First glimpse at Elite jetliner flying in, out of Naples airport soon

NAPLES, Fla.- To some, the sound of planes flying in and out of Naples Municipal Airport is music to their ears, but others still aren’t convinced over the return of commercial air service to the city.

On Wednesday, Elite Airways showed off the 70-seater jet that will fly in and out of the airport five days a week beginning Feb. 27.

Since the announcement of the return of commercial flights, residents have voiced their concerns over the noise the new flights will bring.

“I know one thing, it’s more noise, more pollution. No matter what they say about how quiet they are and that’s the way, that’s the truth,” said Alan Parker.

But John Pearsall, president of Elite Airways says, “it’s much quieter than normal. It’s not a heavy jet, it’s not an older jet. As far as engine standards go, the Stage 4 aircraft is one of the best out there.”

Elite Airways will provide nonstop service five times a week from Naples to Newark, New Jersey, and twice a week to Portland, Maine with a stop in central Florida.

“We think that the Naples community in general has been under served for years and this makes absolute use of a great resource that they have here at the airport,” added Pearsall.

“It is nice to be able to be back to a full-service airport and so these people who have been calling us just a place for the ‘rich and famous to play’ can’t quite say that now,” said Ted Holiday, airport director.

Jack Wert, with the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau, says they plan to do some special advertising for the flights through TV and print ads, as well as online.

“We’ve used weather.com, for instance, very effectively in the New York market, where it’s really cold up there and we say it’s 75 degrees here in Naples. That sells airline tickets and will really bring a lot of people here,” Wert said.