Sun Air PIT-JHW, A Private Plane Experience for $52
Mar 6, 2015, 1:31 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: LAS/SIN
Programs: TK E+, AS Gold
Posts: 67
Sun Air PIT-JHW, A Private Plane Experience for $52
Sun Air Express began service in PIT in late 2014, serving five Pennsylvania cities and Jamestown, NY using a fleet of Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain aircraft. The EAS carrier calls PIT a focus city, and I've always been keen to try an EAS carrier and ride on a nearly 38 year old Piper.
I had no intention of ever making the trip, especially to a destination that I knew nothing about. But, it just so happened that I was in my last class before spring break, bored out of my mind. Naturally, I wound up checking out fares between PIT and Sun Air's destinations: Franklin, Bradford, Altoona, Lancaster, and Jamestown.
Fares to Franklin, Bradford, Jamestown and Altoona were all under $58 for a next day departure. After a quick gcmap.com search, I booked PIT-JHW-PIT for a grand total of $52.39.
March 6, 2015
PIT-JHW
Sun Air 2202, 8:15-9:10
Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain
I arrived at PIT 30 minutes before departure, courtesy of the Port Authority who decided that inconveniencing an entire busload of students eager to get home took priority over having an available driver. I ran up the escalators and found the Sun Air check-in desks at the far end of the terminal, across from the new Allegiant check-in desks.
Knowing that I was under the 30 minute check-in cutoff, I was prepared to hear the worst, but the lady at the counter looked at me, said "give me a sec," and resumed typing a text message onto her phone.
I was asked for my weight, given a hand-written boarding pass on regular printer paper, asked to weigh my hand-carry bag, and told to use the alternate security checkpoint to get to the new gate E1.
Concourse E was demolished after US Airways closed the PIT hub, but gate E1 was revived when Sun Air began operations in PIT. E1 is not connected to the landside terminal. You still have to take the train to the terminal, but instead of going up two sets of escalators, you exist to the right after the first set where you will find the new gate E1 (next to international arrivals).
Dummy test flights on the flight info board.
Far more staff than passengers. In fact, I was the only passenger in the gate area that morning.
Captain Jim came over to introduce himself, telling me that I would be the ONLY passenger on this morning's flight to Jamestown. My heart skipped a beat upon hearing those words. He started in the Air Force before spending 27 years with US Airways.
I was escorted out by the two pilots and two staff members.
I told the pilots that the purpose of my trip was to experience a new aircraft, new airline, and simply spend the morning doing what I love best.
Once onboard, Captain Jim handed me a pair of earplugs and pointed to a stack of blankets available for the flight. It was still 5 degrees outside, but he reassured me that once the engines spooled up, the cabin would warm up.
The cabin. Nothing special. The seats over the wings have the best legroom.
We had a rather long taxi, but departed quickly and got under way after a 33 minute departure delay.
Hmm. Not just Sun Air blankets onboard.
The flight was unremarkable. A landscape of black and white.
As we neared Lake Erie, Chautauqua Lake came into view and we began our descent from 7,000 ft to make a left base for JHW.
Even though the runway was covered in snow and ice, the landing was one of the smoothest I've ever experienced. We used a fair bit of the runway, taxied to the end and headed for the terminal.
Upon arrival, two staff members greeted me and pointed me to the terminal.
Jamestown airport terminal -- quiet, but quaint.
I stepped outside for a brief moment to prove to myself that I had done something beyond an immediate turnaround.
It was then time to go back to the one-man check-in counter and staff of five manning the TSA checkpoint (which turned out to be one of the slowest I've ever experienced). The check-in agent told me that Sun Air was planning to introduce their Grand Caravan's to JHW in the coming months.
March 6, 2015
JHW-PIT
Sun Air 2203, 9:40-10:35
Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain
JHW ramp
A total of four pax was on the return segment. The FO asked if I wanted to sit behind the captain on the way back, and I happily obliged. As the sun rose, the cabin warmed quite a fair bit. Jackets were coming off shortly after takeoff.
Again, an unremarkable flight.
We arrived back into gate E1, 40 minutes late.
I thanked the crew for the smooth flight. For the crew, the roundtrip to JHW was just the first out of five trips that day.
