Monterey Regional Airport adds Denver flight
United Airlines is adding four flights a day between the Monterey Peninsula and Denver, Colorado. Beginning October 4, there will be two arrivals and two departures, daily, from the Monterey Regional Airport.
The airport was, for years, trying to woo Denver or Dallas, hubs for United and American Airlines, using a Department of Transportation grant. When that was rejected, Dallas was out, but Denver stayed in.
“Denver materialized because United stepped up and said we are going to take the risk and make this service work,” Michael La Pier, Executive Director of the Monterey Regional Airport, said.
There used to be a Monterey to Denver flight just a few years ago. United pulled it for financial reasons, and is bringing it back for the same.
“Now that fuel pricing is better and the economics of the airline industry is stronger, and the economics of the community is stronger, it makes more sense for them,” La Pier said.
The Denver International Airport lists more than one hundred non-stop destinations though United. The Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce was part of the push to bring the Denver flight back.
“This is a flight that left a few years ago, and I have had businesses asking for it ever since,” said Jody Hansen, the President/CEO of the Chamber.
At the airport, Monday, it didn’t take long find the exact person this move impacts.
Philip Moreau says he flew East for business about two to three times a month, and has logged more than four million miles with United.
“Denver is a huge hub for United, so you’ll be able to really quickly get back East a lot faster,” he said.
There is also still hope for Dallas. The airport says they are looking at submitting again for the DOT grant, and to continue negotiations with American Airlines for a direct Dallas flight.
