Four airports were the top winners in the service sweepstakes run by Houston-based ExpressJet.

Los Angeles/Ontario International Airport is getting direct service to 14 cities, while Austin-Bergstrom and San Diego International airports will get service to nine cities. "ExpressJet performed three years of research when determining the cities we selected for our initial launch. We selected cities that allowed us to offer nonstop service where it wasn't currently available," said spokeswoman Kristy Nicholas. "We also did our best to avoid competing with any other airlines in their hubs and find markets that were the right size for our 50-seat jet."

ExpressJet is investing almost $9 million on facilities and infrastructure at the 24 airports receiving new flights using 44 50-seat Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets leaving the Continental fleet. It also plans to hire 850 employees under the new service launch, said Nicholas.

The new service represents a 25% increase in daily departures and a 63% increase in the number of nonstop destinations available from ONT, said spokeswoman Maria Tesoro-Fermin. ExpressJet will become the 14th airline to serve Ontario, she added.

Ontario, in partnership with the city, worked diligently to educate ExpressJet about the benefits of the airport and area, said Tesoro-Fermin. "Ontario has the infrastructure for growth, is located centrally in one of the fastest-growing regions in Southern California, is supported by local communities and is positioned to be the focus of the region's air transportation system," she said.

ExpressJet will offer direct service to Albuquerque, Austin, Boise, Colorado Springs, El Paso, Fresno, Kansas City, Monterey, Omaha, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Spokane, Tucson and Tulsa.

The carrier will use four ticket counters and three gates initially, said Tesoro-Fermin. "The ExpressJet operation is expected to create more than 600 direct jobs for the Southern California economy, including pilots, flight attendants, aircraft mechanics, ramp workers and passenger service personnel based at Ontario," she added.

Austin-Bergstrom executives are constantly looking for carriers wanting to offer new or expanded service, even though the airport doesn't offer incentives for domestic service, said spokesman Jim Halbrook. The airport will have direct service to Ontario, Calif.; Kansas City, Mo.; Tucson, Ariz.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla.; Corpus Christi; New Orleans; and Jacksonville, Fla.

ExpressJet will use four ticket counters and start with one gate for its initial service, said Holbrook. ExpressJet will hire 60 employees and invest $500,000 in facilities and equipment, he added.

The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority has a very aggressive air service development program, said spokeswoman Diana Lucero. "San Diego is a very attractive market in that there are many destinations within the 50-seat thresholds that lacked nonstop service," she said. "ExpressJet smartly recognized this market of air travelers that don't want to connect or drive by Los Angeles to get to these markets."

Airlines operating out of San Diego receive marketing and advertising support for new routes, said Lucero. "The airport authority works with the airline to meet the business and travel and tourism industries. We offered an initial launch and ongoing promotional program."

San Diego will get direct service to Bakersfield, Fresno and Monterey, Calif.; Boise, Idaho; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Omaha, Neb.; Spokane, Wash.; and Tulsa, Okla. The airline will use four ticket counters, three aircraft parking stands and hire 40 employees, said Lucero.