New direct flights to California begin as Avelo Airlines starts Tri-Cities service
An Avelo Airlines Boeing 737 arrived in Pasco for the first time Thursday.
The first new airline to launch in 15 years brought its first load of passengers from Burbank, Calif., at 10:20 a.m. to the Tri-Cities Airport and was met with a parade of cheerful onlookers and a water cannon salute.
“This is exactly what the community wanted. At the Tri-Cities Airport we’ve been pushing to get service to the L.A. basin,” said Tri-Cities Airport Director Buck Taft.
The Hollywood Burbank Airport offers easy access to the Los Angeles without having to go to Los Angeles International Airport. It also serves as a launching point to get to popular attractions such as Disneyland, Universal Studios and Knotts Berry Farm.
But Taft said he expects the tourism to go both ways, with the Tri-Cities community launching marketing efforts in Burbank to attract visitors to the wine and science industries in the Mid-Columbia.
“I had forgotten it was the first flight but felt privileged to be on there,” said Cliff Martin, a real estate agent from Pasco who also was on the flight. “It makes my life as a Realtor easier to travel out there.”
He added that going back and forth to see family in the Los Angeles, while still being affordable, is big asset to the area.
The Boeing 737 can hold 189 passengers, and a little less than an hour after landing, the plane took off from Pasco with a load of travelers — including Taft — heading south.
“This is an exciting time for everyone. We are honored and privileged to be here,” said Greg Baden, the chief operating officer for the new airline. “Avelo Airlines is all about keeping it simple in everything we do.”
Baden, who lived in Walla Walla as a child, said that Pasco is a great attraction to those in California by having a vibrant area with lots of sun and a sprawling wine industry.
The details
The budget airline has flights to and from Burbank on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Flights to Burbank leave Pasco at 11 a.m. and land at 1:30 p.m. Return flights back to Tri-Cities are at 8 a.m. and land at 10:20 a.m.
Avelo operates like most budget airlines with add-on pricing for amenities such as seat selection and priority boarding.
Passengers are allowed a small carry-on but an overhead piece of luggage costs $35.
Checked bags are $10 for the first bag, $20 for the second and $100 for anything beyond two bags per passenger. An extra charge is added if bags are added at the airport rather than during an online check-in.
To select a seat — rather than leaving where you sit to chance — prices start at $4 but a flight search showed fees as much as $36 for some seat choices.
Priority boarding is $10. Pets are allowed in the cabin under the seats for $95.
The airline also will have routes from Burbank to Phoenix/Mesa, Bozeman, Mont., Grand Junction, Colo., Ogden, Utah, and Eugene, Bend and Medford in Oregon and Santa Rosa, Redding, Arcata/Eureka in California.
This story was originally published April 29, 2021 at 12:57 PM.