Is the New Airline Carrier at Merced Regional Airport Living up to its Promises?

Mar. 7—Last year's contentious decision by Merced City Council to support a new airline for the city's Essential Air Service contract has again become the topic of public debate.

Hawthorne, Calif.-based Advanced Air took over operations from Boutique Air at the Merced Yosemite Regional Airport Jan. 1 after being endorsed by a majority of the City Council.

Boutique Air had held the contract at the airport since 2015. But the number of Advanced Air's flights offered weekly and their destinations have yet to align with the expectations of some residents.

City of Merced and Advanced Air officials acknowledge that flight service doesn't currently match plans originally laid out in the contract approved last year, but say the discrepancy is temporary and is expected to resolve in April.

Advanced Air's change in plans can be traced in part to the Merced City Council's controversial airline selection, which was slowed and brought back for an additional vote.

When it was announced in October that Advanced Air had received the EAS contract, the City of Merced stated that the airline would begin providing 24 weekly flights from Merced starting Jan. 1.

But the delayed decision caused a ripple-effect for Advanced Air to execute the proposal in its contract, city and airline officials told the Sun-Star.

EAS contracts offer continued air carrier service throughout the nation's rural areas. The program provides an operating subsidy to air carriers through a contract with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the selected airline. The Department of Transportation makes the final contract selection after soliciting local governments' recommendations.

According to the plan with the City of Merced, 12 of those flights would be round trips to Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) and 12 to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Still, rather than the 24 round trip flights planned from Merced to Los Angeles and Las Vegas each week, Advanced Air is currently running 17.

Advanced Air President and founder Levi Stockton told the Sun-Star the airline decreased the schedule to better align flights with January's low passenger count. The airline's first month of operation in Merced saw just 174 passengers, while 63 flights flew empty.

The small number of passengers was likely due to Merced residents being unfamiliar with the new airline and its schedule. Plus, the highly contagious COVID-19 omicron variant likely deterred some passengers from flying, Stockton said.

Advanced Air got approval from the DOT and the City of Merced before reducing weekly flights.

No TSA service

Another change is that flights from Merced are landing at fixed-base operator sites, rather than the main LAX and LAS terminals. While located at the airport grounds, passengers connecting to another flight cannot directly enter the main terminal from these sites without getting to the airport's entrance from the outside and going through TSA.

Advanced Air has yet to be approved for TSA service in Merced. The application process, which takes six months, was delayed by Merced City Council's ongoing debate over which airline to select.

That gave the airline about 90 days to prepare to start service, rather than the typical six-plus months, Stockton said. "We had to come in and set up shop overnight on New Years Day," he said.

Stockton said Advanced Air informed the city and the DOT that they weren't yet TSA-approved and were given the green light to start service in Merced to the fixed-base operator sites starting Jan. 1.

Officials expect Advanced Air will be TSA-approved by April 3. At that time, TSA screening will resume at the Merced airport and the schedule will increase to the planned 24-flights-a-week.

In the meantime, passengers leaving the Merced airport aren't TSA screened before boarding. Stockton noted that for passengers ending their trip after one flight, skipping TSA security could be a convenience.

Passengers boarding another plane must make their way to the main terminal and be screened at a TSA checkpoint before being permitted to enter the "sterile area" located behind airport security.

Residents raise concerns

Some prospective passengers say having to reenter a major airport and go through security could be a logistics nightmare for making a connection.

The lack of TSA screening also raised red flags for Merced resident Steve Donahue, who voiced his concerns publicly to the City of Merced and with Advanced Air.

"I will not get on an airplane that has not been TSA-screened," said Donahue, who flies to Phoenix, Arizona several times a month to visit family.

Donahue told the Sun-Star that Advanced Air's trip schedule has thrown a wrench in those plans, as limited flight times make it difficult for him to connect to Phoenix. "What they are doing now is not even close to what's in the contract," he said.

When Donahue called Advanced Air to inquire about shuttle service between fixed-base operator sites and the main airport, he was told none existed and his best option would be to order a ride share service — an answer that he found unacceptable.

Stockton confirmed that no shuttle service is planned, since the the fixed-base operator sites are temporary.

Donahue recently took his concerns to Advanced Air and the Merced City Council. "I'm 71-years-old and slightly handicapped. It would be impossible for me to make that connection (to Phoenix)," he said during public comment at a recent council meeting.

Donahue and other residents have told the City of Merced publicly, and reached out to the Sun-Star, to express frustration that the planned flights stated in the contract aren't being delivered. Donahue called on city leaders to bring back the service Boutique Air offered, noting that its flights were cheaper and offered more options for connections.

Some City Council members have been receptive to Donahue's frustrations, with Bertha Perez reiterating her support for Boutique Air during a recent meeting. Others maintain that Advanced Air is only two-months into operating locally and is still getting its wings steady.

Merced Deputy City Manager Frank Quintero said conversations between the city and airline officials have shown that their efforts to improve service and invest in the Merced community are genuine.

"We have to give Advanced Air an opportunity to serve the community," Quintero said.

For passengers with worries about flying with Advanced Air, Stockton urges them to book a flight before casting judgment. "I don't think anyone who's flown on us has expressed any concern. I would say try it and experience it firsthand," he said.

Moving forward

The controversial endorsement of Advanced Air was spurred in May, when the Merced City Council initially voted unanimously to support the new airline over Boutique Air.

But the next month, Boutique Air officials and local members of the business community pleaded their case to the council, asking for reconsideration.

Some City Council members were receptive to those pleas, in part because of the airline's lower airfare prices. Boutique Air also announced plans to collaborate with local businesses they said would create high paying jobs in south Merced and clean up dilapidated buildings at the airport.

When Merced leaders again cast their votes in July, they again decided to stay the course with Advanced Air. This vote, however, was split vote of 4-2 with one council member absent.

The decision ultimately came down to the city's expectation that Advanced Air would provide long-sought service between Merced and Las Vegas. None of Boutique Air's proposals included such flight paths.

Plus, Advanced Air pledged $70,000 annually to market the airport — a much needed promise to meet Merced's tourism goals, supporters on the council said at the time. The airline also planned to align flights with YARTS bus schedules to Yosemite, further reflecting support and knowledge of Merced's economic development and tourism needs, city officials said.

Advanced Air representatives recently spent time in Merced to get to know the community and its marketing needs. Stockton said he met with the mayor, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Farm Bureau and Merced Hotel and Lodging Association to strategically plan next steps.

Plans are still in the works to align flight schedules with YARTS. "We're really excited about Yosemite," Stockton said, noting that the airline will be working with travel agencies to market the Gateway to Yosemite.

Advanced Air is also the only airline that flies into Mammoth. The airline is looking into potentially adding flights from Merced to Mammoth next winter, Stockton said.

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