Tag Archives: SkyWest Airlines

SkyWest, Inc. announces a first quarter 2019 profit

SkyWest, Inc. today reported financial and operating results for Q1 2019, including net income of $88 million, or $1.69 per diluted share, compared to net income of $54 million, or $1.03 per diluted share, for Q1 2018. Adjusted net income in Q1 2019 was $69 million, up 27% from Q1 2018 primarily due to SkyWest’s ongoing fleet transition, as SkyWest has added 43 new aircraft since Q1 2018, and reduced aircraft ownership costs resulting from early lease buyouts executed in early 2019.

Commenting on the results, Chip Childs, Chief Executive Officer and President of SkyWest, said, “This quarter was significant for SkyWest as we move forward as one airline with a smaller, but more efficient footprint. Our team performed well this quarter through a series of severe weather events. We are encouraged with our progress and are working together with our 14,000 employees to deliver the best possible product to our partners.”

Financial Highlights
Revenue was $724 million in Q1 2019, down from $783 million in Q1 2018 due to the sale of ExpressJet Airlines (“ExpressJet”) in January 2019. Excluding ExpressJet revenue in both periods, revenue increased to $700 million in Q1 2019 from $622 million in Q1 2018 primarily from the impact of adding 35 new E175 and eight new CRJ900 aircraft since Q1 2018.

Operating expenses were $627 million in Q1 2019, down from $695 million in Q1 2018 due to the sale of ExpressJet. Excluding ExpressJet operating expenses in both periods, operating expenses increased to $599 million in Q1 2019 from $528 million in Q1 2018, primarily from the additional aircraft placed into service, higher labor costs and special item operating expenses in Q1 2019.

The adjusted results for the quarter exclude $24.7 million of pre-tax earnings comprised of the gain on the sale of ExpressJet of $46.6 million (pre-tax) and a $21.9 million (pre-tax) expense primarily due to a non-cash write-off of aircraft manufacturer part credits forfeited to settle future lease return obligations.

Operational Update
Flying contract extension
SkyWest announced today that it has agreed to a multi-year extension with American Airlines on 38 CRJ700 aircraft (top). These aircraft previously had contract maturities scheduled to begin in late 2019. SkyWest also expects to add two used CRJ700 aircraft to the American contract in Q2 2019 under a multi-year term.

Lease agreement with a third-party for 29 CRJ700 aircraft
SkyWest also announced today that it has agreed to lease 29 CRJ700 aircraft to a third-party for a ten-year term, subject to the finalization of their flying contract. SkyWest anticipates the aircraft will be placed under lease in increments from mid-2019 to mid-2020.

Delivery schedule under previously announced agreements
E175 aircraft to be financed by SkyWest and operated for Delta Air Lines and Alaska Airlines:

Took delivery of one aircraft during Q1 2019 (Delta contract)
Scheduled to take delivery of four aircraft in Q2 2019 (Delta contract)
Scheduled to take delivery of four aircraft in mid-2020 (Delta contract)
Scheduled to take delivery of three aircraft in 2021 (Alaska contract)

SkyWest expects to remove a used CRJ900 aircraft from its contract with Delta as each of these ERJ175 aircraft is placed into service with Delta (total of nine CRJ900 expected removals). As previously announced, SkyWest anticipates leasing five CRJ900s to a third party under a six-year term and returning four CRJ900s to a lessor following removal of service with Delta.

CRJ900 aircraft to be financed by Delta and operated by SkyWest for Delta:

Took delivery of three aircraft during Q1 2019
Scheduled to take delivery of four aircraft in mid-2019
Scheduled to take delivery of eight aircraft in 2020

SkyWest expects to remove a used CRJ700 from its contract with Delta as each of these CRJ900 financed by Delta is placed into service. As previously announced, SkyWest anticipates transitioning the CRJ700s removed under this arrangement with Delta to an agreement with American.

Joint venture with Regional One
SkyWest entered into a joint venture with Regional One during Q1 2019. The primary purpose of the joint venture is to lease spare engines to third parties. SkyWest anticipates initiating transactions through the joint venture beginning in Q2 2019, including the transfer of 14 engines into the joint venture.

Previously announced transactions that closed in Q1 2019
In January 2019, SkyWest completed the previously announced sale of ExpressJet to ManaAir, LLC. The transaction was completed in two parts, through an asset sale and stock sale, for an aggregate sales price of $77 million. SkyWest loaned $26 million to ManaAir in conjunction with the closing.

