News Release: 7/14/2016
July 14, 2016
“Sun Valley adds new nonstop flight from Portland and expanded Seattle flights on Alaska Airlines for 2016/17 winter season”
Sun Valley, ID…. Air service access to Sun Valley keeps getting easier with the announcement of a new nonstop flight from Portland, Oregon, which will start on December 17, 2016. The new Alaska Airlines flight from Portland (PDX) to Sun Valley (SUN) will run twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, for the winter season as well as the summer 2017 season. The flight will be Alaska’s first nonstop flight to a ski destination from Portland, and so it is fitting that it would be to Sun Valley, the nation’s first destination ski resort and a popular choice for P-Town visitors.
Fly Sun Valley Alliance, Friedman Memorial Airport Authority and the Sun Valley Resort worked in partnership to secure this new Portland service, which will add a sixth nonstop flight city to Sun Valley –increasing the total to three new nonstop cities with service to SUN added in the last three years – San Francisco, Denver and Portland. The new Portland flight will be supported by a US Department of Transportation Small Communities Air Service Development Program Grant which was awarded to Friedman Memorial Airport (FMA) earlier this month. This is the third successful DOT grant secured by FMA and its partners in a little over a decade - others included a grant for launch of nonstop Los Angeles service in 2003 and for the launch of nonstop DEN service in 2014. Lisa Emerick, contracts and finance administrator for FMA, noted that while these grants are highly competitive, Sun Valley has been successful in obtaining them, in part, because of its past track record of success in securing new routes and sustaining them.
“Our new service from Portland to Sun Valley provides Rose City travelers another popular nonstop destination, as well as connectivity to other Alaska Airlines cities in our ever growing route network,” said John Kirby, Alaska Airlines vice president of capacity planning. “We are excited to expand our Sun Valley service and value our long-term partnership with this iconic destination.”
The winter flight will run December 17, 2016 through April 1, 2017 with the following schedule:
The summer flight will run June 14 – September 16, 2017.
In addition to the new Portland nonstop flight, Alaska will expand its winter flights from Seattle (SEA) to start on November 23, in time for Thanksgiving, with additional weekend flights on Saturdays and Sundays added during February and March. And Alaska’s nonstop Los Angeles - Sun Valley flights are also part of the winter schedule.
“We know this additional new Alaska Airlines nonstop service from Portland will be well used by our visitors, second homeowners, businesses and local residents and fully expect it to expand in the years ahead,” said Carol Waller, Director of Fly Sun Valley Alliance, the non-profit organization engaged in strategic air service development efforts for the Sun Valley area. “We are also pleased to continue to expand our Seattle service by offering a longer season and more frequency during peak periods,” she added.
The Portland flights will be operated by Alaska’s sister carrier, Horizon Air, using 76-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft. Alaska offers more flights that any other airline from Portland International Airport, with 122 average departures to 48 destinations.
Chris Pomeroy, new Friedman Memorial Airport manager noted, “This is one more very positive step in the ongoing public/private partnership work underway to improve air service to Sun Valley and the airport is proud to be a part of this collective effort.”
Winter flights are now available for booking: www.alaskaair.com
Sun Valley, ID…. Air service access to Sun Valley keeps getting easier with the announcement of a new nonstop flight from Portland, Oregon, which will start on December 17, 2016. The new Alaska Airlines flight from Portland (PDX) to Sun Valley (SUN) will run twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, for the winter season as well as the summer 2017 season. The flight will be Alaska’s first nonstop flight to a ski destination from Portland, and so it is fitting that it would be to Sun Valley, the nation’s first destination ski resort and a popular choice for P-Town visitors.
Fly Sun Valley Alliance, Friedman Memorial Airport Authority and the Sun Valley Resort worked in partnership to secure this new Portland service, which will add a sixth nonstop flight city to Sun Valley –increasing the total to three new nonstop cities with service to SUN added in the last three years – San Francisco, Denver and Portland. The new Portland flight will be supported by a US Department of Transportation Small Communities Air Service Development Program Grant which was awarded to Friedman Memorial Airport (FMA) earlier this month. This is the third successful DOT grant secured by FMA and its partners in a little over a decade - others included a grant for launch of nonstop Los Angeles service in 2003 and for the launch of nonstop DEN service in 2014. Lisa Emerick, contracts and finance administrator for FMA, noted that while these grants are highly competitive, Sun Valley has been successful in obtaining them, in part, because of its past track record of success in securing new routes and sustaining them.
“Our new service from Portland to Sun Valley provides Rose City travelers another popular nonstop destination, as well as connectivity to other Alaska Airlines cities in our ever growing route network,” said John Kirby, Alaska Airlines vice president of capacity planning. “We are excited to expand our Sun Valley service and value our long-term partnership with this iconic destination.”
The winter flight will run December 17, 2016 through April 1, 2017 with the following schedule:
- Departs PDX at 9:40am, arrives SUN at 12:12pm
- Departs SUN at 12:47pm, arrives PDX at 1:41pm
The summer flight will run June 14 – September 16, 2017.
In addition to the new Portland nonstop flight, Alaska will expand its winter flights from Seattle (SEA) to start on November 23, in time for Thanksgiving, with additional weekend flights on Saturdays and Sundays added during February and March. And Alaska’s nonstop Los Angeles - Sun Valley flights are also part of the winter schedule.
“We know this additional new Alaska Airlines nonstop service from Portland will be well used by our visitors, second homeowners, businesses and local residents and fully expect it to expand in the years ahead,” said Carol Waller, Director of Fly Sun Valley Alliance, the non-profit organization engaged in strategic air service development efforts for the Sun Valley area. “We are also pleased to continue to expand our Seattle service by offering a longer season and more frequency during peak periods,” she added.
The Portland flights will be operated by Alaska’s sister carrier, Horizon Air, using 76-seat Bombardier Q400 aircraft. Alaska offers more flights that any other airline from Portland International Airport, with 122 average departures to 48 destinations.
Chris Pomeroy, new Friedman Memorial Airport manager noted, “This is one more very positive step in the ongoing public/private partnership work underway to improve air service to Sun Valley and the airport is proud to be a part of this collective effort.”
Winter flights are now available for booking: www.alaskaair.com
Contact:
Waller Carol, Director
carol@flysunvalleyalliance.com, 208-720-3965
