STOCKTON — Jose Vasquez has worked for SkyWest Airlines for 14 years, in Modesto, small-town Colorado, San Luis Obispo and Redding. But when SkyWest's new station manager at Stockton Metropolitan Airport wakes up Friday morning, he will experience a first-time event in his career with the United Airlines partner.
"I've never been part of an airport opening, so it's pretty exciting," Vasquez said Monday morning as he stood in the still of the Stockton airport's quiet terminal.
SkyWest's addition to Stockton will bring two flights to and from Los Angeles daily.
The airline's first flight from Stockton is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday. Starting Saturday, there will be a 7:40 a.m. flight in addition to the 3 p.m. flight.
The first flight from LAX to Stockton is at 1 p.m. Friday, with another taking off at 5:10 p.m. and arriving at 6:40 p.m. The airplanes are 50-seat Bombardier CRJ/200s.
"We just have to set up the computer and we're pretty much good to go," Vasquez said as he stood Monday at Gate 2.
Russell Stark, the airport's director, said passengers flying out of Stockton should have grander thoughts than a mere 90-minute flight to LAX.
"You can fly anywhere in the world that United flies right here from Stockton," Stark said. "They have over 350 destinations they fly to."
A check of the United Airlines website validated Stark's claim. For about $2,000 roundtrip a couple of weeks from now, you can fly out of Stockton Metropolitan, change planes at LAX, and eventually end up in Moscow — Russia, not Idaho.
SkyWest's arrival brings a second airline to Stockton Metropolitan. Allegiant Air already operates flights to Las Vegas, Phoenix and San Diego.
If Stark meets his goals, there eventually will be a second terminal at Stockton Metropolitan, and flights by other carriers to Seattle/Tacoma, Salt Lake City and Denver.
"Those are all major hubs," Stark said. "Everything we're working on is major hubs so our residents here, it'll make it much easier for them to connect to locations anywhere in world."
Stark added that success for the SkyWest flights may be pivotal to bringing more passenger air traffic into Stockton.
"A couple of locations are rather promising," he said. "We've had some interest. I think when they see how the L.A. service works out and if it's successful, I think we'll have success down the road landing one of those other new destinations."
Contact reporter Roger Phillips at (209) 546-8299 or [email protected]. Follow him at recordnet.com/rphillipsblog and on Twitter @rphillipsblog.
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