SkyWest also completed the previously-announced early leveraged lease buyout on 16 CRJ700s and 36 CRJ200s. SkyWest used $110 million in Q1 2019 to acquire these aircraft off lease. SkyWest assumed no debt on these aircraft.

Capital and Liquidity
SkyWest had $544 million in cash and marketable securities at March 31, 2019, down from $689 million at December 31, 2018. During the first quarter of 2019, SkyWest:

Used $110 million to acquire 52 CRJ aircraft under an early lease buyout
Used $90 million to acquire 16 used CRJ700s previously operated and leased by a SkyWest entity. SkyWest anticipates leasing the majority of airframes and engines to third parties and using a portion of aircraft components as spare parts.
Received $51 million net cash from the sale of ExpressJet
Used $25 million to repurchase stock, of which $21 million was purchased under SkyWest’s $250 million share repurchase program approved during Q1 2019
Used $4 million toward the purchase of one E175 aircraft
Used $28 million for other capital investments, primarily related to spare engines, aircraft parts and maintenance assets

Total debt at March 31, 2019 was $3.1 billion, down from $3.2 billion as of December 31, 2018. Q1 2019 ending debt balance included debt issued for one E175 aircraft acquired during the quarter, offset by principal payments.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by the airline): American Eagle Airlines (2nd)-SkyWest Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 (CL-600-2C10) N710SK (msn 10170) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 946297.

American Eagle-SkyWest aircraft slide show:

Alaska SkyWest route map:

American Eagle route map:

Delta Connection route map:

United Express route map:

Delta adds Santa Barbara to its route map with service from the Salt Lake City hub

Delta Air Lines has made this announcement:

Delta is making the ‘American Riviera’ more accessible than ever with the launch of three daily year-round flights from Salt Lake City International Airport to Santa Barbara Airport, a new destination on Delta’s route map, on August 12, 2019.

Santa Barbara will become the 330th destination in Delta’s expanding network and the 13th city in California served by the airline. Combined with the start of other new routes – including Detroit-San Jose in November 2018, Atlanta-Ontario in April, Detroit-Sacramento in June, and Atlanta-Burbank in July – Delta will grow the number of seats it offers from California by eight percent.

For Delta’s hub in Salt Lake City, Santa Barbara is the latest in a series of destinations that have been added in the last two years, including Cleveland, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; El Paso, Texas; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Tampa, Florida.

The flights will operate on the following schedule and are now available for sale:

Departs	Arrives
Salt Lake City (SLC) at 11:05 a.m.	Santa Barbara (SBA) at 12:16 p.m.
Salt Lake City (SLC) at 3 p.m.	Santa Barbara (SBA) at 4:11 p.m.
Salt Lake City (SLC) at 8:30 p.m.	Santa Barbara (SBA) at 9:39 p.m.
Santa Barbara (SBA) at 6 a.m.*	Salt Lake City (SLC) at 8:57 a.m.
Santa Barbara (SBA) at 1:05 p.m.	Salt Lake City (SLC) at 4 p.m.
Santa Barbara (SBA) at 4:45 p.m.	Salt Lake City (SLC) at 7:40 p.m.

*First flight departing SBA is on Aug. 13, 2019

Salt Lake City-Santa Barbara service will be operated by Delta Connection carrier SkyWest on a 76-seat Embraer E-175 aircraft with 12 seats in First Class, 20 seats in Delta Comfort+ and 44 seats in the Main Cabin. All flights will offer free entertainment through Delta Studio, as well as free messaging, access to Wi-Fi, and complimentary snacks and beverages.

Delta offers more than 280 departures to more than 90 destinations from its Salt Lake City hub, linking Santa Barbara to dozens of West Coast, Mountain West, East Coast and international destinations with a single, easy connection. Salt Lake City is a fast growing hub for Delta with seats up nearly 30 percent since 2014. As Salt Lake City’s largest carrier, Delta has invested in and worked closely with the airport on a multi-billion dollar infrastructure project to build the airport of the future in SLC, with the first phase expected to open in 2020.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by SkyWest): Delta Connection-SkyWest Airlines Embraer ERJ 170-200LR (ERJ 175) N250SY (msn 17000610) SNA (Michael B. Ing). Image: 945472.

