Come Fly With Me…Really!

By now most of you are aware that LA/Palmdale Regional Airport is offering two daily flights to and from San Francisco on United Airlines.

Since starting the service in June of 2007 some 12,000 passengers have now experienced the ease and convenience of flying out of Palmdale to destinations throughout the world. So why haven’t you?

Asking this question around the Valley, I received several responses including:
“Nobody wants to fly north to go east.”
“They need to fly to other destinations besides San Francisco” or the always popular
“Flying out of LAX is cheaper!”

Each of these is in fact a myth. And I can prove it.

NOBODY WANTS TO FLY NORTH TO GO EAST

This argument really lacks a sense of reality. If every month thousands of Antelope Valley residents are driving south (to LAX or Burbank Airport) to go east, how is flying north to SFO any different? Certainly time is not a relevant factor. To fly out of LAX during peak periods, you probably are leaving the Antelope Valley up to four hours prior to your flight time. And after you have fought L.A. traffic, located that overpriced parking spot in that far off remote lot, taken the shuttle and waded through the DMV-inspired security line, you just might make your flight.

The last time I flew out of Palmdale, I arrived at the airport a scant thirty minutes before my flight, walked the fifty feet from my FREE parking stall to the terminal, coasted through airport security and still had twenty minutes to kill before my flight.

THEY NEED TO FLY TO OTHER DESTINATIONS BESIDES SAN FRANCISCO

While San Francisco may not be your final destination, the hub does offer hundreds of daily flights to destinations around the world. The availability of a variety of final destinations is the very basis of why SFO was chosen as the Palmdale connection in the first place.

Granted I would love to be able to fly direct to Denver or Phoenix, but these destinations are extremely cut throat in terms of price competition (from budget carriers like Southwest) and offer fewer total flight options.

FLYING OUT OF LAX IS CHEAPER

Regarding price, United has recently slashed fares to budget carrier levels to entice frequent travelers to try out LA/Palmdale Regional’s air service. These special rates are meant to serve as a marketing tool and will not last, but at least you might consider flying out of LA/Palmdale. In addition, with gas hovering around $3.50/gallon, things like no commute and free parking start to look really enticing.

Let’s also not forget the new L.A. County sponsored Palmdale Flyer program. This commuter bus system that reaches the Van Nuys Fly Away and Santa Clarita opens LA/Palmdale Regional airport up to a host of new customers. Best of all it is FREE to all passengers with tickets for flights out of Palmdale.

AVBOT’S COMMITMENT

The Antelope Valley Board of Trade is fully committed to seeing LA/Palmdale Regional’s United Express operations become self-sustaining. In support efforts, the Board’s lobbying delegation has selected the airport as our point of departure for our upcoming trips to Washington, D.C. and Sacramento. AVBOT’s leadership sees the success of LA/Palmdale Regional Airport as a key piece of the High Desert’s regional transportation planning and encourages each member to come fly with us…Really!