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California Pacific Airlines (a.k.a. CP Air) [1] was an American regional airline that was headquartered on the grounds of McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, California.[2] On December 28, 2018, CP Air announced it was suspending operations in California. In January 2019 the airline ceased all operations.[3] After several failed attempts at restructuring, the airline's air operating certificate was terminated in October 2020.[4] Owner Ted Vallas died the following month in November. [5]
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| |||||||
| Founded | April 1, 2009 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | November 1, 2018 | ||||||
| Ceased operations | January 17, 2019 | ||||||
| AOC # | BUEA634C | ||||||
| Operating bases | McClellan-Palomar Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 4 | ||||||
| Destinations | 8 (suspended) | ||||||
| Headquarters | McClellan-Palomar Airport Carlsbad, California, U.S. | ||||||
| Key people | |||||||
Foundation and operations
The airline was founded in 2009 by Ted Vallas, a San Diego County businessperson from the North County area. Vallas had previously operated Air Resorts Airlines and wanted to create a San Diego County-based airline.[6] He picked Palomar Airport as a hub, since it had moderate demand but infrequent scheduled service. Vallas invested about $14 million in seed money, with plans to raise up to $32 million more from private investment.[7]
From 2009 to 2017, the airline struggled to achieve certification from the FAA as well as attempts to secure a fleet and routes. By February 6, 2012, California Pacific had passed Phase I of the FAA's formal Part 121 certification process, but their progress slowed due to a lack of available aircraft to lease or buy.[8] A breakthrough eventually came at the end of 2017, when the airline acquired ADI Aerodynamics, a small Essential Air Service (EAS) carrier. This purchase gave them full FAA certification, a fleet of four Embraer ERJ 145s, and a nearly-expired EAS contract between Denver International Airport and Pierre and Watertown, South Dakota.[9]
During 2018, the company renewed their EAS contract, gained permission from San Diego County to operate commercial services, and scheduled their first routes.[10] The airline formally began its first commercial service in November 2018, with nonstop flights between McCllelan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, California, and several destinations in the southwestern United States.[11] However, there were numerous cancellations in November and December, giving the airline a bad reputation among passengers. The airline blamed the cancellations on a pilot shortage.[12] The airline also gained a bad reputation for numerous cancellations and delays due to mechanical issues.[13]
Closure and attempted restart
In December 2018, California Pacific Airlines announced that it was temporarily suspending its West Coast flight operations. The carrier's EAS operations were not affected.[14] In January 2019, the EAS operations were shut down as well, leaving South Dakota cities Pierre (the capital) and Watertown without any commercial air service.[15][16] Eventually, these routes were ceded to SkyWest Airlines operating for United Express, definitively ending the former ADI routes. Employees were all put on indefinite furlough January 18; anonymous employees said that they were not paid for the last half of December or for January, and that their health insurance premiums had not been paid for three months.[17]
On February 28, 2019, Vallas stated that he had secured private investment to restart the airline in some capacity, and that operations could resume "within 90-120 days," with plans to abandon EAS flying altogether and take on additional second-hand ERJs to help mitigate the risk of mechanical issues which plagued the airline during its initial operation.[18] On May 9, talks began to sell a majority stake in the airline to Paragon Partners, an investment firm led by former Virgin America executive Robert Nisi.[19][20] On January 3, 2020, the airline filed paperwork to formally restart service, with flights to be operated using an all-Embraer fleet.[21] The exact date operations would start under the new certificate has still been undetermined. As of June 2020, a Federal District Court in Oregon ruled after trial that Vallas failed to pay ADI's former owner for the airline.[22] In October 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued an order permanently revoking the airline's air operating certificate after denying their request for a third consecutive waiver of dormancy.[4] Owner Ted Vallas died of heart failure on November 13 of that year. [23]
| City | State | IATA | ICAO | Airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | Arizona | AZA | KIWA | Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport |
| Carlsbad | California | CLD | KCRQ | McClellan–Palomar Airport (hub) |
| San Jose | California | SJC | KSJC | San Jose International Airport |
| Las Vegas | Nevada | LAS | KLAS | McCarran International Airport |
| Reno | Nevada | RNO | KRNO | Reno–Tahoe International Airport |
| City | State | IATA | ICAO | Airport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | Colorado | DEN | KDEN | Denver International Airport (hub) |
| Pierre | South Dakota | PIR | KPIR | Pierre Regional Airport |
| Watertown | South Dakota | ATY | KATY | Watertown Regional Airport |
| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embraer ERJ-135 | 0 | 1 | 30 | Delivery was expected by Q3 2019 |
| Embraer ERJ-145 | 4 | 2 | 50 | 4 inherited from ADI |
| Embraer ERJ-170 | 1 | 0 | 72 | Subleased from 2012 to 2013, didn't fly commercially |
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