Delta Connection-SkyWest aircraft slide show:

SkyWest’s routes flown for Delta:

Delta’s Domestic Route Map:

United to add three United Express routes

United Airlines is planning to add three domestic United Express routes in early 2019 according to Airline Route:

Denver – Flagstaff daily effective March 31, 2019 operated by Trans States Airlines (ERJ 145)

Denver – Santa Rosa daily effective March 8, 2019 operated by SkyWest Airlines (CRJ200)

Paducah – Cape Girardeau daily effective January 7, 2019 operated by SkyWest Airlines (CRJ200)

Top Copyright Photo: United Express-SkyWest Airlines Bombardier CRJ200 (CL-600-2B19) N905SW (msn 7437) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 941705.

United Express-SkyWest aircraft slide show:

United Express-SkyWest Route Map:

SkyWest, Inc. announces second quarter 2018 profit

Second Quarter Highlights:

Net income of $76 million, or $1.43 per diluted share, up from $50 million or $0.95 per diluted share in Q2 2017
Pre-tax income of $98 million, up 21% from $81 million in Q2 2017
New agreement to operate 20 new CRJ900s for Delta Air Lines under a nine-year term, replacing 20 CRJ700s expiring from contract
New agreement to place 20 used CRJ700s with American Airlines under a four-year term
Three-year extension on 19 CRJ700s scheduled to expire in 2019/2020 with United Airlines
New agreement to place 20 internally-sourced CRJ200s under a three-year contract with United

SkyWest, Inc. has reported its financial and operating results for Q2 2018, including net income of $76 million, or $1.43 per diluted share, compared to net income of $50 million, or $0.95 per diluted share for Q2 2017. Q2 2018 pre-tax income of $98 million increased 21% from Q2 2017 and was primarily due to SkyWest’s ongoing fleet transition.

Since Q2 2017, SkyWest added 23 new E175 aircraft and removed 34 CRJ700/CRJ900 aircraft and 32 CRJ200/ERJ145 aircraft.

Commenting on the results, Chip Childs, Chief Executive Officer and President of SkyWest, said “We are focused on remaining disciplined in our execution of fleet solutions that meet the needs of our customers. The agreements and extensions announced this quarter are expected to continue to improve our fleet mix in alignment with our overall fleet transition strategy. I appreciate the dedicated service our professionals consistently provide to our customers.”

Flying Agreement Announcements

Delta:

SkyWest Airlines, Inc. reached an agreement with Delta Air Lines to operate 20 new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft under a nine-year flying contract. The aircraft will be acquired by Delta under a previously announced agreement with Bombardier and operated by SkyWest Airlines. SkyWest Airlines anticipates placing the 20 CRJ900s into service beginning late 2018 through 2020. These aircraft will have the ATMOSPHÈRE cabin with a 70-seat, dual-class configuration and will replace 20 CRJ700s scheduled to expire under SkyWest’s flying contracts with Delta.

American:

SkyWest Airlines reached an agreement with American Airlines to place 20 used Bombardier CRJ700s under a four-year contract. The 20 CRJ700s are expected to be sourced from within SkyWest’s fleet. The first aircraft in this agreement was placed into service in June 2018 and all 20 aircraft are scheduled to be in service by early 2019.

United:

SkyWest Airlines reached an agreement with United Airlines to extend their existing flying contract on 19 Bombardier CRJ700s operated by SkyWest Airlines. These aircraft previously had contract expirations scheduled for mid-2019/2020 and were extended for three years.

Separately, ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. reached an agreement with United to a three-year contract for 20 used CRJ200s. The 20 CRJ200s are expected to be sourced from within SkyWest’s fleet through contract expirations with other partners scheduled for the second half of 2018. The 20 CRJ200s are expected to be placed into service with United between the latter part of 2018 and early 2019.

Above Copyright Photo: United Express-SkyWest Airlines Bombardier CRJ200 (CL-600-2B19) N479CA (msn 7675) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 941704.

Financial Highlights
Revenue was $806 million in Q2 2018, up from $792 million in Q2 2017. The increase in revenue included the net impact of adding 23 new E175 aircraft and other economic improvements within SkyWest’s fleet mix since Q2 2017, partially offset by the removal of unprofitable or less-profitable aircraft over the same period.

Operating expenses were $679 million in Q2 2018, down from $685 million in Q2 2017. The decrease in operating expenses was primarily due to the reduction in direct operating costs with the net removal of 43 aircraft from service.

The effective tax rate for Q2 2018 was 23% compared to 38% in Q2 2017. The lower tax rate in Q2 2018 was primarily due to the reduced federal rate under the new tax law enacted in Q4 2017.

