New Mexico's Taos Air to change operator in Winter 2019/20 ch-aviation PRO exclusive

Taos Air (Taos) has cancelled its plans to open summer-season routes for 2019 and will, for now, focus only on its original raison d'être, scheduled winter-season flights for inbound ski tourists flocking to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Taos News has reported.

The virtual carrier, owned by Taos Ski Valley Inc., operates between Taos in New Mexico and both Dallas Love Field and Austin Bergstrom Int'l in Texas. It uses a single Do328-300 operated by Ultimate Jetcharters (UE, Akron/Canton). Services began in December 2018.

In April 2019, it obtained approval to begin summer services and was due to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in marketing support from New Mexico local municipalities. The airline cited a lack of aircraft and pilots for what had been scheduled as three flights per week to each of the Texan airports and said it would refund tickets already paid for.

"It turned out that our operator [Ultimate Jetcharters] couldn't work out the service for the summer" due to the "availability of...

Ultimate Jetcharters (UE, Akron/Canton) has secured a charter contract from Taos Air, a virtual carrier established by the municipality of Taos, New Mexico and local business interests, wherein flights from Taos Regional Airport to Texas will start this winter season.

According to a press release, service to each of Austin Bergstrom Int'l and Dallas Love Field will commence from December 20 onwards using a 30-seater Do328-300 that Taos Ski Valley Inc. (TSVI) acquired from Ultimate Jetcharters. TSVI has signed a management agreement with Ultimate to operate the newly-formed Taos Air service.

The winter-time service will consist of one flight to and from each destination operated every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday or holiday Monday, for a total of six round trips per week.

"We're supportive of the Town's vision for the airport as a regional economic driver and premier tourist destination," David Norden, CEO of Taos Ski Valley, Inc., said. "Taos Air will now offer the closest, fastest and easiest route to the Rockies from Texas, a thrilling development for skiers,...