Last year, when United Airlines chose CommutAir as its sole Embraer E145 operator, it virtually assured ExpressJet’s future. After losing its contract as United’s feeder airline, the company ceased operations in the middle of 2020.
As reported by Aviacionline last April, the company will now begin to operate as an independent airline, starting service to eight destinations from its base at Reno International Airport. The new airline will be called aha! which outlines its business strategy: «air-hotel-adventure».
Chief Executive Officer of ExpressJet, Subodh Karnik, noted that «with the post-COVID opportunity analysis we realized there were a lot of communities without direct access to the Reno area, so the aha! brand model made a lot of sense». Reno is recognized for its casinos, dining, and Lake Tahoe, which is perfect for aquatic activities.
aha! will begin operations on October 24, 2021, serving eight cities in the Western United States. It has chosen as its inaugural destination those cities that currently have no service to Reno. The airline plans to expand its operation to more than 20 cities in the coming months.
Flights will begin this year according to the following schedule:
- Pasco, Washington: October 24
- Bakersfield, California: October 25
- Medford, Oregon: October 31
- Eugene, Oregon: November 1
- Ontario, California: November 4
- Redmond, Oregon: November 5
- Eureka, California: November 9
- Fresno, California: November 10.
The airline will fly to each destination three times a week with its 50-seat Embraer ERJ145s.