This was one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had. For $52 and less than half a day, I would fly Sun Air again anytime. Thanks to Captain Jim, his FO, and the entire Sun Air team who turned an ordinary EAS commuter flight into a private sightseeing tour for me.
I had no intention of ever making the trip, especially to a destination that I knew nothing about. But, it just so happened that I was in my last class before spring break, bored out of my mind. Naturally, I wound up checking out fares between PIT and Sun Air's destinations: Franklin, Bradford, Altoona, Lancaster, and Jamestown.
Fares to Franklin, Bradford, Jamestown and Altoona were all under $58 for a next day departure. After a quick gcmap.com search, I booked PIT-JHW-PIT for a grand total of $52.39.
March 6, 2015
PIT-JHW
Sun Air 2202, 8:15-9:10
Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain
I arrived at PIT 30 minutes before departure, courtesy of the Port Authority who decided that inconveniencing an entire busload of students eager to get home took priority over having an available driver. I ran up the escalators and found the Sun Air check-in desks at the far end of the terminal, across from the new Allegiant check-in desks.
Knowing that I was under the 30 minute check-in cutoff, I was prepared to hear the worst, but the lady at the counter looked at me, said "give me a sec," and resumed typing a text message onto her phone.
I was asked for my weight, given a hand-written boarding pass on regular printer paper, asked to weigh my hand-carry bag, and told to use the alternate security checkpoint to get to the new gate E1.
Concourse E was demolished after US Airways closed the PIT hub, but gate E1 was revived when Sun Air began operations in PIT. E1 is not connected to the landside terminal. You still have to take the train to the terminal, but instead of going up two sets of escalators, you exist to the right after the first set where you will find the new gate E1 (next to international arrivals).
Dummy test flights on the flight info board.
Far more staff than passengers. In fact, I was the only passenger in the gate area that morning.
Captain Jim came over to introduce himself, telling me that I would be the ONLY passenger on this morning's flight to Jamestown. My heart skipped a beat upon hearing those words. He started in the Air Force before spending 27 years with US Airways.
I was escorted out by the two pilots and two staff members.
I told the pilots that the purpose of my trip was to experience a new aircraft, new airline, and simply spend the morning doing what I love best.
Once onboard, Captain Jim handed me a pair of earplugs and pointed to a stack of blankets available for the flight. It was still 5 degrees outside, but he reassured me that once the engines spooled up, the cabin would warm up.
The cabin. Nothing special. The seats over the wings have the best legroom.
We had a rather long taxi, but departed quickly and got under way after a 33 minute departure delay.
Hmm. Not just Sun Air blankets onboard.
The flight was unremarkable. A landscape of black and white.
As we neared Lake Erie, Chautauqua Lake came into view and we began our descent from 7,000 ft to make a left base for JHW.
Even though the runway was covered in snow and ice, the landing was one of the smoothest I've ever experienced. We used a fair bit of the runway, taxied to the end and headed for the terminal.
Upon arrival, two staff members greeted me and pointed me to the terminal.
Jamestown airport terminal -- quiet, but quaint.
I stepped outside for a brief moment to prove to myself that I had done something beyond an immediate turnaround.
It was then time to go back to the one-man check-in counter and staff of five manning the TSA checkpoint (which turned out to be one of the slowest I've ever experienced). The check-in agent told me that Sun Air was planning to introduce their Grand Caravan's to JHW in the coming months.
March 6, 2015
JHW-PIT
Sun Air 2203, 9:40-10:35
Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain
JHW ramp
A total of four pax was on the return segment. The FO asked if I wanted to sit behind the captain on the way back, and I happily obliged. As the sun rose, the cabin warmed quite a fair bit. Jackets were coming off shortly after takeoff.
Again, an unremarkable flight.
We arrived back into gate E1, 40 minutes late.
I thanked the crew for the smooth flight. For the crew, the roundtrip to JHW was just the first out of five trips that day.
This was one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had. For $52 and less than half a day, I would fly Sun Air again anytime. Thanks to Captain Jim, his FO, and the entire Sun Air team who turned an ordinary EAS commuter flight into a private sightseeing tour for me.
