Seattle-based Horizon Air this summer will use its larger, 74-seat aircraft to fly passengers to and from another destination besides Los Angeles, airline officials said Wednesday.

Horizon will start using Bombardier Q400s to fly between Redmond and Seattle once a day starting July 1, replacing two afternoon flights currently flown on 37-seat turboprops, said Media Relations Manager Jen Boyer.

The change will reduce the number of daily flights from Redmond to Seattle from five to four, combining 1:52 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. departures from Central Oregon into a 3:55 p.m. departure.

Seattle-to-Redmond departures of 12:22 p.m. and 2:40 p.m. will be combined into a 2:10 p.m. departure.

”There will be fewer flights, but (two) more seats,” Boyer said, noting Horizon is in the process of converting its entire fleet of Q400s to a 76-seat configuration by reducing cargo capacity. The conversion will be completed within the next year.

Horizon will increase its use of Q400s this summer. It announced new or additional service by the larger planes for six other airports that will launch between June 3 and July 22.

The airline purchased 12 Q400s in 2005, and deliveries began late last year. Once the transaction is completed, Horizon will have 30 Q400s in its fleet.

”We’re getting more and more of them,” Boyer said, adding the carrier is choosing which routes to serve first based on demand. ”As more (Q400s) come online, we’re going to use them more and more in the markets we service, and Redmond is one of those markets.”

Roger Lee, executive director with Economic Development for Central Oregon, isn’t worried about the drop in flight frequency, noting a more efficient plane like the Q400 could make Redmond more attractive for carriers to serve.

”Obviously, with the continuing increase to traffic at the airport, (more capacity) is a plus for the business traveler,” Lee said. ”Certainly, it’s a very comfortable plane, and we see it as part of the continued progress being made at the airport.”

Horizon has not announced any additional plans for Q400 service in Redmond. The 37-seat planes currently fly five times a day between Central Oregon and both Portland and Seattle.

The Q400 currently services routes from Redmond to Los Angeles and Eugene.

Redmond Airport currently has 23 daily flights, operated by Horizon and SkyWest Airlines, to destinations that also include Salt Lake City and San Francisco. Additionally, Allegiant Air offers twice-weekly flights to Las Vegas.