Sam Hoyle

Shafter, Wasco, and Lost Hills Neighborhood Reporter

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Meadows Field Airport is asking travelers to think about flying locally when booking travel for the rest of the year with the addition of a flight to Los Angeles International Airport.

The inaugural United flight from LAX to Bakersfield took off Tuesday morning and returned to LAX with passengers on Tuesday afternoon, and travelers say they are excited to have the route available to them.

For the last few months, Kern County has been highlighting the route, which officials say will make it easier for travelers, whether they are headed to Los Angeles as a final destination or connecting with another flight, versus driving down and dealing with traffic and parking at the major airport.

"We're hoping that people use us as an option. It's easy to fly out of Meadows Field. It's convenient, stress-free, parking is easy, getting here is easy," said Erin Briscoe-Clarke, Kern County's Chief Communications Officer.

Steve and Becky Wilkinson said convenience was one of the deciding factors when booking their flights to and from Wyoming for a family reunion.

"I realized I had left something in the car in the parking lot, and it took me three minutes to go back out and get it. Where again in a bigger airport, even Burbank, if that would have happened, I would have been in big trouble," Steve Wilkinson said.

Tuesday morning, we also spoke with Scott Sherrill, who was rerouted to the LA-to-Bakersfield flight after a delay in Texas kept him and his wife grounded for the night.

"We were just all over the country," Sherrill said.

Sherrill says he had no idea that they were on the route's first run and said he envisions using the flight in the future after the chaotic experience because it will make traveling easier.

"It's gonna make it easier. I mean, look at the stuff I just went through to get here from Spokane," Sherrill said. "You know, that's where all the flights are."

The flight back to LAX took off just after 2 p.m. Tuesday, landing just after 3 p.m. For Michael Bowers, the option to skip potential traffic headed to LAX is an added bonus.

"Sometimes I've left 4:30 in the morning to be held up by traffic for like 4 hours, and if anyone knows, they've been doing construction on the I-5 for 35 years, ever since I was a kid, and so this is a guarantee you get there quicker," Bowers said.

The flight is slated to run daily, originating out of Los Angeles in the morning and returning to LA from Meadows Field in the afternoon. Airport staff recommends that travelers still arrive well before their flight to ensure they're able to get through security and board their flight in a timely manner.

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