AIRLINE ASKS TO PULL OUT OF A.V. NOW VEGAS FLIGHTS ALMOST EMPTY.Byline: Jim Skeen Staff Writer PALMDALE - Scenic Airlines Scenic Airlines is an American airline based in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. It operates sightseeing flights and is based at Boulder City Airport [1]. History Scenic Airlines wants to stop service Saturday instead of in March as previously announced, the company said in a filing with federal regulators that included a parting shot parting shot n. An act of aggression or retaliation, such as a retort or threat, that is made upon one's departure or at the end of a heated discussion. at the city of Palmdale. In a filing dated Friday, the airline is seeking the federal Transportation Department's permission to terminate its Palmdale service Saturday instead of March 13. In the filing, the airline states it has averaged just two passengers a day on its service to Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. since it became known that the company was looking to leave in March. Airline officials said they have not yet heard from the federal government whether they will be allowed to stop service Saturday. ``At this point it's in everybody's interest to have the (U.S. Department of Transportation) allow us to quit losing money,'' said Mark Slack 1. (operating system) slack - Internal fragmentation. Space allocated to a disk file but not actually used to store useful information. 2. (jargon) slack , the airline's chief executive officer. ``Hopefully the DOT will allow us to quit.'' In the latest filing, the airline criticized the city of Palmdale for a ``lack of continuing support,'' and said the city failed to deliver on promises of financial support. ``The city promised to subsidize sub·si·dize tr.v. sub·si·dized, sub·si·diz·ing, sub·si·diz·es 1. To assist or support with a subsidy. 2. To secure the assistance of by granting a subsidy. the PMD-VGT (Palmdale to North Las Vegas North Las Vegas, city (1990 pop. 47,707), Clark co., SE Nev., a residential suburb of Las Vegas; inc. 1946. Tourism is the economic mainstay of this growing suburb. The city's population more than tripled between 1990 and 2003. ) experiment and did in fact provide such support to Scenic through August 2005,'' the company said in the filing. ``In recent months, however, the city has backed away from its commitment to the point that, in Scenic's view, the city has reneged entirely and is in breach of the parties' agreement.'' Although the city did buy $20,000 worth of tickets in August to assist the airline, there have never been any statements or action by the city to provide continuing financial support, City Manager Bob Toone said Monday. ``I'm afraid they are off the mark,'' Toone said. The city bought the tickets in August after airline officials told them at that time that they were looking to pull out in October if passenger loads didn't increase. Slack said the airline's interpretation of the August conversations was that the ticket-buying subsidy subsidy, financial assistance granted by a government or philanthropic foundation to a person or association for the purpose of promoting an enterprise considered beneficial to the public welfare. would continue. ``Everybody tried very hard to make this work,'' Slack said. ``In our case, maybe Vegas was too close and people preferred to drive. I'm not convinced the population knows about the airport.'' City officials said despite the withdrawal of Scenic they are optimistic op·ti·mist n. 1. One who usually expects a favorable outcome. 2. A believer in philosophical optimism. op about the future of Palmdale Regional Airport. There is at least one other airline interested in starting service in Palmdale, but officials decline to identify the carrier. When Scenic began service out of Palmdale on Dec. 29, 2004, it marked the return of airline service to the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley after a nearly seven-year absence. Commuter airlines United Express, America West and SkyWest operated out of the Palmdale Regional Airport terminal at Plant 42 in the 1990s - sometimes two airlines at a time. All pulled out after failing to generate profits with their Palmdale operations. The last airline to leave was United Express, which pulled out in February 1998. Jim Skeen, (661) 267-5743 james.skeen(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Scenic Airlines has requested to halt service Saturday at the airport in Palmdale, instead of March as announced. Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer |
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