Pacific Wings to Debut as New Mexico Airlines

Pacific Wings plans to enter the New Mexico market July 1, tapping into the dissatisfaction of community leaders with the service provided by Mesa Airlines. Now, Pacific Wings has taken its nine-seat Cessna Caravan in New Mexico Airlines livery to the Four Corners Regional Airport to introduce its planned non-stop service to Albuquerque for which it will charge $79 roundtrip. Mesa filed to leave all of its EAS communities, citing losses incurred by its subsidiary Air Midwest.
Mesa CFO Peter Murnane told investors that the airline is seeking better profitability from its 19-seat operation either by filing to leave and gaining a better rate that could achieve the goal or by selling off its Beech 1900Ds to any successor airline. Mesa indicated it will leave its EAS routes on August 19. In the meantime, New Mexico plans to launch flights to ABQ, Santa Fe, Hobbs and Carlsbad beginning July 1. It also has plans to expand to Midland, Lubbock and El Paso, Tex. in the fall.