MOUNT ALTON — Southern Airways Express continues to make its presence known in the area with such public activities as the “Customer Appreciation Party” that attracted a huge crowd Tuesday afternoon at the Bradford Regional Airport.
Southern Air Express, founded in 2013, has quickly grown to be one of the country’s largest commuter airlines. In 2016, company officials announced SAE had acquired the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Sun Air Express, a commuter airline that served eight cities in the mid-Atlantic region with hubs at the Pittsburgh International Airport and Washington-Dulles International Airport.
Southern provides Essential Air Service daily low-fare flights to Pittsburgh.
Tuesday’s blue skies and warm temperatures — a perfect day for flying — were perfect conditions for the airline’s agenda that included refreshments and drinks, tours of Southern’s aircraft, ticket giveaways and meeting and greeting the airline’s executives, owners and pilots.
Keith Sisson, the airline’s chief operating officer, said that a Cessna 208 Caravan was brought to the airport especially for this event for public tours. There was no interruption of the daily flights arriving and departing Bradford.
Airplanes continue to intrigue people, as was witnessed by the number of the appreciation party attendees who stood to watch the take-off of a Pittsburgh-bound airliner.
Almost as soon as Southern began serving the local area, airline officials started an aggressive campaign to partner with organizations, one of which is the Bradford Creative and Performing Arts Center. BCPAC also presents the summer tribute series with Southern and Beefeaters.
During a break in the music by Sonny McFly and Adam Ernst, BCPAC Director Lauren Marshall announced a Johnny Cash Tribute is slated for July 17 at the Bromeley Theatre on the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford campus.
Other shows in this current tribute series are Buddy Holly, July 24, and Elton John, July 31. The series continues Aug. 7 with tribute bands of Creedence Clearwater Revival and Chicago on Aug. 14.
Throughout the two-hour party, attendees won free roundtrip tickets to Pittsburgh.
Bradford Regional airport Manager Alicia Dankesreiter drew the winning ticket for the event’s grand prize: two free tickets to Frankfort, Germany, aboard Condor Airlines, plus $400 cash. Jeff Sanderson was the winner in this random drawing.
According to Mark Cestari, Southern’s chief commercial officer, “Condor is a German airline with a fleet of 45 planes and is providing service to 90 international destinations. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, Condor flies from Pittsburgh to Frankfort.”
Southern officials were impressed by the large crowd in attendance.

“This is overwhelming and an honor because this is one of the largest crowds of all times,” Sisson said. “This is great because many in this crowd love to travel, and that’s a big advantage for us.”
Sisson said the airline has about the same number of RSVPs for the “Customer Appreciation Party” Thursday in Altoona, “and this Bradford event will give us an idea of how many people to expect.”
Cestari called the turnout “fantastic,” adding that this could lead to new partnerships and customers.
For Ryan Dach, Southern’s director of stations and Bradford’s station manager, “The crowd was unbelievable and it was great to see this much support from the community.”
Similar comments came from Dankesreiter, who remarked, “The crowd exceeded all our expectations. All are having a great time.”
Several members of the Bradford Regional Airport Authority also spoke to The Era. Chairman Cliff Lane, who is also a McKean County commissioner, said, “This is a beautiful day, and it keeps a lot of buzz going about Southern Airways Express.”
Authority member Rob Huber of Bradford was equally upbeat, saying, “I’m thoroughly impressed with the crowd, and I think Southern Airways Express has done a wonderful job as hosts. It shows that the airline wants to be involved in the community.”