Mar 6, 2015, 2:30 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
Ok, this is awesome. I have family up in Jamestown and have investigated this exact idea except in reverse. Next time I am up there I think I'm going to have to do this as a day trip.
I would actually consider going out of IAD up to JHW through PIT but the only routing they have also involves a long stop in Lancaster. At least as far as I can tell...the link to their timetable is broken and half of their search results produce code errors...
I would actually consider going out of IAD up to JHW through PIT but the only routing they have also involves a long stop in Lancaster. At least as far as I can tell...the link to their timetable is broken and half of their search results produce code errors...
Mar 6, 2015, 4:26 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: USA
Programs: United, American, Delta, Turkish, Alaska
Posts: 76
jealous
That sounds pretty awesome, not just bang for the money. You get me wondering if there might not be something similar around here, but I think Europe is less served on things like this.
Apr 4, 2015, 8:27 pm
#8
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
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Posts: 33,857
Hey what a fun little report! Thanks for sharing it.
I was hoping to fly Sun Air from Lancaster to DC this summer but they ended up dropping the route for the weekend I was going to fly it. This just makes me want to seek them out even more.
I was hoping to fly Sun Air from Lancaster to DC this summer but they ended up dropping the route for the weekend I was going to fly it. This just makes me want to seek them out even more.
Apr 6, 2015, 7:40 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: DL DM, National EE, Hertz PC, IHG PL, Bonvoy Amb
Posts: 1,342
Next time get off the plane, head to Southern Tier, enjoy some good beer, and head back on a later flight.
Or go skiing.
That sounds really cool and I am going to tell my parents who live in Warren about this airline/service.
Or go skiing.
That sounds really cool and I am going to tell my parents who live in Warren about this airline/service.
Apr 6, 2015, 4:37 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: DCA
Posts: 7,769
Apr 7, 2015, 12:48 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Programs: IAMAW Local 368/HAL 2 Star Mariner
Posts: 740
Awesome report, brought back some sweet memories...
N7090B! Wow! I rode on this exact airplane to Victoria, Texas back in late June 2014 on IAH-VCT just before they stopped flying the route altogether:
United First Class with the Piper PA31-350 Navajo Chieftains of Sun Air International | Trip Reports Forum | FlyerTalk.Com
Some photos of her in IAH, Houston, Texas:
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
The first outbound IAH-VCT flight made me a bit dizzy and sick, it's definitely a learning curve to connect from a mighty A320 to a pipsqueak 8-seater Pistonliner...
Hope you enjoy these photos,
-LPDAL
N7090B! Wow! I rode on this exact airplane to Victoria, Texas back in late June 2014 on IAH-VCT just before they stopped flying the route altogether:
United First Class with the Piper PA31-350 Navajo Chieftains of Sun Air International | Trip Reports Forum | FlyerTalk.Com
Some photos of her in IAH, Houston, Texas:
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
LPDAL's Photostream on Flickr - Photo Sharing
The first outbound IAH-VCT flight made me a bit dizzy and sick, it's definitely a learning curve to connect from a mighty A320 to a pipsqueak 8-seater Pistonliner...
Hope you enjoy these photos,
-LPDAL
Apr 7, 2015, 1:03 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Denver CO
Programs: HHonors Gold, National Emerald Club, no airline affinity status
Posts: 3,349
Reminds me of an airline called Bar Harbor Airlines that serviced Maine. I took a flight similar to this a few times, usually from Bangor up to Presque Isle. The pilot loaded your bag(s) and then jumped to start the plane.
Thanks for sharing the report.
Thanks for sharing the report.
Apr 14, 2015, 1:42 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: LAS/SIN
Programs: TK E+, AS Gold
Posts: 67
Thanks for sharing! It's awesome to see the same Navajo still going strong. I actually remember reading your trip report last year, about the time when VCT ended and the PIT focus city started.
Apr 20, 2015, 3:49 pm
#14
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SMF
Posts: 1,251
That looks like a blast. I'm in PIT for work this week and wanted to book a Sun Air flight to Jamestown for $29, have dinner and then fly back, but then I realized the taxi fare to the airport would cost more than the flight 