Flights to Portland return to Tri-Cities Airport after 7 years
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- Alaska Airlines resumed nonstop Tri‑Cities–Portland service after a seven‑year gap.
- Two outbound Tri‑Cities flights to Portland departed this morning and afternoon.
- Both flights out of Tri-Cities were full.
After a seven-year absence, Alaska Airlines is restoring their nonstop service flight between Tri-Cities and Portland.
The initial connection was terminated after a pilot shortage in 2018.
Alaska Airlines sent the first two planes to Portland at 5:25 a.m. and 3:59 p.m. on Wednesday. Return flights from Portland were scheduled for 2:31 p.m. and 9:40 p.m. Travelers can expect flights to match those times for at least the next few months.
Tri-Cities Airport Director Buck Taft said the flight will serve both business and leisure flyers while providing access to 66 additional cities connecting through Portland.
“There are realistic options out of the Tri-Cities, and then there’s fantasy ones that just aren’t going to work,” Taft said, “Portland is a realistic option that we’ve been working on since it left.”
Taft said the long-term success of the connection depends solely on passenger demand. Both flights were full Wednesday, Taft said.
“I fear every flight we have may go out of service,” Taft said. “My job is to do my best to go out and get new service for our community, then I hand it to the community and say ‘It’s your turn to support the service and make sure we have it’.”
The return of the flight highlights the region’s growth and economic strength as a whole, Taft said.
“Our economy is strong,” he said. “Our community is strong. And this is a big deal.”