando, Fla., from once a week to four times a week. The additional AirTran flights begin March 9.

Passenger service at the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids remains unchanged. But officials there will monitor demand for the new Washington service in Des Moines, airport spokeswoman Pam Hinman said.

“If it does well there, they might look at us to do something like that here,” she said. - For complete details click the above link.