Tempe, AZ (Wednesday, July 19, 2006) -

US Airways will resume direct air service this winter from its Philadelphia and Charlotte hubs to the Colorado ski and snowboard resort of Vail aboard Boeing 757 aircraft. (image: US Airways)

Skiers and snowboarders from the East Coast markets of Philadelphia and Charlotte will again have a direct route to ski and ride the slopes of Vail. This winter, US Airways will resume Saturday-only seasonal service from its Philadelphia and Charlotte hubs to Eagle/Vail, Colorado. The flights will utilize 193-seat Boeing 757 aircraft and are now available for booking.

"Colorado's rich winter sport destinations are an exciting offering for US Airways. We're excited to recommence seasonal service to Eagle/Vail and boost the choice of outstanding winter destinations for our Philadelphia customers," said Andrew Nocella, senior vice president, scheduling, planning and alliances.

US Airways will begin flying the Charlotte-Vail route on Dec. 16. No date has yet been announced for initiation of direct service from Philadelphia, although connecting routes are currently available.

Passengers flying through Eagle County Airport, 35 miles west of the ski resort of Vail, increased 11% over 2004, totaling 215,464. Also up over 2004, total aircraft traffic climbed 7.6% to reach a total of 41,540 operations. The airport is served by American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, and United/United Express in addition to the new flights from US Airways.

US Airways and America West's recent merger creates the fifth largest domestic airline employing nearly 35,000 aviation professionals. US Airways, US Airways Shuttle and US Airways Express operate approximately 3,800 flights per day and serve more than 230 communities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America.