Jan. 5 -- VISALIA, California. The return Wednesday of federal Transportation Security Administration screeners to the Visalia Municipal Airport came as a pleasant surprise to Airport Manager Mario Cifuentez.
The officials are checking passengers and luggage heading from Visalia to McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.
Their work for four daily US Airways Express flights, operated by Air Midwest, means that Las Vegas-bound passengers no longer have to get off the plane in Merced before continuing to the Nevada city, as has been the case since November.
"When the TSA supervisor showed up Wednesday asking for keys to different areas of the terminal, it was a nice surprise," Cifuentez said. "Originally, we expected the screeners to begin in mid-January; I was hoping for the first part of next week at the earliest."
Federal screeners worked at the Visalia airport when United Express flew between Visalia and Los Angeles International Airport. But those flights ceased in September 2005, replaced by Scenic Air service to the smaller North Las Vegas Airport. Because North Las Vegas had no airline connections, no security screenings were needed and the TSA withdrew its personnel and equipment.
When Air Midwest won a federal contract to replace Scenic in Visalia with flights to McCarran International starting in November, screening again became necessary but has taken a couple of months to implement.
In the meantime, the stop in Merced has been required for screening as well as to pick up passengers.
"I'm glad I don't have to get off the plane in Merced," said Joyce Stamper, waiting to board her flight from Visalia on Thursday afternoon. Stamper, who planned to transfer in Las Vegas to a flight home to Phoenix, said she didn't mind screening because of a sense of security.
"I just wish we didn't have to stop in Merced first," she added.
Having the screeners back, Cifuentez said, paves the way for Air Midwest to offer daily nonstop flights from Visalia to Las Vegas starting Feb. 4.
Half of the airline's flights will continue to stop in Merced for passengers; the other flights will originate in Merced and stop in Visalia on their way to Las Vegas.
Cifuentez said that travel from Visalia is likely to pick up.
"Now that we don't have the oddity of getting off the plane to be screened in Merced, I think we'll do very well," he said.
And with the schedule stabilizing next month, "we want to get the word out there," Cifuentez said. "The beauty of it is with four flights a day, and two of them nonstops, there are a lot of options for people to find what works best for them."
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