By james art 
Flights to Las Vegas and Phoenix, once welcomed as convenient travel opportunities for residents of the Internal Empire, have disappeared from the schedule at the San Bernardino International Airport (SBD) for a bigger part of 2024, leaving the community to wonder why.
During the Small Business Watch Meeting in January, hosted the San Bernardino Police Department, SBD CEO Mike Burrose explained the disappearance of these popular routes. Performed by Breeze Airways, the flights were introduced as seasonal and initially thriving, with the departure to Las Vegas and Phoenix offering on Thursday and Sunday. However, Burrose revealed that strategic competition from other budget airlines led to their removal.
“The competing carriers tracked the Breeze Airways flight schedules and reflect them, offering flights in the same time and on the same days,” Burrose said. “This tactic is common and significantly reduces the demand for flights outside the SBD.”
Breeze Airways launched passenger service at SBD in August 2022. With three to four weeks of flights to San Francisco, Las Vegas later adds in February 2023 and Phoenix in February 2024. Routes quickly become popular among residents looking for alternatives At larger airports and $ 5 day parking.
“There was a great request from the Las Vegas flight community,” says Mark Gibbs, director of SBD aviation, during the launch of the Las Vegas route in 2023, “with the success of flights to San Francisco and Prov that Las Vegas is the next step. “
While the routes in Las Vegas and Phoenix were initially successful, they were eventually discontinued due to the demand.
Despite this failure, SBD continues to expand its regional impact. The airport is ranked 25th in the country for air loads, dealing with over £ 473 million and mails annually with operators such as FedEx, UPS and Amazon. SBD also supports avant -garde drone technologies through partnerships with organizations such as Alaska University of Alaska and there is significant job growth, with employment increasing from 4,000 jobs in 2010 to over 18,100 in December 2023.
Burrose encouraged residents to remain engaged in the progress of the airport through the SBD’s good neighbor program, which provides updates and responds to community concerns within 24 hours. More information is available on sbdgoodneighbor.com.
While BREEZE AIRways currently serves San Francisco and Provo with its modern Airbus A220 aircraft, the airport remains a hope for future growth and potential returning flight to Las Vegas and Phoenix.
“We continue to upgrade our successes,” Burrose said. “Our partnerships and innovations create opportunities for the region, while ensuring that SBD remains competitive and focused on the community.”