IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
Frontier Airlines will increase its flights from Ontario International Airport beginning next year.
Starting Feb. 11, the Denver-based carrier will add service twice daily to Phoenix, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Chicago, according to a statement posted on the airport’s website.
The Phoenix flights will increase to four a day in March, while the San Francisco and Sacramento flights will switch to that schedule in May.
Between February and April, the low-cost airline will resume flights from Ontario International to Las Vegas, Orlando, and Miami, all of which were suspended because of COVID-19.
“We’re delighted to expand our service at Ontario, making flying in the region, to Chicago or Florida, both affordable and convenient for local travelers,” said Daniel Shurz, Frontier Airlines’ senior vice president, commercial, in the statement.
Frontier’s announcement was welcome news for Ontario International. Its passenger count has dropped more than 50 percent since the pandemic began last spring, although those numbers have improved lately.
“[Frontier] recognizes the value of our low-cost, international gateway,” said Mark Thorpe, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority, in the statement. “Like other carriers, Frontier felt the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic, but is now betting that a rebuild of its Ontario flight schedule will quicken its return to profitability.”
