Commercial service is back at Carlsbad: California Pacific finally set to fly

Carlsbad, California will, once again, have commercial air service. California Pacific Airlines (CPA) will do the honors this time around, launching multiple daily frequencies to Reno, NV and San Jose, CA on 1 November 2018. Las Vegas service will follow two weeks later. The flights will be on Embraer E145 jets operated by Aerodynamics, Inc. CPA purchased Aerodynamics to acquire is operating certificate after multiple efforts to secure its own certificate as a startup carrier failed. Aerodynamics currently operates Essential Air Service routes from Denver as well as charter services with a fleet of four aircraft.

The San Jose route will run twice daily during the week and once daily on the weekend. Reno service will fly four days per week and the Las Vegas service will fly thrice weekly, mostly alternating with the Reno flights.

Read More: How hard is it to launch a new airline? Ask California Pacific.

California Pacific will replace Cal Jet as the sole commercial operator at McClellan-Palomar airport north of San Diego. Cal Jet operated for roughly just under seven months, shuttling passengers to Las Vegas on a twice daily CRJ-700. The larger aircraft meant higher operating costs and the operator Elite Airways may have better things to do with the aircraft than try to make a go of a single route with a single plane.

California Pacific’s schedule will also run with a single aircraft based on the schedule but utilization will be higher, generally with three flights per day. The Vegas schedule is less business-friendly but still makes for a decent long weekend option while connections to Silicon Valley have greater potential business appeal.