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Februa
February
24, 2006
Central Oregonians will be able to fly nonstop
to three new destinations out of Redmond
Airport in coming months.
Seattle-based
Horizon Air
announced it is launching
two daily
flights to Los Angeles International Airport, or LAX, starting Aug. 1. One of
the flights will travel to Eugene after arrival.
Meanwhile,
Chicago-based United Airlines has quietly made seats available for direct
flights to and from Denver, operated by Utah-based SkyWest Airlines, on weekends
starting June 10.
The new
services connect Central Oregon with two major airline hubs. In the case of the
LAX flights, the service links the Bend region with the second largest city in
the country, which can both feed local businesses and provide a popular
destination for those on vacation.
United
officials could not be reached to comment on the Denver service, but a SkyWest
spokeswoman confirmed the service and the flights are currently available for
booking on the United website.
LAX
flights will be offered on Bombardier Q400
turboprop airplanes, which seat 74 passengers. The flight will take 2 1/2 hours.
Denver flights
will be on small jets, which seat 50, and will be just under 2 1/2 hours. The
jets will be similar to those SkyWest flies between Redmond and Salt Lake City
as Delta Connection for Delta Air
Lines.
Eugene flights
will take 35 minutes on the Q400s. The 74-seat Q400s also will start operating
on existing Horizon flights to Seattle and Portland sometime this year. Those
routes are currently served by Q200s, which seat 37. Horizon is scheduled to
take delivery of 12 Q400s in the next year.
The new flights
are significant because Central Oregon’s economy benefits from people moving
into the region. A direct link to Los Angeles could increase the number of
part-time residents who buy second homes in Bend and surrounding areas.
Horizon’s LAX
flights will be available for booking starting Sunday, February 26. The airline
has a launch promotion of $99 for a one-way ticket for flights between Aug. 1
and Nov. 17.
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