Savannah airport to add Hilton Head to name

SAVANNAH - Officials have decided to add Hilton Head to the name of Savannah International Airport as studies show that many travelers remain unsure how to fly to the South Carolina resort 25 miles north. <br> <br> Nearly half of arriving passengers in Savannah head directly to Hilton Head, airport officials say, but many travel agents across the country aren&#39;t aware how close the cities are. <br> <br> The chairman of the Savannah Airport Commission, Norton Melaver, said ``Travel agents don&#39;t know to get to Hilton Head you can come to Savannah. They send their clients to Charlotte and put them on a small plane.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Hilton Head Island&#39;s airport has one carrier, USAirways Express, which operates only prop planes from its Charlotte, North Carolina hub. The airport is too small to accommodate jets and its location limits the ability to enlarge it. <br> <br> Patrick Graham, the Savannah airport&#39;s executive director, said officials worry that too many travelers are flying to places such as Charleston, South Carolina, and driving 100 miles south. <br> <br> More passengers to Savannah&#39;s airport could help it reach the million-flier level that would be important to increase service to more cities and to help attract additional airlines. <br> <br> Graham said Hilton Head has a recognition among travel planners, adding that the name change to the Savannah and Hilton Head International Airport is strictly a marketing tool. <br> <br> Tim Bennett, a spokesman for Beaufort County, South Carolina, which operates the airport, said Thursday the name change would have little effect on the Hilton Head Airport, which he called a more convenient choice than the Georgia airport for those traveling to the island.