SLO County airport welcomes its largest passenger jet ever. See it arrive
A Boeing 737 touched down at the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport from Seattle on Thursday afternoon, making history as the largest regularly scheduled passenger aircraft to ever land at the airport.
The plane, operated by Alaska Airlines, is more than double the size of the typical 76-passenger aircraft currently serving the airport.
The aircraft will now become a part of the regular daily flight service between the Central Coast and the Pacific Northwest.
The Boeing 737-800 will depart from Seattle every day at 12:08 p.m., arriving in San Luis Obispo at 2:34 p.m. The outbound flight will depart at 3:26 p.m. and return to Seattle at 5:54 p.m., according to deputy director of airports Courtney Pene.
This route was previously flown twice a day by a 76-passenger Embraer 175, but the new Boeing’s increased capacity of 159 seats has allowed the airport to reduce its departures to Seattle to once a day and lower its carbon footprint, Pene said.
“This larger aircraft allows us to offer even more seats and a greater level of comfort for travelers, while also reinforcing our commitment to providing seamless connections from the Central Coast to Seattle and destinations beyond,” Alaska Airlines’ stations operations manager John Wishmeyer said in a news release. “We’re proud to support the region’s growth and look forward to the future of air travel in San Luis Obispo.”
Officials expressed excitement about expanding the airport’s services, marking a new chapter in its growth.
“This event reflects the increasing demand for air service in our region and highlights our ability to accommodate larger aircraft,” SLO County airport director Courtney Johnson said. “We’re excited about what this means for our regional economy and reflects our strong partnership with Alaska Airlines as we continue to grow.”
This story was originally published October 3, 2024 at 5:29 PM.
