New Pacific Airlines Ceases Las Vegas Flights Due to Ongoing Ground Delays

In a strategic move aimed at optimizing its service offerings, New Pacific Airlines (7H), formerly known as Northern Pacific Airways, has quietly discontinued its twice-weekly flights between Ontario International and Las Vegas Harry Reid, effective January 1, 2024. The decision was prompted by persistent ground delays at Las Vegas Airport, impacting the airline’s commitment to providing efficient and reliable services.

This development leaves the emerging carrier with two operational routes—Ontario to Nashville International and Ontario to Reno/Tahoe. The booking portal for New Pacific Airlines indicates a noticeable absence of flights on the Las Vegas to Ontario city pair for the next six months. However, the airline will maintain its twice-weekly roundtrips on the Ontario to Reno and Ontario to Nashville routes, utilizing the B757-200 aircraft.

ch-aviation capacities data reveals that other major carriers, including Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines, continue to operate flights between Ontario and Las Vegas.

New Pacific Airlines, initially launched as Northern Pacific Airways in mid-2023, had identified the Ontario to Las Vegas route as a “highly successful” venture with a “steep booking curve,” according to CEO Rob McKinney in August. However, ongoing challenges with ground delays at Las Vegas Airport led to a reconsideration of the service’s viability. McKinney emphasized that although the loads on the Los Angeles to Las Vegas route were satisfactory, persistent two to three-hour ground delays at Las Vegas Airport were deemed unacceptable for the airline’s commitment to service excellence.

McKinney explained, “With the short nature of our flights, we found it not an acceptable level of service. There were times where the ground stops made the trip time longer than it would have been in an Uber. This is not the level of service we want to offer our customers.”

New Pacific Airlines, formerly Northern Pacific Airways, underwent a rebranding in September to avoid potential legal conflicts with a longstanding U.S. railway company sharing the same name. While the airline originally envisioned connecting U.S. destinations with North Asia via Anchorage, it now plans to expand its services throughout the U.S. and North America while maintaining its long-term goal of connecting Asia and North America with strategic air travel solutions.