Advanced Air, Merced’s Essential Air Service (EAS) provider, announced this week that it is moving flights between Merced Yosemite Airport (MCE) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR), effective April 1.
The company says passengers will be flying in and out of Hawthorne Municipal Airport’s first-class FBO, Jet Center Los Angeles, “with a clean, safe, and hassle-free travel experience including no lines and easy access to ground transportation.” A complimentary shuttle service will be provided to those passengers traveling to/from LAX on connecting flights.
“We’re pleased to bring Merced passengers a more convenient and frictionless experience flying to Los Angeles,” said Levi Stockton, founder & president of Advanced Air.” “We’re confident that reliability and product will be significantly superior with HHR operations.”
Advanced Air began serving as Merced’s Essential Air Service (EAS) provider in January, 2022 providing service between Merced and Los Angeles as well as Las Vegas.
The airline operates 24 weekly flights — 12 to Los Angeles and 12 to Las Vegas — on a 9-seat King Air 350.
Fixed pricing starts at $145 + tax each way or customers can purchase in packets of 10 tickets at a discounted ticket price of $138.09 per seat, for an all-inclusive total cost of $1,380.90. Snacks and drinks are served on all flights.
In a passenger survey recently conducted by the airline, 78.6 percent said they would prefer HHR over LAX.