An Alaska Airlines Embraer 175 operated the first commercial service out of the new terminal at Paine Field airport in Washington state on 5 March, weeks after the US government shutdown delayed the debut flight.
The E175, with 76 passengers and four crew on board, took off at 10:00 and flew to Portland (Oregon), one of eight destinations the airline plans to eventually serve from the airport in Everett, Washington.
Alaska's Paine Field schedule will eventually include Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orange County, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose, according to a press release from the airline. Some destinations have several departures a day, including four daily round trips to Los Angeles.
“Paine Field makes catching a flight easier for more than one million people living in North Puget Sound,” the airline states. “Many will enjoy shorter commutes to the airport: more time in the air and less time on the roads, which will ease traffic congestion.”
Alaska previously postponed the debut flight from Paine Field originally scheduled for 11 February. During day 32 of the US government shutdown in January, the airline selected the 4 March date to “allow time for a resolution” to reopen the government. Paine Field is also home to Boeing's widebody aircraft assembly lines.
United Airlines will be the only other carrier operating from Paine Field. The Chicago-based carrier plans to offer six daily flights to Denver and San Francisco from 31 March.
Alaska Airlines
Source: Cirium Dashboard
