Seattle’s second airport, Paine Field, has lost one of its two airline carriers, at least for now, as United reacts to current market by consolidating it area service at the much bigger SeaTac airport, leaving only Alaska Airlines at the field.
Paine had re-opened to airline traffic only two years ago after years of proposals, with a new terminal and originally scheduled to have service by Southwest, Alaska and United; Southwest dropped the plan before opening. United used the field for flights to Denver and San Francisco. Denver will lose the connection, but Alaska flies from Paine to San Francisco.
In the long run, airlines and north-of-Seattle passengers hope the idea will hang on and grow; for residents north of Seattle getting to south-of-the-city SeaTac, especially at mid-day and evening rush hours, can be a long and frustrating experience.
