Douglas DC-3s flew to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Santa Barbara. Pacific Air Lines: Boeing 727-100s. Pacific operated the first jets from Monterey in 1966, nonstop 727s to San Francisco and direct 727s to Los Angeles via Santa Barbara. The longest runway was then 5000 feet. Hughes Airwest (formerly Air West): Douglas DC-9-10s and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s. In 1968 predecessor Air West Boeing 727-100s (formerly flown by Pacific Air Lines) flew nonstop to Los Angeles and direct to Las Vegas. Air California (predecessor of AirCal): Boeing 737-200s Pacific Express: BAC One-Elevens Pacific Southwest Airlines: Boeing 727-100s in the late 1970s followed by BAe 146-200s in the late 1980s USAir (predecessor of US Airways): BAe 146-200s (formerly operated by Pacific Southwest Airlines) WestAir (operating as United Express): BAe 146-200s America West Express (operated by Mesa Airlines): Canadair CRJ200s ExpressJet (operating independently): Embraer ERJ-145s Before starting 727 service, Pacific Air Lines served Monterey with Martin 4-0-4s followed by Fairchild F-27s. Predecessor Southwest Airways began serving Monterey in the late 1940s with Douglas DC-3s. Pacific Air Lines merged with Bonanza Air Lines and West Coast Airlines in 1968 to form Air West which was renamed Hughes Airwest in 1970 after its acquisition by Howard Hughes. Golden Gate Airlines Golden Gate Airlines was based in Monterey and served over 20 cities, primarily in California and also in Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Utah. This regional air carrier operated a fleet of turboprop aircraft including Convair 580s, Fairchild Swearingen Metroliners, Fokker F27s, de Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7s and Aerospatiale N 262s (Nord 262); their March 1, 1980 timetable claims over a thousand flights were being operated weekly. The airline ceased operations circa 1981 after an unsuccessful merger with Swift Aire Lines which was based in San Luis Obispo, CA. In 1980-81 Golden Gate flew nonstop from Monterey to Fresno, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Barbara and Reno. Regional and commuter airline service Several other regional and commuter air carriers served Monterey in the 1980s and 1990s, primarily to Los Angeles and/or San Francisco. These included Apollo Airways and successor Pacific Coast Airlines, Mid Pacific Air operating as Reno Air Express (to San Jose), Sierra Expressway (to Oakland), SkyWest Airlines initially operating as Delta Connection and later as United Express, StatesWest Airlines operating as USAir Express, WestAir Commuter Airlines initially operating independently and later as United Express, and Wings West initially operating independently