Operational Update
SkyWest Airlines took delivery of 14 new E175/E175 SC aircraft during Q2 2018. The following summarizes the anticipated delivery dates for three E175 aircraft to be placed under contract with Alaska Airlines and 17 E175 SC aircraft to be placed under contract with Delta for the second half of 2018:

In-service

Scheduled E175/E175 SC

aircraft deliveries

Anticipated
in-service

June 30, 2018

Q3 2018

Q4 2018

Dec 31, 2018

Total E175/E175 SCs:

126

146

ExpressJet continued the previously-announced wind down of its flying agreement with Delta during the quarter. At the end of Q2 2018, ExpressJet had 22 CRJ700s remaining in service under the Delta agreement. ExpressJet continues to engage in discussions around the CRJ700s scheduled to come out of service with Delta later this year and remains positive with alternative opportunities to utilize these CRJ700 aircraft.

ExpressJet anticipates its flying contract with American for 12 CRJ700s scheduled to terminate in early 2019 will not be extended. These aircraft are expected to be returned to the lessors following removal of service with American.

Operating Performance:

Flight completion rates at SkyWest Airlines and ExpressJet for Q2 2018 and Q2 2017 were:

	SkyWest Airlines		ExpressJet
	Q2 2018	Q2 2017	Q2 2018	Q2 2017
Adjusted Completion *	99.9%	99.9%	99.9%	99.9%
Raw Completion	98.9%	98.9%	98.8%	97.6%

* Adjusted Completion excludes weather cancellations. Raw Completion includes weather cancellations.

Capital and Liquidity

SkyWest had $649 million in cash and marketable securities at June 30, 2018, slightly up from March 31, 2018. During the second quarter of 2018, SkyWest:

Used $50 million toward the purchase of 14 E175 aircraft
Used $35 million for other capital investments, including spare engines and aircraft parts

Total debt at June 30, 2018 was $3.0 billion, up $193 million from March 31, 2018, which included debt issued for 14 E175 aircraft acquired during the quarter, partially offset by scheduled principal payments.

United Express-SkyWest aircraft slide show:

SkyWest fully implements an Electronic Maintenance Log (eAML) in 443 aircraft

From the SkyWest Airlines blog:

For more than four and half decades, SkyWest Airlines has led the way for operational and safety advancements in the regional airline industry. Today, after years of preparation and led by cross-departmental collaboration, each of SkyWest’s 443 aircraft is fully equipped with an Electronic Maintenance Log (eAML). SkyWest is the first commercial airline in the United States to equip and operate its entire fleet with the new FAA-approved technology.

“The eAML provides a significant boost to our already-robust maintenance program,” said SkyWest Chief Operating Officer Mike Thompson. “The elimination of paper streamlines processes from the flight deck to maintenance technicians and our operations control center teams, resulting in improved reliability that benefits employees and customers alike.”

Enhancing our teams’ ability to track and manage aircraft airworthiness, the eAML will provide real-time maintenance data for each aircraft. Not only does this reduce the risk of human error, it also improves response time for repairs, meaning fewer maintenance-related delays for passengers.

Thank you to the numerous individuals and teams at SkyWest who spent countless hours over the last two years to develop and implement this new technology. The eAML demonstrates SkyWest’s ongoing commitment to providing safe, reliable flights for our more than 36 million passengers.

Delta connects El Paso, Texas, to the West with new nonstop service to Salt Lake City

Delta customers will have a new, convenient way to access El Paso, Texas with new nonstop service from the airline’s hub at Salt Lake City International Airport beginning October 1.

Delta’s Salt Lake City hub offers customers more than 250 daily departures to 90 destinations across the Intermountain West, West Coast, Hawaii, Mexico, Canada and Europe, bringing the world to El Paso International Airport with easy, one-stop connections.

The new service will complement existing Delta flying of three peak-day departures from El Paso with global connections via the airline’s hub at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The daily service will operate as follows:

Departs	Arrives	Aircraft
ELP at 8:15 a.m.	SLC at 10:15 a.m.	CRJ-900
SLC at 8:05 p.m.	ELP at 10:25 p.m.	CRJ-900

The Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft operated by Delta Connection carrier SkyWest Airlines is equipped with 12 seats in First Class, 20 in Comfort+ and 44 in the main cabin. Customers will have access to in-flight Wi-Fi as well as streaming in-flight entertainment via Delta Studio.

