Salem’s McNary Field Passed Over by Allegiant Air For Now

McNary Field has been without regularly scheduled air service since Horizon left the in 1993.

(SALEM) - Once again Oregon’s Capitol city will have to wait for regularly scheduled commercial air service.

Allegiant Air announced Friday that it will launch nonstop services in Oregon by connecting Redmond and Medford with Las Vegas this spring.

Twice-weekly links between Redmond Municipal Airport, Roberts Field, and McCarran will commence on March 29th.

Each Thursday and Sunday, flights will leave Las Vegas at 4.20 PM and touch down in Redmond at 6.05 PM, before making the return journey at 6.45 PM, arriving at 8.30 PM.

"This is an exciting new addition for our airline and our customers, as we launch the only scheduled service between Redmond/Bend and Las Vegas," said Maurice Gallagher, President and Chief Executive of Allegiant.

"We are certainly excited to be the first city in Oregon to inaugurate Allegiant's brand of nonstop, low-cost air service," Carrie Novick, Airport Manager for Roberts Field Airport, said. "We will now link America's top outdoor destination with the top vacation destination in the world -- Las Vegas."

Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport will also be served by Thursday and Sunday flights, beginning April 5th.

Flights in the opposite direction will depart at 6.30 PM, landing in Vegas at 8.20 PM.

"We are pleased to add this very professional service to our community," Bern Case, airport director for Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport, said. "It has been a while since we have had this size of aircraft on a regular basis."

Both routes will be served by McDonnell Douglas MD-80s, equipped with 150 seats.

Allegiant Air had expressed interest in providing daily flights to Las Vegas from Salem.

The privately held company is one of the fastest growing low cost carriers in the U.S.

The airline serves such west coast cities as Pasco, Washington; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Missoula, Montana; Stockton, California; Fresno, California; and Bellingham, Washington.

Discounts for travel through August 15th are available for purchase until February 25th.

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Comments Leave a comment on this story.

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Pete February 11, 2007 11:34 am (Pacific time)

Salem abslutely needs air service. I travel to Seattle for work one-two times per week and drive to PDX, often having to leave before 5am because there is no commercial service here. This is our state capitol, and the fastest growing town in Oregon, period. In order for the town to grow and attract people with money, you need air service. And with that money comes more opportunity for the local businesses and residents.

air traffic control; February 9, 2007 5:02 pm (Pacific time)

anono 2, it was the sleek lines of an A-380 Airbus that turned her head.,I got the black box and decoded it privately, no one else knows...,sorry. I hear extensions are possible.,but the 380 found another slot, so to speak.

anano2 February 4, 2007 6:52 pm (Pacific time)

anon.,then why did she leave me?

LAS February 4, 2007 5:29 pm (Pacific time)

Runway length is indeed the issue. Allegiant's MD-80s need a lot more runway than a 737. The MD-80 does not have the performance of a 737.

JAFO February 4, 2007 5:13 pm (Pacific time)

looks like a gutter ball to me.

Anonymous February 4, 2007 9:27 am (Pacific time)

Length is not the issue, beacuse a 737 can land at the Salem Airport with no problem. It's why would they want to come here. Face it more passengers would choose Bend, Medford, or even the Oregon coast before the said Salem.

Allan C February 4, 2007 9:24 am (Pacific time)

Why would an airline pick Salem? What is there to do here? The only reason they would come is so that Salem residents could leave for a fun and exicting place like Las Vegas. I think one million dollar to upgrade the airport terminal for just one airline is a little much. That money would be better spent on other city issues, like more police.

LAS February 3, 2007 7:32 pm (Pacific time)

The issue isn't the terminal -- Allegiant serves Ft Collins/Loveland (Colorado) which has a triple-wide trailer for a terminal. The issue is the length of the Salem runway, which is quite short. Were it longer, Allegiant (and other carriers) might well be interested.

Alice F Keizer February 3, 2007 6:34 pm (Pacific time)

Salem has no hope of getting air service, that building down there is so old and run-down that I would be embarrassed to get anyone getting off a plane and visiting Salem for the first time see it.

Mark Davis February 3, 2007 6:32 pm (Pacific time)

One million dollars to build at the airport in hopes of getting an airline here. Wake-up, Salem is between Portland and Eugene both which and an hour or less away and have regular air service and newer air terminals. Put the money into streets.

cross February 3, 2007 4:06 pm (Pacific time)

So we want to use public money to subsidize folks who want to gamble in Vegas?

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