It was a strange time to make the pitch but it still resonated with the crowd.
Earlier this month during a meeting San Joaquin County Supervisor Tom Patti arranged at the Del Webb at Woodbridge clubhouse on dealing with PG&E’s plans to protect itself from liability by cutting power to Manteca and surrounding communities for 2 to 5 days during extreme wildfire conditions, he had Stockton Metro Airport Director Russell Stark speak.
Yes, the airport has back up power and will still be handling numerous daily cargo jet flights for Amazon Prime as well as Allegiant Airlines passenger flights to and from Phoenix/Mesa, San Diego, and Las Vegas. But Stark was also there for another reason.
“Starting in mid-August if you need to go somewhere for a few days to spend with family or friends (to ride out up to 5 days without power) United Express flights will be up and running,” Stark said.
Not a bad pitch to make.
The drive to Stockton Metro from Del Webb via Airport Way is less than 10 minutes. It is 15 minutes from downtown Manteca. You don’t have to fight freeway traffic. Day parking is free and overnight parking is $10 a night. You also literally walk yards to ticketing and the boarding area from your vehicle or a curbside drop-off. And security screening is a breeze. Try comparing that to airports in Sacramento, San Jose, Oakland, or San Francisco.
United Airlines is launching two daily United Airlines Express flights through its partnership with SkyWest from Stockton Metro to Los Angeles International to make connecting flights to more than 400 cities worldwide or to simply visit Los Angeles. Flights are targeted to start Aug. 22.
You can now book round trip flights after Aug. 20 on the United Way site at united.com, using the United mobile app, or calling United Reservations at 800.864.8331. The cost of a roundtrip flight is $185.
The seven-day-a-week flights will depart Stockton at 7:41 a.m. and arrive at LAX at 9:10 a.m. as well as at 3 p.m. and arrive at LAX at 4:20 p.m.
Flights from Los Angeles to Stockton depart at 1 p.m. and arrive at 2 p.m. as well as departing at 5:10 p.m. and arriving at 6:32 p.m.
SkyWest will be using the 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 feature a center aisle with two seats on each side.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