Copyright Photo: Delta Connection-SkyWest Airlines Bombardier CRJ900 (CL-600-2D24) N810SK (msn 15093) LAS (Ton Jochems). Image: 911201.

Delta Connection-SkyWest aircraft slide show:

SkyWest takes delivery of its first Embraer E175 SC (Special Configuration)

SkyWest Airlines has taken delivery of the pictured N262SY (msn 17000714), officially an Embraer ERJ 170-200 LL. The new type is marketed as the ERJ 175 SC (ERJ 170-200SC) (Special Configuration) with 70 seats. The aircraft arrived on March 11, 2018.

The airline announced the new arrival on social media:

SkyWest has taken delivery of our first E175 SC this past weekend! N262SY is part of the 45 aircraft order announced in the fall of 2017. The E175 SCs are configured in a 70-seat layout and will be operating as Delta Connection.

Photos: SkyWest Airlines.

United to add new domestic routes for the summer

United Airlines is adding eight domestic routes in June for the summer season:

Chicago O’Hare – Salina – 6 flights a week effective April 9, 2018 with SkyWest CRJ200s
Denver – Appleton – daily flights effective June 7, 2018 with Air Wisconsin CRJ200s
Denver – Norfolk – daily mainline flights effective June 7, 2018 with Airbus A319s
Houston (Bush Intercontinental) – Akron/Canton – daily flights effective June 7, 2018 with ExpressJet ERJ 145s
Houston (Bush Intercontinental) – Dayton – daily flights effective June 7, 2018 with ExpressJet ERJ 145s
Los Angeles – Eureka – daily flights effective June 7, 2018 with SkyWest CRJ200s
Newark – Rapid City – weekly flights effective June 17 through September 14, 2018 with Republic Airlines ERJ 175s
San Francisco – Madison – daily flights effective June 7, 2018 with SkyWest ERJ 175s (above)

The airline confirmed the new destinations with this announcement:

United Airlines (UAL) on January 8, 2018 announced it will begin new service between six of its domestic hubs and eight destinations in California, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The new flights, starting June 7, offer customers hundreds of connection opportunities across United’s world-class domestic and international route network.

New year round service

Hub	New Destination	Frequency	Begins	Aircraft
Chicago (ORD)	Bismarck, ND (BIS)	2 flights daily	June 7	ERJ
Denver (DEN)	Appleton, WI (ATW)	Daily	June 7	CRJ
Denver (DEN)	Norfolk, VA (ORF)	Daily	June 7	A319
Houston (IAH)	Akron/Canton, OH (CAK)	Daily	June 7	ERJ
Houston (IAH)	Dayton, OH (DAY)	Daily	June 7	ERJ
Los Angeles (LAX)	Eureka, CA (ACV)	Daily	June 7	CRJ
San Francisco (SFO)	Madison, WI (MSN)	Daily	June 7	E175

New summer service to Rapid City, South Dakota

In addition to the new year round services, United announced it will offer the only nonstop flight between New York and Rapid City, South Dakota. Beginning June 23, United will start summer service between New York/Newark and Rapid City, making it easier for customers to access popular outdoor destinations including Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Badlands National Park and Wind Cave National Park. United’s Saturday-only service between New York/Newark and Rapid City will operate with Embraer E175 aircraft and will depart New York/Newark at 10:00 a.m. and arrive in Rapid City at 12:05 p.m.

Enhancing operations in Chicago

In February, United will begin operating its newly enhanced bank structure at O’Hare International Airport to shorten connection times and provide better access to more destinations for customers connecting through the carrier’s Chicago hub. This operations enhancement, already in place at United’s Houston hub, will enable United to greatly improve connectivity throughout its industry-leading global route network.

Copyright Photo: United Express-SkyWest Airlines Embraer ERJ 170-200LR (ERJ 175) N122SY (msn 17000431) RDU (Ken Petersen). Image: 935116.) RDU (Ken Petersen). Image: 935116.

