United States is getting yet another startup airline. ExpressJet Airlines has announced its reboot with the launch of aha!, its “air-hotel-adventure” leisure brand.
aha!
aha! will be based at Reno-Tahoe International Airport in Nevada from where it will begin flights to 8 cities across the western United States this October.
The airline says that it has chosen cities that currently do not have a nonstop service to Reno-Tahoe, ‘giving travelers access to convenient one-to-two hour nonstop flights to a world-renowned destination offering casino resorts, unique dining and outdoor adventure’.
aha! will operate flights to the following cities from Reno:
- Pasco/Tri-Cities, Washington – starting 24th October 2021
- Bakersfield, California – starting 25th October 2021
- Medford/Ashland, Oregon – starting 31st October 2021
- Eugene/Springfield, Oregon – starting 1st November 2021
- Ontario, California – starting 4th November 2021
- Redmond/Bend, Oregon – starting 5th November 2021
- Eureka/Arcata, California – starting 9th November 2021
- Fresno/Yosemite, California – starting 10th November 2021
These flights will operate 3-times-a-week with 50-seat Embraer ERJ145 aircraft. In the coming months, aha! plans to serve more than 20 destinations, from Reno, in the western United States.
Shaun Carey, Chairman of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, said:
We are excited to announce aha! and its innovative new air service at RNO. They are connecting Northern Nevada to new markets from across the west that will bring new visitors to our spectacular region.
Tim Sieber, Head of ExpressJet’s aha! business unit, said:
The Reno-Tahoe region offers travelers a wide range of fun and unique experiences. With the time savings of nonstop flights and packages with great deals at a curated collection of the best hotels and gaming resorts in the region coming soon, we’re giving travelers everything they need to customize their own great, short vacation.
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aha! says that it is the ““air-hotel-adventure” leisure brand of ExpressJet Airlines, designed for travelers to enjoy Reno-Tahoe’s regional bounty—including exciting casino resorts and live entertainment, a diverse art and dining scene, and the world-class ski-golf-outdoor activities around Lake Tahoe, North America’s largest alpine lake”.
Thrill seekers can also take in exciting shows and annual events including Burning Man, Hot August Nights, Reno Rodeo, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, Barracuda Championship PGA TOUR event, National Championship Air Races, Great Reno Balloon Races, Lake Tahoe Snowfest, and more.
Subodh Karnik, CEO, ExpressJet, said:
As ExpressJet began developing post-COVID flying opportunities that fit our history of serving smaller communities with regional aircraft, we realized that the old adage of ‘getting there is half the fun’ has become ‘just getting there burns up half the vacation’. With so many under-served communities and the allure of Reno-Tahoe, the aha! brand model practically leapt at us.
aha! is powered by ExpressJet Airlines, which has operated air services to hundreds of smaller cities in the United States for 35 years.
aha! is currently offering an introductory, limited-time launch fare of $49 each way on all of the routes. The Reno-based carrier also says that it plans to offer value-priced vacation packages ‘that will offer travelers great savings on short two to five-night vacation getaways’.
Featured image by aha!
What do you think of ExpressJet relaunching itself as aha!? Let me know in the comments section below.
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