Northern Pacific Airways, the United States’ strangest airline startup, is inching closer to launching operations. A couple of days ago I wrote about how the carrier’s first route appeared in the GDS. I wondered if it might be a glitch, but nope, it’s now official. Northern Pacific has formally announced its first route.
In this post:
The basics of Northern Pacific Airways
For some background, plans for Northern Pacific Airways were first revealed in mid-2021. Here are some key details about the company:
- The people behind this airline are the same people behind Ravn, a regional airline in Alaska
- Northern Pacific plans to use Anchorage as a hub to connect various points in the United States with various points in Asia; think of it like the Pacific equivalent of Icelandair
- Northern Pacific plans to use Boeing 757s for this service, and several have already been acquired; the airline has some pretty lofty growth plans, and claims to want 50 planes by 2026
- Northern Pacific has been looking for investments from the public, with a completely absurd valuation; for example, in May 2022 the airline let anyone invest with a $280 million valuation, claiming this represented a 20% discount over the company’s $350 million valuation
- Northern Pacific has been struggling to launch transpacific flights, between Russian airspace issues, plus issues with getting ETOPS certification for its planes
- In August 2022, the airline pivoted, and claimed it would start flying to Mexico instead; then in October 2022, the airline claimed it might instead start operating out of Saipan
Personally I find Northern Pacific to be one of the strangest “legitimate” airline startups we’ve seen in a long time (and I use the word “legitimate” in the sense that the company actually has planes and I believe intends to operate flights, unlike so many other startups).
Well, the Northern Pacific saga is getting even stranger…
Northern Pacific reveals first route
As initially reported by @IshrionA, Northern Pacific has now announced its first route. As of June 4, 2023, the airline plans to fly once weekly between Ontario, California (ONT), and Las Vegas, Nevada (LAS). The schedule for this service will be as follows:
Fridays from Ontario to Las Vegas departing 2:00PM arriving 3:00PM
Sundays from Las Vegas to Ontario departing 2:00PM arriving 3:00PM
The 197-mile flight would be operated by the Boeing 757-200.
The company confirms that flights can already be booked through select online travel agencies, and direct bookings will be available in the near future. So if you want to book a ticket, you’re best off starting through Google Flights.
Here’s how Northern Pacific CEO Rob McKinney describes the airline launching operations:
“This announcement today represents the achievement of a major milestone for Northern Pacific Airways. The airline now has a live flight schedule, purchasable tickets, and refurbished aircraft ready to go, and I can’t wait for passengers to meet our team onboard and fly with us.”
“I know that our weekend getaway flights will be an incredibly convenient and cost-effective way for people to enjoy themselves in the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas. I’m especially thankful to our team around the world and especially to those in Anchorage, Alaska for their dedication and hard work.”
I’m not sure what’s going on here
Goodness this is strange. So after talking about launching transpacific flights, and then talking about launching Mexico flights, and then talking about launching Saipan flights, the airline will instead fly once a week between Ontario and Las Vegas? A Boeing 757 flying a total of 400 miles per week while a crew needs to have a 48-hour layover doesn’t exactly sound like a recipe for profitability.
Never mind the fact that Northern Pacific is going head-to-head against Southwest, which operates a minimum of half a dozen flights per day in the market.
One has to wonder what exactly is going on here:
- Is the airline just hoping to launch operations in any way possible, and this just seems like the easiest market in which to start service, given that the planes are currently parked in Ontario?
- Is this on some level about crew training and familiarization, given how short the trip is?
The airline launching with just once weekly flights in an already crowded market with fierce competition doesn’t otherwise make a lot of sense, if you ask me. But what do I know, I’m not the one who started an airline worth $350 million. 😉
Bottom line
Northern Pacific Airways has announced that it will fly once weekly between Ontario and Las Vegas as of June 2023. That’s a far cry from the carrier’s planned service to Asia. Or the carrier’s planned hub in Saipan. Or the carrier’s planned US to Mexico flights.
I’m curious to see if these flights actually launch. If they do, you can bet I’ll be booking Northern Pacific. However, I’m not booking my ticket yet, as I’m not terribly confident this will launch as planned.
What do you make of this Northern Pacific Airways update?
You never look deeper into the situation. You always present the basic details. For example, there is an Asian airline that I know if that is owned by a large conglomerate and they have an airline too. Most of the flights are to destinations that serves their staff, but they also sell seats to the public. To save cost and increase convenience for their staff they use smaller airports.
These recent upstart airlines remind me of the "Non Skeds" from the late forties and early fifties.
As for the layover expense, (Phillippe kinda beat me to it) Once the crew has put the plane to bed for the weekend, the crew may as well hop on Southwest on one of their six daily flights and be home for bedtime.
Also, it cost $$$ to park a large aircraft overnight at a major airport. When...
These recent upstart airlines remind me of the "Non Skeds" from the late forties and early fifties.
As for the layover expense, (Phillippe kinda beat me to it) Once the crew has put the plane to bed for the weekend, the crew may as well hop on Southwest on one of their six daily flights and be home for bedtime.
Also, it cost $$$ to park a large aircraft overnight at a major airport. When I was flying to Sao Paulo, AA would actually fly the plane to Belo Horizonte for the day, revenue flight but usually 30 pax each way. Apparently that was the cheapest option.
