Horizon announces intention to fly from Everett's Paine Field
 

Horizon announces intention to fly from Everett's Paine Field
Oct. 2, 2008
Horizon Air is pursuing plans to introduce daily air service from Paine Field near Everett, Wash., before next summer. The announcement comes after a 6-0 vote last month by the Everett City Council in favor of a resolution supporting scheduled commercial flights at Paine Field.

Horizon is considering flights to Portland and Spokane, with schedules timed to facilitate same-day business trips between the cities. Snohomish County travelers could also fly out of Paine Field and connect in Portland to many popular destinations on the West Coast and beyond.

“Rather than suffer on the I-5 slog or endure tedious hours on I-90, Snohomish County residents would be able to travel between these three Northwest regions much more quickly with Horizon Air from Paine Field,” says Dan Russo, vice president, Marketing and Communications.

The service would also have the potential to aid commercial development of the Snohomish County region by making it easier and less time-consuming to get there.

The flights would be entirely provided with aircraft currently in Horizon's Q400 fleet. Mindful of community concerns about noise, H orizon in its public announcement is noting that the Q400 is among the quietest commercial aircraft in the world today. The Q400 is 10 decibels quieter than a similar-size jet and more than 20 decibels quieter than an MD-80 jet. Even city center airports where stringent noise limitations are in effect – such as those in London and Toronto – have accepted Q400 flights.

Horizon is also promoting the fact that the Q400 is among the most environmentally friendly aircraft today, burning 30 percent less fuel and producing 30 percent lower emissions than a similar-size jet.

Horizon last considered Paine Field-Portland flights in 1998, at that time using Q200s. We eventually opted not to pursue the plan and instead focused on building more flight activity at our Seattle hub with the larger Q400s.

Before making a final decision on whether to provide the new service, Horizon needs to secure a cost-effective lease agreement at the airport related to the terminal facilities necessary for check-in, screening of passengers and baggage, and flight boarding.