Twice-weekly route from South Bend to Punta Gorda, Fla., starts June 27

SOUTH BEND ---- Mike Daigle, executive director at South Bend Regional Airport, believed there was additional opportunity for Allegiant Air in South Bend.

And he told Allegiant about it in a phone call with airline officials about a month ago.

They asked him for some numbers. When he told them the two flights could generate 20,000 passengers per year, they jumped at it.