(KXLG Radio)- California Pacific Airlines is fully operational again this week with its flight schedules for Watertown and Pierre to Denver after numerous holiday delays and cancellations.
In December, California Pacific canceled more than 25 percent of its EAS flights in South Dakota. Additional problems were noted on the newly launched California leg of their operations. Those west coast flights have since been canceled until the end of January when the airline is expected to add three more planes to its fleet.
Another issue with the airline, and the airline business in general, is a lack of available pilots. The airline says it’s training new recruits, but the shortage is a problem that’s causing headaches for most regional carriers. For now, all of the airline’s aircraft are back in South Dakota to ensure the Essential Air Service needs of both Watertown and Pierre are met.
California Pacific, formerly called Aerodynamics Incorporated, has also been delinquent paying bills. The most recent complaint was lodged on the U-S website www.regulations.gov last week by Deb Stanley who is the General Manager of the Ramkota Hotel at Watertown. In submitting her formal comments, Stanley said the Ramkota housed the flight crew and additional staff of the airline when they began service in Watertown back in August of 2016. She said the airline discontinued their stays with the Ramkota in November of 2017. Stanley said they are still trying to collect for overnight stays within that time period.
It has been reported recently that Mickey Bowman, vice-president and chief of operations for ADI/California Pacific Airlines, stated the carrier was ending its charter passenger service so it could concentrate solely on its commercial air service. It was also reported over the weekend that Bowman has since left California Pacific Airlines.
