New Hub Service Launched at Santa Maria Airport for First Time Since before Pandemic
Jarrod Zinn
SANTA MARIA, Calif. – The Santa Maria Airport made a big announcement this morning.
The airport is launching a new service that’s been years in the making.
They’re proud to announce a collaboration with a leading airline to launch twice-daily flights to phoenix sky harbor, starting October 15th.
A new route from the Santa Maria Airport to Phoenix Sky Harbor—a hub in the southwest—opens up more pathways for flights from Santa Maria to the east coast and beyond.
This service will be available on a daily basis once it gets going in mid-October.
“While I was running for this position about four years ago, the number one ask the community had was consistent air service,” says Ignacio “Nash” Moreno, board president at the Santa Maria Public Airport. “So this is the fulfillment.”
Instead of just twice-weekly flights to Las Vegas, multiple local agencies have worked together to make this happen, including airport staff, Chamber of Commerce, Vandenberg Space Force Base, and business leaders.
“Phoenix is a major hub,” says Moreno. “You can access just about the entire world through there, including flights to Mexico, flights to the East coast Canada, etc.”
Hub service was in the works back in 2019. But like so many other things, the program was put into a holding pattern during the COVID 19 pandemic.
“There will be greater business opportunities,” says Dane Drefke, director of launch operations at Firefly Aerospace. “And of course, competition is always a good thing. So having the Santa Maria Airport now be a competitive force in the region will help drive down costs for everyone, and that can only help grow business.”
Firefly Aerospace is one business that can take advantage of the Santa Maria-Phoenix connection.
They send employees to the central coast for launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
“Every single launch we bring out 40 or 50 people and they stay here two or three weeks,” says Drefke. “We send people back and forth. We have customers that come to support as well.”
The new flights to Phoenix are through American Airlines.
Airport personnel are encouraging local residents to ‘fly local’ for the holidays this year.
The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.