Horizon to add San Diego flights; Vegas out
Airport seeks replacement carrier for Las Vegas route
By Dan Verel, Business Journal Staff Reporter
Alaska Air currently serves Santa Rosa with Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft.
SANTA ROSA — Seattle-based Alaska Airlines today announced it is adding daily nonstop service from San Diego to Santa Rosa but will discontinue service between Santa Rosa and Las Vegas to support the new route.
The airline will, however, add a third flight between Santa Rosa and Los Angeles, which will operate four days a week through August 2012. The Las Vegas route will be eliminated on June 3.
The decision to halt service to Las Vegas came from Alaska Airlines, and the Sonoma County Airport will seek other potential carriers to replace the route, airport spokeswoman Melinda Gay said.
“There should be a strong chance that we will get (Las Vegas) back, but it might not happen until the runway project is complete in 2013,” she said. “Alaska carried good passenger loads, which should be attractive to other carriers. Although passenger loads to LAS have been good, the once-daily flight has not been as profitable as required for Alaska Airlines to sustain it. We are not alone in hoping for its return and will continue to promote it to other airlines,” she said.
What are your favorite destinations from Sonoma County Airport?
- Las Vegas (50%, 41 votes)
- Los Angeles (17%, 14 votes)
- Portland (17%, 14 votes)
- Seattle (35%, 29 votes)
Total voters: 82
Loading ...Getting the San Diego route is good news for the airport though, Ms. Gay said.
The new route to Santa Rosa is part of a broader expansion into California for Alaska Airlines, which will also begin service between San Diego and Monterey, along with twice daily service to Fresno and service between Reno, Nev., and San Jose.
“Alaska Airlines has proudly served California for more than 30 years and we’re pleased to continue to grow our presence in the Golden State,” said Joe Sprague, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of marketing.
The announcement today by Alaska Airlines came barely a week after the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve an $84 million safety upgrade and expansion to the airport. The project is viewed by proponents as a significant boost to the economy by opening up an already established tourism destination to new markets while creating around 900 jobs through construction.
The safety upgrades and expansion could attract more airlines and flights to Santa Rosa and will allow for mid-sized commercial jets to land here.
The new routes will be operated for Alaska by Horizon Air using 76-seat Bombardier Q400 turbopropeller aircraft. Service from San Diego to Santa Rosa will start June 5, according to the airline. Horizon Air currently operates five daily flights out of Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Portland and Seattle.
According to Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air’s Q400 plane is among the most environmentally friendly regional aircraft, burning 30 to 40 percent less fuel, producing an equally lower amount of emissions and generating 10 decibels less noise than comparable jets.
In Sonoma County, passenger volume at the airport reached an all-time high in 2011, with 207,188 total passengers, an increase of 9.8 percent over 2010.
To celebrate Alaska’s new service, the carrier is offering $69 fares on flights between San Diego and Santa Rosa, and between San Jose and Reno; and $59 fares on flights from San Diego to Fresno and Monterey. Tickets must be purchased by Jan. 25 and can be used for travel from June 5 through July 18, 2012. Visit www.alaskaair.com to purchase a ticket or call 1-800-ALASKAAIR (1-800-252-7522 or TTY/TDD line 1-800-392-0228).
San Diego-to-Santa Rosa flights
| Start date | Flight | Departs | Arrives | Frequency |
| June 5 | San Diego to Santa Rosa | 9:45 a.m. | 11:50 a.m. | Daily |
| June 4 | Santa Rosa to San Diego | 4:25 p.m. | 6:22 p.m. | Daily |
Seasonal Santa Rosa-Los Angeles service
| Start date | Flight | Departs | Arrives | Frequency |
| June 4 | Santa Rosa to Los Angeles | 1:35 p.m. | 3:09 p.m. | Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday |
| June 4 | Los Angeles to Santa Rosa | 11:30 a.m. | 1:04 p.m. | Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday |
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by Eric B
Why would they eliminate the SR to Vegas route? I was on the flight a few months ago (it was packed) and will be travelling again in April.
The North Bay to Vegas connection was sweet, super dissapointed! Maybe another airline will pick up the Sonoma County to Sin City route….
by Angie
I’ll be really happy when there is a flight from Santa Rosa to Phoenix!
by KC Frey
Don’t take Vegas away, I love the Vegas flight. Finally we have a useable airport and now your taking away the best flight.
KEEP VEGAS ALIVE!@@!
by Darryl
Very disappointed about the elimination of the flight to Las Vegas. It was highly popular and the flights were always full. Anybody know why it was cancelled?
by CBrew
So excited!! Normally I fly SD to SFO and take the Airporter north–a full day of travel for me. This will be GREAT!!
by Dave G
I agree. Every time I take the Santa Rosa to Vegas flight, it’s booked. the same for the return flight. Can’t tell you how dissappointed I am that they are concelling this route. Now I’ll have to go to Oakland and take Southwest.
by EMC
I am with others, why would you eliminate the flight to Vegas!? It is only one flight to begin with and we use it all the time. We have all of our friends and family going to Santa Rosa to get their quick and easy flight into Vegas. I do business down there and live in Petaluma. Any other airport will now be a hassle compared to leaving from our lovely Santa Rosa one. Please do not eliminate this one!!!
by Mary S
NO!! That’s the best flight they have! I agree with Eric, the many times I go to Vegas, the flights are Packed! What are they thinking? Very very bad decision..
by CH
I love the Horizon service! Hope they add a few more routes after runway expansion. How about Santa Rosa/Santa Barbara? I, too, would support SR to Phoenix or Tucson.
by LD
NO!!! I fly STS to LAS several times a year. Almost always full. In fact there have been times I have had to change my schedule as the flights I wanted were full. This is a terrible decision.
by Robert Blackman
What a shame, cancelling the Las Vegas flights is a BIG step backwards……….!
by J
San Diego to Santa Rosa- Yea. We live in one and have family in the other. Now if they can return the flight to Vegas it will be awesome.
by Mary W
Find a way to keep the Vegas flight! If not profitable as a daily, maybe alternate daily with another route?!?! My husband and I have used it many times and always very nearly full. With only a 70 person difference in use between Vegas and the Seattle and Portland routes, seems a shame to kill it on such a thin margin.
by ms michelle
WHAT A BAD CALL!!!!
not ONE person I’ve spoken with about thinks this is a good move.
Boo Alaska Air!
by Mike
I’ve been on the Vegas flight twice and, yes, it was full, but not completely. I’ve tried traveling with Horizon out of STS to the other destinations and I can almost never get a flight. I’m assuming although the flights to Vegas were full, they weren’t full enough or didn’t have the overall demand to justify keeping the connection. This does remind me of when Skywest pulled out of Santa Rosa in 2001. I thought there was plenty demand, but Skywest didn’t. That’s business for ya though, especially airlines! haha
by Keith
Done this Vegas flight many times and always seems full, at least keep the Thursday-Sunday flights! Just signed up for a new Alaska Airlines Visa on the last flight to help build up some miles and use it even more, guess I will cancel that before I even get it! Hopefully they can get another carrier to take that route.
by jesse tam
Enjoy the flights on Horizon.