Rising over the Eastgate neighborhood, the plane veered toward Milton-Freewater and kept curving until it faced east. Then it bolted toward Boise.

Big Sky Airlines launched its direct-service flight to Boise on Wednesday, marking two major milestones - the first time in almost eight years that travelers had their choice of airlines, and the first time, possibly in history, that they could fly east from the airport.

``I don't recall that we've had a plane flying east,' said Port Commission Chairman Paul Schneidmiller.

With seating for 19 passengers on the commuter plane and only one daily flight, Big Sky's addition won't necessarily bring a flood of travelers to the airport.

But at a starting price of $99 one-way, the flights answer a call for many who want to fly to Boise, a booming market for business and air travel.

``We're connecting two very vibrant communities right now. That's good for commerce,' said Port Executive Director Jim Kuntz.

Kuntz and Schneidmiller were joined by Walla Walla Mayor Dominick Elia and Tourism Walla Walla Executive Director Michael Davidson for a celebratory luncheon and evening reception with Boise officials.

During the lunch, catered by Walla Walla restaurant 26brix, Boise Mayor David Bieter called the new relationship ``a great partnership' that he looks forward to growing.

``It's a wonderful little jaunt over to Walla Walla from Boise and the other way,' Bieter said.

The visit was intended to bring awareness to Boise about Walla Walla as a business and tourism destination, Davidson later said.

``This is great for Walla Walla to create economic activity,' he said. ``A lot of business travelers will go back and forth from Walla Walla. And we think a lot of people from Boise are going to come over and do business in Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon.'

Thirteen people were on Wednesday's inaugural flight, including Don Reay, a regional credit administrator for Banner Bank.

Climbing up the metroliner's stairs in the morning darkness, passengers - largely made up of Port, business and tourism executives - settled onto the plane still able to see their breath but nothing outside the frost-covered windows.

The shivery start to the day was worth it for Reay, whose monthly trips to Boise are otherwise time-consuming and expensive.

His company, Walla Walla-based Banner, has identified Boise as a major growth market with one new branch opened in 2005, one on the verge of opening and two more in the works.

But sending employees back and forth is not the most efficient use of company time and money. The four- or five-hour drive to Boise will now be cut to one and potentially eliminate the need for an overnight stay.

``Virtually that was eight hours it took me to come and go, as opposed to two,' Reay said. ``And if I drove, I usually spent one or two days. It certainly will save me a lot of time by being able to fly.'

Reay wanted to mark the airline's kickoff in Walla Walla by being on the inaugural flight. He also put a day's work in before returning in the evening.

The same was true for Brian Mayer, a regional salesman for technology products supplier SoftChoice. With Eastern Washington and Idaho as his main territories, Mayer travels weekly. He averages trips to the Boise area every two weeks.

Usually, it means overnight stays away from his wife and 2-year-old daughter. The direct service will make it possible to access the areas he needs without spending days away from home. With the daylong stay in Boise on Wednesday, he saw four different clients.

``Being able to be with my family is the main thing,' he said before boarding the return flight to Walla Walla.

Most of the focus from Boise's perspective is attracting business and corporate visits, said Davidson. But Walla Walla's tourism officials believe there's an opportunity to increase leisure and recreational tourism between the two communities, as well.

Billings, Mont.,-based Big Sky Airlines was enticed to add Walla Walla to its 20-city market base with the help of a $250,000 Small Community Air Service Development grant under the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The money will offset Big Sky's operating costs, including ground handling by Horizon Air employees, landing fees, pilot wages, overnight arrangements for pilots and operating fuel.

Big Sky President Fred deLeeuw estimates the grant should last about seven or eight months.

During that time, the airline needs only three or four passengers for its daily flight in and out of Walla Walla to break even, deLeeuw said. When the subsidy money runs out, about 10 people on each flight will be adequate for Big Sky to continue here.

Based on the number of reservations already being placed, deLeeuw doesn't believe that will be a problem.

``We believe, based on advanced bookings, that it will be a roaring success,' he said during Wednesday's evening reception.

Not since 1998 has Walla Walla had more than one carrier at the airport. Between 1996 and 1998, United Express operated alongside Horizon Air. Prior to that, it had been a decade since Walla Walla had two carriers.

Walla Walla's other operating airline, Horizon Air, offers three flights a day to Seattle.

In the other direction, Boise is quickly becoming a major stop for travelers.

A record 3.1 million air passengers went through the Boise Airport in 2005, according to an article in Boise newspaper The Idaho Statesman last week.

The reported 9 percent increase over 2004 was attributed to a booming economy as Boise becomes a player in national business travel, the article reported. One example was the addition of Delta Air Lines' permanent nonstop service to Atlanta. United Airlines has also announced it will fly from Boise to Los Angeles starting in May.

Just before making the return trip to Walla Walla, Davidson said opportunities to market the area's wine, history and commerce may help spread the wealth.

``We've developed the brand. We want to put that brand out there,' he said. ``It's an opportunity to focus on a market we know makes sense.'