Federal authorities have chosen a Florida airline to provide passenger flights between Macon's airport and Atlanta and Orlando.

The flights by Silver Airways are part of the federal government's Essential Air Service program, which offers subsidies for commercial air service at airports such as Middle Georgia Regional Airport in Macon.

Fort Lauderdale-based Silver Airways operates nearly 200 daily scheduled flights between cities in Florida, The Bahamas, Georgia, Montana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Alabama, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia, according to its website.

Mickey Bowman, Silver Airways' vice president for Essential Air Service, said the company is on pace to launch its Macon service on April 1 if all goes according to plans.

Tags: Middle Georgia Regional Airport, essential air service, Macon-Atlanta flights, silver airways