United Express/SkyWest aircraft slide show:

United to add 12 new United Express routes in 2018

United Airlines is adding 12 new routes operated by United Express carriers (mostly by SkyWest Airlines) in 2018:

Chicago O’Hare – El Paso (April 9, 2018) – daily Embraer 170 (Republic Airlines)
Chicago O’Hare – Fresno (June 7, 2018) – daily Embraer 175 (SkyWest Airlines)
Denver – Jacksonville FL (April 9, 2018) – daily Embraer 175 (SkyWest Airlines)
Denver – Liberal (February 6, 2018) – 6 weekly Bombardier CRJ200 (SkyWest Airlines)
Denver – North Platte (February 1, 2018) – daily Bombardier CRJ200 (SkyWest Airlines)
Denver – Pueblo – Liberal (February 6, 2018) – 6 weekly Bombardier CRJ200 (SkyWest Airlines)
Denver – Scottsbluff (January 30, 2018) – daily Bombardier CRJ200 by SkyWest Airlines)
Los Angeles – Kalispell (June 7, 2018) – daily Bombardier CRJ200 (SkyWest Airlines)
Los Angeles – Medford (April 9, 2018) – daily Bombardier CRJ200 (SkyWest Airlines)
Los Angeles – Missoula (June 7, 2018) – daily Bombardier CRJ200 (SkyWest Airlines)
Los Angeles – Redmond (April 9, 2018) – daily Bombardier CRJ200 (SkyWest Airlines)
Newark – Elmira (April 9, 2018) – daily Embraer ERJ145 (CommutAir)

Update: On November 21, 2017 United Airlines made the official announcement:

United Airlines on November 21 announced it will offer customers more opportunities to travel from five of its U.S. hubs to 10 cities in California, Florida, Montana, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Texas beginning in April 2018. Additionally, the airline announced it will optimize its O’Hare International Airport (ORD) schedule to provide shorter connection times and more options for customers connecting through Chicago.

New year round service

United will now serve Wilmington, North Carolina from Chicago and Washington Dulles and Elmira, New York from New York/Newark. The full list of new routes includes:

Hub	New Destination	Frequency	Begins	Aircraft
Chicago (ORD)	El Paso (ELP)	2 flights daily	April 9	E170
Chicago (ORD)	Wilmington (ILM)	2 flights daily	April 9	ERJ
Denver (DEN)	Jacksonville (JAX)	1 flight daily	April 9	E175
Los Angeles (LAX)	Redmond (RDM)	2 flights daily	April 9	CRJ
Los Angeles (LAX)	Medford (MFR)	2 flights daily	April 9	CRJ
New York/Newark (EWR)	Elmira (ELM)	2 flights daily	April 9	ERJ
Washington-Dulles (IAD)	Wilmington (ILM)	2 flights daily	April 9	ERJ

New seasonal daily service from Chicago (ORD) and Los Angeles (LAX)

With United’s new summer service, more customers will have easier access to popular outdoor destinations like Yosemite National Park near Fresno; Glacier National Park near Kalispell and Yellowstone National Park near Missoula.

Hub	New Destination	Frequency	Begins	Aircraft
Chicago (ORD)	Fresno (FAT)	Daily	June 7	E175
Los Angeles (LAX)	Kalispell (FCA)	Daily	June 7	CRJ
Los Angeles (LAX)	Missoula (MSO)	Daily	June 7	CRJ

Enhancing operations in Chicago

Beginning in February 2018, a newly enhanced bank structure at O’Hare will mean shorter connection times and better access to more destinations for customers connecting through the carrier’s Chicago hub. This operations enhancement, already in place at United’s Houston hub, will enable United to greatly improve connectivity throughout its industry-leading global route network.

Copyright Photo: United Express-SkyWest Airlines Bombardier CRJ200 (CL-600-2B19) N964SW (msn 7868) LAX (Michael B. Ing). Image: 936126.

Alaska Airlines starts nonstop service between San Diego and Mexico City

Alaska Airlines on November 6, 2017 began nonstop service between San Diego and Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport. San Diego is the third West Coast city to see nonstop service to Mexico’s largest metropolitan city with Los Angeles and San Francisco added in August 2017. With more than 100 flights a week to Mexico from California, Alaska Airlines offers California flyers more flight options to Mexico than any other U.S. carrier.

Alaska Airlines now has four nonstop flights from California to the City of Palaces.

The year-round, nonstop service marks the ninth destination Alaska serves to Mexico. Other destinations with service from California include Cancun, Ixtapa/Zihuantanejo, Loreto, Los Cabos, Manzanillo, Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. Alaska began flying to Mexico in 1988.

Flight Schedule:

Start Date	City Pair	Departure	Arrival	Aircraft	Frequency
Nov 6	San Diego-Mexico City	7:05 a.m.	12:50 p.m.	E-175	Daily
Nov 6	Mexico City-San Diego	7:25 p.m.	9:37 p.m.	E-175	Daily