Horizon Air pulling flight to Seattle from Arcata/Eureka Airport

June 17, 2010

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Jun. 17--Just four months after Delta Airlines suspended all their flights indefinitely, Horizon Air announced the end to the airport's daily flight to Seattle.

Horizon Air announced Wednesday that it would be discontinuing services starting Aug. 22. According to Dan Russo, Horizon's vice president of marketing and communications, the flight -- which goes through Redding -- just wasn't doing well enough.

"On a year-round basis it was not generating enough passengers and revenue to be profitable," he said. Russo said the company does not disclose ridership numbers.

Customers holding tickets on flights affected by the changes will be re-accommodated on other flights or offered a full refund. The airline will continue to offer its two flights to Los Angeles.

The Greater Eureka Chamber of Commerce Executive Director J Hockaday said he was disappointed with the news.

"We and many other organizations who have worked pretty hard to preserve and increase these options would have liked a chance to discuss it," he said.

Hockaday said that a few years ago, the business community rallied around the idea of getting more flights out of the Arcata/Eureka Airport that didn't go through San Francisco. The Delta Airlines pullout and this flight cancellation now leave county travelers with fewer and fewer options.

Russo said Horizon Air has already tried once to keep a northbound service going. The flight originally went to Portland, but after a lack of ridership, the airline changed the flight to Seattle since it was a bigger city, and the company hoped to have more travelers, he said.

"We tried real hard to keep some kind of northbound service," Russo said.

Hockaday said he would be meeting with his board and members to discuss what can be done to generate alternative travel arrangements for businesses and individuals.

Donna Tam can be reached at 441-0532 or [email protected].