New Owners to Resume United Express Flights

New Mexico-based Mesa Airlines Inc. has purchased the former operator of United Express flights between Oxnard and Los Angeles and will resume the service starting March 1.

United Express, a connecting service for United Airlines passengers, discontinued flights between Oxnard Airport and Los Angeles International Airport in February. Mesa, based in Farmington, N. M., bought WestAir Airlines, which had operated the service, in June.

The deal gave the United Express franchise to Mesa, which claims to be the nation’s largest independently owned regional carrier.

Gus Carbonell, Mesa’s director of planning, said Mesa will offer seven United Express flights each way daily between Oxnard and Los Angeles. United Airlines passengers will pay $20 or less for the flight, he said.

Jonathan Ornstein, president of WestAir, which is based in Fresno, said his airline discontinued the Oxnard-Los Angeles route because it was not profitable. “But I think Mesa will make a go of it,” he said. “Their operating costs are the lowest in the industry.”

The Oxnard-Los Angeles route will be served by the Beechcraft 1900 Airliner, a 19-passenger turboprop. United Express will join American Eagle, which connects with American Airlines flights, in serving the Oxnard-Los Angeles run.