Maybe the crew will be bussed back to LA after arriving in Las Vegas and the other way around on Sunday. May be cheaper than having them stay the weekend there.
The rumor in Alaska is that they are only operating the commuter routes currently to keep their certificate valid. AK poached a lot of their pilots. Could be that if they fly this route they can shut down the Dash-8s without risk to their part 121.
Almost certainly the execs have a clause in their contracts that provide them a bonus if they begin operating flights by a certain date. I’d wager that if you looked at said date and its relation to when they will being these flights a lot of the confusion would be eliminated
Counting timelines, there is probably some covenant requiring them to operate a revenue flight within a certain timeline, like 36 months?
The basics of Northern Pacific Airways:
Bankrupt airline taken over by tech entrepreneurs.
By the way do you consider the 'elected' George Santos “legitimate”?
It's as “legitimate” as how you define a "startup".
A kid in a garage, most stuff on gofundme, someone real people actually voted for or endorsed by...
Counting timelines, there is probably some covenant requiring them to operate a revenue flight within a certain timeline, like 36 months?
The basics of Northern Pacific Airways:
Bankrupt airline taken over by tech entrepreneurs.
By the way do you consider the 'elected' George Santos “legitimate”?
It's as “legitimate” as how you define a "startup".
A kid in a garage, most stuff on gofundme, someone real people actually voted for or endorsed by a well known figure?
Let's not forget the Uncle Bernie Madoff, who was thought to be “legitimate” for over a decade until we found out he was never “legitimate”.
Any business having “legitimate” in a sentence is never legitimate.
You won't see Amazon.com and “legitimate” together.
Here's a fun fact. So via the Northern Pacific website and also via MyIDtravel intranet, I was able to make a booking & listing (all under Ravn). Once I realized I could list via the Intranet, I cancelles my confirmed ticket but called up Ravn to confirm that Northern Pacific would be accepting OAL listings through Ravn. The agent informed me that Northern Pacific is their sister company and that as of now they *cannot*...
Here's a fun fact. So via the Northern Pacific website and also via MyIDtravel intranet, I was able to make a booking & listing (all under Ravn). Once I realized I could list via the Intranet, I cancelles my confirmed ticket but called up Ravn to confirm that Northern Pacific would be accepting OAL listings through Ravn. The agent informed me that Northern Pacific is their sister company and that as of now they *cannot* make any bookings as things are still in the works (even though I could make a reservation online & list via MyIDtravel web).
For now, im planning to be there for their first flight! (Also, seat map was only showing 4-5 seats occupied in Y).
Perhaps their contracts require leasing payments to begin, so they were looking for the best city pair to throw a plane at for some marginal revenue?
Also, I don't get the "russian airspace closed" issue. Current (cargo) flights from ANC to ICN are only ~400 miles over direct circle route. That's what, about 40 minutes more fly time? Isn't this still well within the range of a 757? If these routes are really that marginal,...
Perhaps their contracts require leasing payments to begin, so they were looking for the best city pair to throw a plane at for some marginal revenue?
Also, I don't get the "russian airspace closed" issue. Current (cargo) flights from ANC to ICN are only ~400 miles over direct circle route. That's what, about 40 minutes more fly time? Isn't this still well within the range of a 757? If these routes are really that marginal, I'd think this points to more fundamental issues with the business plan.
Honestly speaking, their strategy seems no less confusing than Breeze Airways' convoluted hodgepodge of an ever-changing route structure...
This airlines does just seem to be a way to burn money but you have to admit their planes look cool with the Lone Ranger mask paint scheme.
I'm confused about the connection between RAVN and Northern Pacific. There are other flights bookable on the RAVN website, although this particular Ontario-Las Vegas one is not.
Heck. I live in Las Vegas. I may book a one-way ticket on them and check it out and report back. Got you covered, Lucky! :)
Being flight is operated by RAVN you should be able to get Alaska miles according to the alaska website. It falls under the correct flight number
This insanity makes a lot more sense if you know the background of the individuals running this train wreck. Doing the reasonable and well planned thing would be the surprise.
Ben are you going to be on the inaugural flight in first class to unravel some of the mystery
No
They are officially showing in the Sabre GDS. The flights are bookable in all classes of service. Service is displayed in Sabre under the "7H" airline code. Officially they can be ticketed as we speak. Seat maps load as well and as of this snapshot in time the plane looks empty.
Dang, that isn't enough time to transfer to my Baltia 747-200 flight to Stewart/Newburgh.
Looks like they're "signalling" they're a "real" airline by having a flight (probably the cheapest flight to operate they can find). Still extremely skeptical as to whether they're legitimate.
Maybe if they actually did operate flights to Asia, I'd be more convinced.
I just saw most of their fleet in KROW, most with NO engines.
Were they painted with the new livery?
Typo Ben, they were planning for transpacific not transatlantic.
What's even more strange is they have two flights scheduled for the exact same time ONT-LAS on 7JUL...Flight 711 and flight 777, both on 752s.
It looks like it's timed for weekend getaways, with Fri PM departures and Sun PM returns. I wonder if they're partnering with a hotel or vacation company for packages. Strange utilization for the crew too, since it looks like they'll only be able to work two 1hr flights a week.
Fake airline, doing fake airline things.