Who knew? You can fly direct from Grand Island, Neb., to Vegas

This is really surprising but kind of cool for rural types like me -- just to know that you can get from a place like Grand Island to Vegas on a direct flight. Here is The Grand Island Independent:

In September, Allegiant Air ended nonstop flights from Lincoln to Las Vegas, shifting the flights to Grand Island’s airport. Although leisure travel is expected to decrease nationally because of the economic downturn, twice-a-week flights from Grand Island to Las Vegas continue to hit an average of 91 percent occupancy, Olson said.

The flights can hold 150 people; the average flight carries 136, and “99.9 percent of our travelers are going to Vegas for leisure,” Olson said.

It may seem counterintuitive — full flights to the nation’s playground in the midst of an economic crisis.