Ashvegas Hot Sheet: Asheville airport adds new flights to Philly, Washington Dulles

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

1

Here’s more of what’s going around:

-The Asheville Regional Airport, the second fastest-growing small hub airports in the U.S., announced two new flights recently. First up, there’s a new United Airlines non-stop flight from Asheville to Washington Dulles International Airport starting on or after Feb. 14. The route will be available twice daily on United, with daily departures planned for noon and 5 p.m. The other new flight is an American Airlines non-stop flight from Asheville to Philadelphia International Airport starting on or after May 3.

-Speaking of the Asheville Regional Airport, folks can still sign up this week at the airport for the Transportation Security Administration’s TDA pre-check program. A temporary application center is set up on Wright Brothers Way and is open from noon until noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. through Thursday, Nov. 8. More from a press release:

Local travelers can make an appointment for enrollment online by completing the initial enrollment information, then selecting Asheville from the drop-down menu (on the last screen of the initial enrollment) to make an appointment. A link to the on-line application is provided at flyavl.com. Applicants can then complete their enrollment in-person at the application center during their appointment. The application fee is $85 and is good for five years. It can be paid at the time of your appointment by credit card, money order, company check, or certified/cashier’s check. Cash and personal checks are not accepted. Enrollees will need to bring documentation proving identity and citizenship status. And fingerprints are collected during the in-person enrollment session. After completing enrollment, successful applicants will receive a Known Traveler Number (KTN) via U.S. mail within a few days that is valid for five years. The enrollee should enter the provided KTN in the “Known Traveler Number” field when booking airline reservations. The KTN also can be added when booking reservations online via a participating airline website, via phone call to the airline reservation center, or with the travel management company making your reservations. Additionally, the KTN can be entered in participating airline frequent flyer profiles, where it will be stored for future reservations made directly from your profile.

-Asheville tourism and sports officials announced last week that the US Cellular Center in Asheville would feature Fed Cup viewing party

-The Rise Above Bakehouse has opened at 1207 Charlotte Highway in Fairview, in the former Ruth & Ranshaw bakery location. It’s the work of Brandon Murry and Montana Fain, who have followed their passion for baking by first opening Rise Above Deli at the Hillman Beer brewery and then expanding to the bakehouse. They use organic flour from Lindley Mills in Graham, NC, to bake up amazing breads and treats. Congratulations t

-Winter weather forecasts have arrived, with experts calling for above-average precipitation and average cold temps. A mild El Nino effect will be in place, which usually means more snow for us in Asheville. Nature’s signs also point to a more active winter, with the spoon-shaped kernel of persimmons seeds and lots of dark-brown woolly worms. (High winds on Sunday forced the cancellation of the annual woolly worm festival in Banner Elk, so we don’t have an official woolly worm prediction.)

-Did you see this video of fighter jets roaring through the Linville Gorge recently?

-And did you see this video highlight reel of the Green River Race this past weekend? Amazing!