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43 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, January 24, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 15, 2004 Horizon will use turboprops on L.A. flights By SCOTT SMITH Mail Tribune The Rogue Valley’s only nonstop flight to Los Angeles will feature turboprops instead of jet engines come January, an unwelcome change for some frequent fliers who say the turboprops are noisier and less comfortable than the popular jets. Jen McSkimming, media relations manager for Horizon Air, confirmed Tuesday that the airline will switch from the 70-seat Canadair Regional Jet to a 70-seat Bombardier Q400 on Jan. 7. The change will improve the airline’s efficiency in a tight, post-9/11 market, she said. "That Medford to Los Angeles route is an underperforming route for us," McSkimming said, adding that jets are much more expensive to operate and maintain than turboprops. "We need 70 percent (passenger) loads to break even, and it’s below that right now." Ron Rosenthal, a Medford-based salesman for Specialty Steel in Los Angeles, telecommutes for daily work and flies to the home office about once every five weeks. He and his family have lived here for eight years to be close to his wife’s parents. He was a United Airlines frequent flier for years until the airline canceled its nonstop Boeing 737 jet service between Medford and Los Angeles on Jan. 7, 2002. Advertisement "I switched everything over to Horizon" after the Alaska Airlines’ regional service announced it would pick up the route in November 2001, he said. Horizon added a second daily Los Angeles nonstop in April 2003. "Now with this impending change, I’ve already contacted United (about switching back)." Chiropractor John Scileppi moved to the Rogue Valley 18 years ago specifically because he found a ranch within 25 miles of a jet airport. He’s commuted from Lake Creek to his holistic health practice in Malibu every week since, flying down on Mondays and returning Thursdays. He said going back to prop planes on the Los Angeles route is "kind of like going back to the cattle car." Rosenthal said turboprop planes are less comfortable for him because of engine noise and poor cabin pressurization and because the planes "move around more" in the air. "For me, I’m going to discontinue flying on Horizon because I’m not comfortable flying on those (turboprop) planes," he said. "It’s going to be a hassle flying through San Francisco, but I really want to fly a jet." McSkimming said the airlines’ turboprop planes are just as safe as the jets and cabin pressurization should be identical. The difference may be a matter of perception, she said, as well as experience: A newer generation turboprop is scheduled for Medford’s Los Angeles service. Although test reservations made Tuesday on Alaska Airlines’ Web site listed the 36-seat Bombardier Q200 on some nonstops to Los Angeles, McSkimming said the larger Q400 has been pegged for the route. McSkimming said the Q400 is based on the 36-seat Q200, formerly known as the Dash 8 — which has seen extensive service in Medford. While the planes use the same engines, the Q400 has a "noise-canceling" feature that the Q200 does not. Medford airport Director Bern Case said the flight experience is "similar" between the two planes, and argued that "the comfort level is actually better" in the turboprop thanks to more leg room. "There might be a few people (upset), but I don’t think it’s going to be devastating to Horizon," Case said. "Oh, there’s probably a few passengers who will go a long way out of their way because of preference (for jets). ... I almost don’t have a preference." McSkimming said Medford customers might not have been exposed to the Q400 since it has seen "very brief" service here. "We try to do the best we can for all of our customers," McSkimming said, but "in order to provide service at an affordable rate we need to use aircraft that are efficient. "I encourage people who are concerned with this to contact us directly and talk about their concerns." Scileppi said he’ll reserve final judgment. "I guess I won’t know until I fly it," he said. "I’m just kind of envisioning the ride in those smaller planes." Scileppi said he was sure jet service to Los Angeles would be restored at some point. "But if enough of the business community is listening, they should be able to exert some kind of influence there," he said. Reach Assistant City Editor Scott Smith at 776-4464, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers