Fast-growing Spirit to launch nine routes from Austin

Fast-growing Spirit Airlines will make Austin, Texas, its newest destination. The ultra low-cost carrier will debut there Feb. 14, launching with an aggressive schedule that features nonstop flights to eight destinations. A ninth route will join Spirit’s Austin lineup in May. Spirit’s expansion to Austin furthers a period of explosive growth for the airport. A number of airlines have revealed new or increased flights there during the past two years, including international carriers Lufthansa and Norwegian Air. As for Spirit, its initial Austin schedule will feature flights to eight destinations: Baltimore/Washington (BWI); Chicago O’Hare; Denver; Detroit; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Las Vegas; New Orleans; and Orlando, Florida. The ramp-up is an unusually large one for Spirit. It typically enters a new market cautiously with just a few routes and then expands if its service proves popular. <br/>