Local airlines to add new markets

Thursday, Feb. 3, 2005 | 11:15 a.m.

Two Southern Nevada airlines will add flights to new markets in March and April.

Scenic Airlines will offer daily nonstop round trips from the North Las Vegas Airport to Elko beginning March 2, while Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air plans twice-weekly service between McCarran International Airport and south central Washington's Tri-Cities Airport beginning April 7.

Scenic's one hour and 40-minute flights to Elko will be operated on 19-passenger twin-engine Beechcraft 1900 aircraft. The airline also plans flights linking Elko and Reno.

Scenic is one of the few airlines in the world that operates as a regional air carrier as well as a sightseeing tour operator. The airline has flights between North Las Vegas and Tusayan, Ariz., at the Grand Canyon; Ely; and Palmdale and Merced, Calif.

Allegiant Air will use a 150-passenger twin-engine MD-80 jet on its route to and from Tri-Cities Airport, which serves the cities of Richland, Pasco and Kennewick, Wash. Flights will operate Thursdays and Sundays.

Allegiant specializes in flights to secondary regional markets and currently connects Las Vegas with 13 cities.