Skywest Airlines to Start Daily Flights From Modesto to LAX Starting June 8

SkyWest Airlines on Friday announced the schedule for its new daily service between Modesto and Los Angeles, along with an introductory one-way fare of $79.

The service will start June 8 under a one-year agreement announced this month between the airline and the city of Mo-desto. It will be the first service between the two cities in more than a decade.

The flights will be under the United Express name, which SkyWest operates under an agreement with United Airlines.

United Express was the natural choice for the new Los Angeles service because it has offered four flights a day linking Modesto and San Francisco for the past eight years, airport officials said.

In return for the service, the city will pay the airline up to $550,000 if there are not enough customers to make the flights profitable, said Michael Musca, manager of the Modesto Airport. Most of that money will come from a grant the city received last year from the federal Department of Transportation.

A city survey last year concluded that most local business owners would be willing to pay $40 to $60 more for a round-trip ticket to Los Angeles if they could fly from Modesto. A round-trip flight from Oakland International Airport to Los Angeles costs about $200.

United Express will use Embraer 120 turboprop airplanes for the flights, which can seat 30 passengers. According to the agreement, the airline has to earn $2,043 per flight to cover its costs.

The airport parking lot is being expanded from the terminal to the control tower in anticipation of the flights generating more customers. Airport parking still will be free.

-----------------------

MODESTO-LOS ANGELES CONNECTION

SkyWest flights linking Modesto Airport and Los Angeles International Airport begin June 8. Daily schedules are:

Modesto to LAX:

* Depart at 6:20 a.m., arrive at 7:30 a.m.

* Depart at 10:01 a.m., arrive at 11:11 a.m.

* Depart at 1:35 p.m., arrive at 2:55 p.m.

* Depart at 5:55 p.m., arrive at 7:05 p.m.

LAX to Modesto:

* Depart at 8:20 a.m., arrive at 9:35 a.m.

* Depart at 11:45 a.m., arrive at 1 p.m.*

* Depart at 4:15 p.m., arrive at 5:30 p.m.

* Depart at 8:35 p.m., arrive at 9:50 p.m.

*Scheduled times are slightly different on Saturdays.

News stories provided by third parties are not edited by "Site Publication" staff. For suggestions and comments, please click the Contact link at the bottom of this page.