Alaska Airlines to offer up to 9 commercial flights from Everett's Paine Field

EVERETT, Wash. — Starting by fall of 2018, Alaska Airlines will offer up to nine daily flights leaving from Everett's Paine Field.

Alaska Airlines on Wednesday became the first carrier to announce commercial service from Paine Field.

The airline said it will run nine flights a day from a new commercial terminal at Paine Field starting in 2018, designed to serve a market of a million people living in North King County and Snohomish County.

Alaska has not yet announced where Paine Field flights will go, but the airline says it will be a mix of business and vacation destinations.

Howard Mann, Air Service Development Consultant for Campbell-Hill Aviation Group, said Seattle is a big market to only have a single airport.

"Its peers in the United States have more than one scheduled airport," Mann said.

Sea-Tac is setting growth records and could eventually run out of room, increasing pressure for new options.

The City of Mukilteo has long fought commercial flights at Paine Field, and has a court case pending.

"The city believes this announcement is premature. We are actively appealing the environmental determination that allows terminal construction," said Mayor Jennifer Gregerson.

Noise has been a big concern from neighbors.

Alaska says its flights will increase air traffic at Paine Field just 6 percent.

The airline says fares from Everett will be similar to what passengers now pay at Sea-Tac.

The Paine Field terminal operator, Propeller Airports, expects to break ground in June.

For more information about the terminal project, visit http://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/3651/Propeller-Project-at-Paine-Field

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Cox Media Group