In recent years, BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport has seen passenger traffic grow steadily, with new airlines, new routes and consistently increasing monthly and all-time annual passenger records.
Travelers from throughout Maryland and the National Capital area continue to be drawn to BWI Marshall because of the airport’s location, convenience, customer service and lowest average airfares in the region.
Along with overall passenger growth, international passenger traffic also has increased at BWI Marshall. For the first quarter of 2012, international passengers increased 13.5%, compared with the first three months of last year.
AirTran Airways and British Airways currently carry the most international passengers at BWI Marshall. The daily service to London Heathrow on British Airways remains popular with BWI Marshall travelers; AirTran has added a number of international destinations in recent years, including Aruba, Cancun and Bermuda.
Last month, Bahamasair, a new international airline for BWI Marshall, began service to Freeport, Grand Bahama Island. And on July 2, Condor Airlines will make its debut at BWI Marshall with seasonal, twice-weekly service between BWI Marshall and Frankfurt, Germany. The flights will operate on Mondays and Thursdays.
Beyond Frankfurt, Condor will offer connecting service for BWI Marshall travelers to 56 cities across Europe.
“This new international air service is an excellent addition for business and leisure travelers,” said Paul Wiedefeld, executive director of BWI Marshall. “Frankfurt is an important international destination and a key central European hub that offers excellent global connections. Travelers from throughout our region will benefit from this new international service from BWI Marshall.”
Condor was founded in 1955 and is the third largest airline in Germany. The airline offers service to more than 70 international destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. The service will utilize a 270-seat Boeing 767-300 aircraft offering three classes of service: comfort (business), premium economy and economy.
Frankfurt, a leading international center for finance, commerce, transportation and tourism, is home to the European Central Bank. With 53 million annual passengers, Frankfurt Airport is the third busiest in Europe and is among the top 10 busiest global airports. The airport also offers excellent rail and roadway connections.
The airline found BWI Marshall an ideal gateway for its newest American market.
“This new route gets our passengers within easy reach of two attractive destinations on the eastern coast of the USA,” said Ralf Teckentrup, Condor CEO. “Both Baltimore and the U.S. capital, Washington, D.C., are directly linked to the airport.”
