Northern Pacific Airways, one of the newest airlines in the United States (US), has delayed its inaugural commercial flight without specific explanation.
The airline, which was scheduled to take off for the first time on June 23, 2023, is now set to begin commercial operations on July 14, 2023, according to an emailed statement from the airline to AeroTime.
“It’s been a long road, but we are truly excited about welcoming our guests onboard on the 14th of July,” Rob McKinney, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Northern Pacific Airways, is quoted as saying in the statement.
According to the carrier, it is in “the final phases of the regulatory process required to commence commercial service”.
“I am proud to say that we have successfully completed many of the challenging regulatory milestones required to start service and are excited to be in the home stretch,” added McKinney.
In March 2023, the airline announced that it would not connect mainland US and Japan and South Korea via Alaska at first. Instead, it is launching a route between Ontario International Airport (ONT) and Las Vegas International Airport (LAS). ONT is located just outside Los Angeles’ metropolitan area.
“Why, you ask? Simply put, we want to make sure that we can deliver the best possible service to our customers before expanding to international destinations. By starting with this popular domestic route, we’re able to fine-tune our operations, provide exceptional customer service, and perfect our in-flight amenities,” the airline announced at the time.
Currently the airline, based at Anchorage Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC), has four Boeing 757-200 aircraft in its fleet, all of which have been stored since 2022, according to planespotters.net data. Three additional aircraft of the same type are scheduled to join the fleet of Northern Pacific Airways in due course.
The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) list of certified Part 121 operators shows that Northern Pacific Airways has an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC).