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Island Air, not wanting to put all its eggs into the Hawai'i interisland market, apparently is branching out to flights from a Las Vegas hub to other Mainland markets. According to the SB story, they will not be flying under the Island Air banner, but in a code share arrangement, using the Q400 Bombardiers that they had to mothball due to the intense competition in Hawai'i. This strategy is very similar to what Mesa is doing in its code sharing agreements with other carriers.
Chief Executive Robert Mauracher confirmed the deal yesterday but said final contract negotiations were still being worked out, and he wasn't prepared yet to disclose the location of the operations or the routes that will be served.
However, a person familiar with the situation said Island Air was going to be operating out of Las Vegas, possibly from a regional airport, to other cities in the U.S. West.
Mauracher said he could neither confirm nor deny the hub city. He said Island Air will be flying on behalf of another company.
"It will be very similar to what we do here, except that we'll do it on the mainland," he said. "It won't be Island Air, but our contract will be an outsourcing of services to a different party. The name will be different, but it will be operated under an Island Air certificate using Island Air employees. If things materialize like we assume, we hope to be operating by the end of the first quarter of next year."
However, a person familiar with the situation said Island Air was going to be operating out of Las Vegas, possibly from a regional airport, to other cities in the U.S. West.
Mauracher said he could neither confirm nor deny the hub city. He said Island Air will be flying on behalf of another company.
"It will be very similar to what we do here, except that we'll do it on the mainland," he said. "It won't be Island Air, but our contract will be an outsourcing of services to a different party. The name will be different, but it will be operated under an Island Air certificate using Island Air employees. If things materialize like we assume, we hope to be operating by the end of the first quarter of next year."
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