Northern Pacific Airways Faces Delay on Second Flight Due to Mechanical Issue

Northern Pacific Airways, after successfully completing its inaugural flight, encountered a setback when a mechanical issue hit its sole active Boeing 757, leading to a more than 24-hour delay in the return flight. The airline’s second-ever flight, initially scheduled to depart on July 16, 2023, from Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) to Ontario International Airport (ONT), had to be rescheduled.

The issue with the aircraft forced the departure to be postponed to July 17, 2023, with flight code 7H9628 instead of the typical 7H888 used for LAS to ONT flights. The Boeing 757, registered as N628NP, remained grounded at ONT since landing.

A spokesperson from Northern Pacific Airways explained that the outbound flight from LAS to ONT on Sunday was canceled due to a minor mechanical problem. Passengers affected by the delay were either provided refunds or offered alternative transportation options. The airline acknowledged that these were unfortunate challenges that could arise while starting a new airline.

Northern Pacific Airways had previously faced delays in its inaugural flight due to the final steps in the regulatory process with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Despite the setbacks, the airline expressed its apologies to its valued customers and reassured them that normal operations would resume with the upcoming Friday flight from ONT to LAS.

Northern Pacific Airways operates as a new long-haul airline and plans to offer flights between various points in the United States and select cities in East Asia via Anchorage, Alaska.

The carrier’s original plans were affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions, which prevented US-based airlines from using the aggressor’s airspace. As a result, the airline had to modify its operations to fly between ONT, California, and LAS, Nevada.

Presently, Northern Pacific Airways boasts a fleet of four Boeing 757s, initially ordered by US Airways, according to ch-aviation.com data. These aircraft were operated by American Airlines after the merger of US Airways with the latter in 2013. However, the COVID-19 pandemic compelled the carrier to adjust its fleet size in 2020.

Despite the challenges, the airline received positive feedback for its inaugural flight, with FlightRadar24 tracking it as the most monitored flight in the world on July 14, 2023.