The article below appeared in the Western Queens Gazette.

American Eagle Offers Flight To-From West Virginia

It's no wonder they call it Nature's Playground. Biking, hiking, boating, whitewater rafting, some of the most breathtaking scenery you'll find anywhere, plus a thriving business community, great dining and plenty of cultural and historical attractions all await you in Charleston, West Virginia. And American Eagle Airlines can take you there with a daily non-stop flight from LaGuardia Airport to Yeager Airport in Charleston, beginning April 7. American Eagle will operate the service with 37-seat Embraer ERJ-135 jets.

"American Eagle is pleased to be the first airline to provide jet service between the state of West Virginia and New York City," American Eagle President and CEO Peter Bowler said. "This service will allow our new customers from West Virginia the opportunity to fly anywhere in the world that American Airlines flies. Business customers will also have the ability to take a quick day trip to New York."

"Reliable and affordable air service to and from West Virginia is enormously important in helping to maintain and attract economic development opportunities, not just from New York City, but from around the world. At a time when airlines are eliminating air service, American Eagle is stepping up to offer new services to West Virginians," United States Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-West Virginia) said. "Yeager Airport has always been an important gateway, and now, even more people can come to the Mountain State to start a new business or experience our breathtaking scenery. I commend American Eagle for offering this new route, and look forward to working with them to promote it."

American and American Eagle currently offer nonstop service to 63 destinations on 222 daily flights from four New York area airports, with 100 daily flights from LaGuardia.