Northern Pacific Airways Receives FAA Approval, Scheduled Flights Will Take Off

Northern Pacific Airways has obtained its air carrier certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration. This marks a significant milestone for the airline, as it prepares to commence scheduled passenger flights later this week. CEO Rob McKinney announced the news on Twitter, stating that this new airline had successfully passed all required tests.

With all odds against us to even come back from bankruptcy, we not only did that, we have now added Boeing 757s to our certificate. Tonight (Saturday) I received a call from the CMO manager of the FAA that we have passed every test. We not only passed, we exceeded everything pic.twitter.com/1FKqKz8sN2

— Rob McKinney (@RobLMcKinney) July 9, 2023

Northern Pacific planned to launch its services last month, connecting Ontario International Airport in the Greater Los Angeles Area with the Las Vegas Strip. However, due to the absence of necessary FAA approvals, the flights were delayed. With the recent certification in hand, the airline has confirmed July 14 as the new takeoff date for these flights.

Northern Pacific Airways aims to establish itself as a key player in the Los Angeles to Las Vegas route. Presently, only budget carriers Southwest Airlines and Frontier Airlines operate flights between the two airports. The airline’s schedule caters to customers from the Los Angeles metropolitan area seeking a weekend getaway in Las Vegas.

Inaugural Flight

The inaugural flight, which is fully booked according to McKinney, will depart from Ontario at 2 p.m. local time every Friday. The return flight will take off from Las Vegas at 2 p.m. every Sunday.

The airline operates a fleet of four Boeing 757-200 aircrafts with one in active service and the remaining three in storage.

Northern Pacific’s journey towards launch has encountered several hurdles and setbacks since its initial planned start date in 2022. However, the acquisition of bankrupt regional carrier Ravn Alaska by Float Alaska in 2021 provided the necessary assets and resources for the airline to solidify its position.

McKinney envisions Northern Pacific Airways as the Pacific equivalent of Icelandair. Icelandair uses its hub in Reykjavik to offer low-cost, multi-stop service between North America and Europe. Building on this model, Northern Pacific Airways aims to connect Anchorage with South Korea and Japan. The airline also intends to explore opportunities in other countries, such as Canada and Mexico.