By Joey Gerardi
Advanced Air Expands Summer Services
As the winter sports season draws to a close, airlines are ending or getting ready flights that operate to winter sports-friendly destinations. Advanced Air operates winter seasonal flights to two of these destinations — Taos, N.M., and Mammoth Lakes, Calif. But with a relative lack of flights on the horizon for the summer, Advanced announced it would once again continue to operate flights to the two regions.
Pulling up to the terminal in Taos, N.M. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
This isn’t the first season that summer flights have operated to Taos, and AirlineGeeks even had the opportunity to fly to this destination with the carrier last summer.
Flights for the summer season to both destinations begin on June 16, and run until Sept. 12. The Mammoth Lake flight will operate four times a week to both Hawthorne, Calif. and Carlsbad, Calif., the latter of which is located just north of San Diego. Flights to both will operate Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays using the carrier’s 30-seat Dornier Jet.
On final approach to Carlsbad, Calif. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Advanced Air is the only airline operating directly into Mammoth Lakes Airport, as United Airlines moved its winter seasonal flights to Bishop Airport. But during the summer months, Advanced is the only option for flying to the region at all. It is also the first time in many years that the region will have flights operating during the summer months as they is more well known for the winter season, but they do hope to change that this season.
John Urdi, the Mammoth Lake Tourism Director, said of the flights, “Summer in the Eastern Sierra is truly magical, and with the addition of Advanced Airlines summer service to Mammoth Yosemite Airport, it’s easier than ever to get here to enjoy it ”
Flights to Taos, N.M. will operate on Thursdays and Sundays from Austin and Carlsbad, and will operate on Mondays and Fridays from Dallas’s Love Field Airport and Hawthorne. Passengers can even use Taos as a connecting point between Dallas and Hawthorne or Austin and Carlsbad.
Taos Air route map. (Photo: Taos Air)
Advanced Air doesn’t have a specific livery for the Dornier Jet but instead paints the aircraft based on the region it is flying to. This is seen in Taos as the airline has painted a Taos Air livery onto the jet that operates there.
A Taos Air Dornier 328J departing Carlsbad, Calif (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)
Along with this Taos Air livery, Advanced Air has released its first aircraft wearing a Mammoth Lake livery.
(Photo: Dakota Snider, Mammoth Lakes Tourism)
All flights to Taos and Mammoth Lakes will operate non-sterile, meaning passengers won’t have to go through TSA screening prior to getting on the flights making the actual time spent traveling shorter than it would be with security.
Joe has always been interested in planes, for as long as he can remember. He grew up in Central New York during the early 2000s when US Airways Express turboprops ruled the skies. Being from a non-aviation family made it harder for him to be around planes and would only spend about three hours a month at the airport. He was so excited when he could drive by himself and the first thing he did with the license was get ice cream and go plane spotting for the entire day. When he has the time (and money) he likes to take spotting trips to any location worth a visit. He’s currently enrolled at Western Michigan University earning a degree in Aviation Management and Operations.
