2 0 0 8 , ▁commercial ▁av iation ▁was ▁challeng ed ▁by ▁reduced ▁passenger ▁numbers ▁and ▁increasing ▁fuel ▁and ▁other ▁costs . ▁The ▁air port ▁was ▁a ▁focus ▁city ▁for ▁Express J et ▁Airlines ▁which ▁independently ▁operated ▁Em bra er ▁ER J - 1 4 5 s ▁on ▁point - to - point , ▁" h ub ▁by pass " ▁routes . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Express J et ▁ended ▁all ▁independent ▁flying ▁and ▁ref oc used ▁its ▁business ▁on ▁codes h ares ▁for ▁major ▁air lines . ▁Also ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Alo ha ▁Airlines ▁ceased ▁operations ▁and ▁Mex icana ▁dis cont in ued ▁operations ▁as ▁well . ▁Air ▁Canada ▁fle w ▁to ▁this ▁air port ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 – 2 0 0 8 ▁to ▁V ancouver , ▁but ▁ended ▁the ▁route ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ; ▁It ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁route ▁would ▁res ume ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁dow nt urn , ▁new ▁services ▁began ▁and ▁several ▁air lines ▁merged . ▁America ▁West ▁and ▁US ▁Air ways ▁merged , ▁North west ▁and ▁D elta ▁merged , ▁and ▁United ▁and ▁Cont inental ▁initi ated ▁their ▁mer ger ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁Despite ▁these ▁challeng es , ▁Al aska ▁added ▁non stop ▁fl ights ▁to ▁Gu adal aj ara , ▁Mexico ▁( now ▁dis cont in ued ) ▁and ▁Hawai i ▁( M