New startup airline fills MEM to New Orleans air gap

New Orleans-based GLO, the nation's newest startup airline, will launch air service from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in November, including daily non-stop flights to Memphis International Airport.

GLO’s public charter flights, operated by Corporate Flight Management Inc., will introduce daily flights in November with promotional one-way $189 fares. The airline initially will offer direct nonstop service from New Orleans to Memphis, Little Rock, Ark., and Shreveport, La.

Memphis and New Orleans are connected somewhat in river culture, with both cities garnering plenty of leisure travelers. And, yes, leisure travel is an attractive reason to introduce the air service. But Trey Fayard, Founder and CEO of GLO, said there is a real need for business travel between the two cities.

“It’s a combination but the Monday through Friday schedule is attempting to capture that person traveling on business or for a client,” he said. “They’d be able to go to New Orleans or Memphis and dramatically cut that travel time versus being on the road and possibly staying overnight. That’s one of the selling points for us.”

The service is a return of nonstop flights between Memphis International and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International. Delta Airlines ended nonstop service between the two airports earlier this year.

Fayard does see the potential for growth, and it could come as early as the spring.

“We’ll look at other opportunities out of New Orleans as well as out of Memphis,” he said. “There are in our mind and based on our model there are some interesting routes out of Memphis we’d look to add. I think the growth pattern that develops over time, there would be natural connectivity that happens.”

GLO will operate 30-passenger Saab 340B aircraft, which will include on-board service from a flight attendant that includes complimentary snacks and beverages. The airline is the 11th to serve Memphis International.
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Read more articles by Lance Wiedower.

Lance is a veteran journalist with more than 16 years of experience in newsrooms in the Memphis area as a reporter and editor, including most recently as managing editor of The Daily News. He regularly contributes to The Daily News, including a biweekly travel column, The Daily Traveler. 

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