California Pacific Airlines, an airline start-up based in Carlsbad, California whose brand name is CP Air, hopes to start operations by April 1, 2018. This is after nine years of unsuccessful attempts to take off. CP Air is planning routes to six cities in the United States and Mexico, using its fleet of four E-145 and two E-170 jets with seating capability of 44 and 60 accordingly.
Here is an interview from 2012 which showed the first E-170. But nothing happened after this.
On November 16 the airline announced it finally achieved its AOC after several unsuccessful attempts since its establishment in 2009. CP Air was found in 2009 by entrepreneur Ted Vallas and planned to begin operations in 2011. We interviewed Mr Vallas in 2011 at the airline’s office. (Video 1; Video 2)
CP Air released a statement on November 11, 2017, with plans to announce the purchase of another carrier certificate for scheduled service. “Once we have the six planes delivered to us in March, we immediately can start service,” said Paul W. J. Hook, CP Air COO in a statement. “Each plane will have both first and business-class seating. Economy passengers won’t see much difference from business class. Our ticket pricing will be competitive with other airlines serving the area”. The airline has had a tough run towards its first flight.
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The CP Air I remember was Canadian Pacific Airlines – wish it were still around today.