Mokulele Airlines has launched its flights to Los Angeles from Santa Maria. The service to be operated four-times daily will make its departure from Santa Maria Public Airport in the morning, afternoon and evening at 7:15 am, 11:15 am, 1:45 pm and 5:30 pm respectively. The family-owned Kona-based airline will be using the smaller 9-seat Cessna Grand Caravan aircrafts to operate the flights. United Airlines, which also serves the two destinations, operates a larger 50-seat aircraft.
John Iacovazzi, Mokulele Airlines’ Director of Airport Services, said, “It is a proud moment for Mokulele Airlines to start operating from the third city in California. The Californian cities now being served include El Centro, Los Angeles and Santa Maria.”
Mokulele Airlines decided to launch flights from Santa Maria after United Airlines stopped flying out of here in August 2016. Prior to stopping its services, United Airlines had been operating daily flights to San Francisco from Santa Maria.
It may be known that Mokulele Airlines is privately owned carrier headquartered in Kona, Hawaii. It was founded in 1998, and has now gained immense popularity as “island hopper” in Hawaii Islands. The Hawaiian destinations being currently served by the airline include the Big Island, Molokai, Lanai, Maui and Oahu. The airline expanded its network to California earlier last year.
Chris Hastert, General Manager of Santa Maria Public Airport, said, “The decision of Mokulele Airlines to serve Los Angeles out of Santa Maria is indeed a welcome development. The Kona-based airline has picked up from where United Airlines had left. The void has now been filled. Los Angeles has been an important market for us and it is a matter of great delight that the services have once again resumed to that market along with many connecting flights. In fact, we would say that Los Angeles has been far more supportive when compared to San Francisco.”
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