Tucson-Bound Carrier to Resume Flights

Following a seven-month suspension of service, Arizona Airways Express is returning to John Wayne Airport next month, when it will resume nonstop service to Tucson.

“We’re happy to be back serving Orange County,” said airline spokesman Jim Swartz. “We’re the only carrier with nonstop service to Tucson [from John Wayne Airport] . . . so we’re looking to fill a niche.”

The commuter airline began operating at John Wayne Airport in May 1995 under the name Arizona Airways, flying three daily nonstops to Tucson. Great Lakes Aviation Ltd., a Bloomington, Minn.-based carrier., purchased Arizona Airways shortly thereafter, and was forced to suspend the Tucson flights while it applied for a name change and permission to continue service at John Wayne.

Now flying under a new name and new ownership, Arizona Airways Express will begin offering two daily nonstops to Tucson International Airport beginning April 7. Passengers will check in for flights at Alaska Airlines, which has a service agreement to handle Arizona Airways Express ticketing and baggage at John Wayne Airport.

The 19-seat Beech 1900 turboprop planes will depart John Wayne at 8:45 a.m. and arrive in Tucson at 10:25 a.m.; the evening flight will depart at 6:15 p.m. and arrive at 7:55 p.m. in Tucson.

To promote the new Tucson service, Swartz said the airline will offer an unrestricted, introductory one-way fare of $89 through April 30. Regular unrestricted one-way service will cost $133 after that.

Round-trip 21-day advance tickets can be purchased for $138. Round-trip 14-day advance tickets are priced at $158 and round-trip seven-day advance tickets cost $178.