LA/PALMDALE REGIONAL AIRPORT TO DOUBLE AIR SERVICE IN SEPTEMBER

06/18/2008 12:00 AM

LA/PALMDALE REGIONAL AIRPORT TO DOUBLE AIR SERVICE IN SEPTEMBER

Schedule change designed to meet needs of government, military and aerospace businesses traveling to and from northeast Los Angeles County

(Palmdale, California - June 17, 2008) United Airlines will double the number of flights it offers at LA/Palmdale Regional Airport (PMD) in a move to offer more air service options to government, military and aerospace business travelers and increase traffic through the northern Los Angeles County airport, the Wheels Up Palmdale Coalition announced today. The increased flights will operate between PMD and San Francisco International Airport (SFO), where travelers can make easy connections to and from 35 connecting markets beginning in September.

The enhanced flight schedule is available for immediate booking for travel starting Sept. 3. The airport’s current two daily roundtrip flights will continue through Sept. 2.

Doubling the number of departures from PMD is intended to increase schedule flexibility requested by frequent travelers. The schedule change will also add 20 percent more seats between PMD and SFO to meet the increased demand expected from the schedule change.

PMD offers the most convenient access to commercial air service for the major military, space and aerospace contractor facilities located in the region, including:

  • Edwards Air Force Base -- 23 miles north of PMD versus 105 miles north of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
  • Air Force Plant 42 – adjacent to PMD versus 77 miles to LAX.
  • Boeing, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and Northrop Grumman – adjacent to PMD versus 77 miles to LAX.
  • China Lake Naval Air Warfare Center -- 76 miles to PMD versus 158 miles to LAX
  • NASA Dryden Flight Research Center -- 26 miles to PMD versus 112 miles to LAX.
  • Ft. Irwin National Training Center -- 84 miles to PMD versus 159 miles to LAX and 104 miles to LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT).
  • Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Control Center – 1 mile to PMD and 77 miles to LAX.
“We believe offering four daily turboprops to SFO provides the best opportunity to boost demand at LA/Palmdale,” said Palmdale Mayor James Ledford on behalf of the Coali¬tion. “This change will increase the service’s appeal to government, military and business travelers, and give all travelers access to most major destinations. To continue the service long term, we hope that business and leisure travelers alike take advantage of it so we are able to attract more flights and airlines. At a time when airlines are cutting service in many markets, LA/Palmdale is extremely fortunate to be experiencing increased flight activity. We hope that United’s investment in this market will be matched with the same level of commitment by the business community.”

Offering four daily roundtrips to SFO throughout the day offers strong connection opportunities to United’s system, according to independent analysis performed by aviation consulting firms SH&E, Inc. and Sabre Airline Solutions. The new schedule will provide increased access to 35 connecting markets, more than twice the current number of mar¬kets conveniently served beyond United’s SFO hub.

PMD’s potential share of the existing traffic in the SFO connecting markets represents up to $270 million in potential ticket sales annually and nearly 1,500 passengers daily each way. With 120 daily seats offered each way beginning in the fall, the PMD service will need to capture only a small percentage of the total market to be successful.

The new service will be flown with popular Embraer-120 aircraft, a 30-seat, pressurized twin-turboprop featuring high cruise speed, fuel efficiency and schedule depend¬ability. The planes feature a roomy cabin in a 2-1 seating configuration, lavatory and flight attendant service.

A recent survey conducted for the Wheels Up Palmdale Coalition found that air travelers preferred greater flight frequency with 30-seat aircraft rather than fewer flights with 50-seat regional jet aircraft. In addition, the independent analysis confirmed the new pattern of service provides the optimum flight schedule for developing PMD air service long term.

United Airlines flight schedule effective Sep. 3, 2008:

From LA/Palmdale to San Francisco
Departs: 6:00 a.m. Arrives: 7:32 a.m. (except Sunday)
Departs: 10:15 a.m. Arrives: 11:47 a.m.
Departs: 12:20 p.m. Arrives: 1:52 p.m.
Departs: 6:45 p.m. Arrives: 8:17 p.m.

From San Francisco to LA/Palmdale
Departs: 8:30 a.m. Arrives: 9:56 a.m.
Departs: 10:35 a.m. Arrives: 12:01 p.m.
Departs: 5:00 p.m. Arrives: 6:26 p.m.
Departs: 10:20 p.m. Arrives: 11:46 p.m. (except Saturday)

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The Wheels Up Palmdale Coalition is a consortium of local government and commerce formed to attract and promote air service at the airport located in the Antelope Valley/High Desert region of Northern Los Ange¬les County. Coalition members include the City of Palmdale, City of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, Antelope Valley Board of Trade, Greater Antelope Valley Economic Alliance, United States Air Force Plant 42 and Los Angeles World Airports. PMD reopened to commercial air service on June 7, 2007, with the assistance of a Small Community Air Service Develop¬ment Program grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Funding in the grant assures the service will continue through December 2008. The coalition has applied for a follow-on grant for 2009.

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