Let’s say you were just using Google Flights to book a flight to SFO from ACV for March 4th.

This is what you’d see (minus the red arrows, of course):

But if you were booking that same route for March 5th, you’d see this key difference:

Same for March 6th. And March 7th. And 20th. Also, notice the slightly shorter flight time.

So, it appears that March 5th may be the current start date for ACV’s jet upgrade.

While she could not officially confirm the date, Emily Jacobs, program coordinator for Humboldt County Aviation Division is aware that seats on a jet are being sold. She said in an email: 

Some changes in our United service will be coming our way soon.

We can expect to see fewer, but larger aircraft in and out of ACV, a strategy called upgauging, and an adjustment to our schedule, called rebanking. These changes will leave less of a carbon footprint, make flying more fuel efficient, and reduce congestion at large hubs. It will also help mitigate the pilot and crew shortage issues caused by recent changes in FAA regulations.

Although we will initially see less frequency, we should also see an increase in reliability. By filling those seats, we’ll show United that we support the service, which is invaluable in our discussions regarding increased service.

In case you missed it, United affiliate Skywest is retiring its aging fleet of Embraer EMB-120s in favor of larger, more efficient Canadair CRJ jets.  

In related news, SkyWest’s new jets require longer runways than many regional airports currently have. These changes have already left Chico without commercial air service and the Del Norte Triplicate is reporting that Crescent City air travel has a very bumpy future. 

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Previously: Skywest To Be All Jet, All The Time