US Airways Express
| File:Usairwaysexpress.png | |||||||
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| Founded | 1967 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | |||||||
| Focus cities | |||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | Dividend Miles | ||||||
| Alliance | Star Alliance | ||||||
| Fleet size | 329 | ||||||
| Destinations | 170 | ||||||
| Parent company | US Airways Group | ||||||
| Headquarters | Tempe, Arizona | ||||||
| Key people | Doug Parker (CEO) Derek Kerr (CFO) | ||||||
US Airways Express is an airline brand name, rather than a fully certified airline, and as such, the US Airways Express name is used by several individually owned airlines or airline holding companies which provide regional airline and commuter service for US Airways.
Operations are conducted from smaller markets in the United States, Canada, and the Bahamas primarily centered around US Airways major airline hubs and focus city stations at
- Charlotte/Douglas International Airport
- LaGuardia Airport[1]
- Philadelphia International Airport
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
- Pittsburgh International Airport
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
History
US Airways Express can trace its beginnings to 1967, when Henson Airlines began operating as Allegheny Commuter for Allegheny Airlines, predecessor to US Airways. The initial route was Baltimore-Hagerstown[2]. This is generally credited as the industry's first code-share agreement and the first major airline to use another airline as its commuter partner[3]. Henson Airlines was the major predecessor to today's US Airways Express carrier Piedmont Airlines.
Pacific Southwest Airlines and Piedmont Airlines were both major carriers that merged with USAir, which later became US Airways, and the corporate names were retained to protect their trademarks. However, the routes, aircraft, and other characteristics of the rebranded regional carriers bear no relation to their namesakes.
The livery of US Airways Express aircraft is identical to US Airways' mainline livery.
Destinations
US Airways Express airlines
| Airline | Flight Numbers | IATA | ICAO | Call Sign | Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA Airlines | 2200 - 2599 | US | JIA | Blue Streak | Wholly Owned By US Airways Group |
| Mesa Airlines | 2600 - 2999 | YV | ASH | Air Shuttle | Wholly Owned By Mesa Air Group |
| Chautauqua Airlines | 3000 - 3099 | RP | CHQ | Chautauqua | Wholly Owned By Republic Airways Holdings |
| Republic Airlines | 3100 - 3499 | RW/YX | RPA | Brickyard | Regional airline subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings |
| Trans States Airlines | 3500 - 3550 | AX | LOF | Waterski | |
| Air Wisconsin | 3551 - 4099 | ZW | AWI | Air Wisconsin | |
| Piedmont Airlines | 4100 - 4649 | US | PDT | Piedmont | Wholly Owned By US Airways Group |
| Colgan Air | 4650 - 4849 | 9L | CJC | Colgan | Wholly owned by Pinnacle Airlines Corp. |
Fleet
Aircraft operated as US Airways Express as of June 2010 [4]:
| Aircraft | Passengers | Total | Operated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bombardier CRJ-200 | 50 | 113 | Air Wisconsin, Mesa Airlines, PSA Airlines |
| Bombardier CRJ-700 | 70 | 14 | PSA Airlines |
| Bombardier CRJ-900 | 86 | 38 | Mesa Airlines |
| Bombardier Dash 8-100 | 37 | 32 | Piedmont Airlines |
| Bombardier Dash 8-200 | 37 | 6 | Mesa Airlines |
| Bombardier Dash 8-300 | 50 | 11 | Piedmont Airlines |
| Embraer ERJ-145 | 50 | 12 | Chautauqua Airlines, Trans States Airlines |
| Embraer 170 | 76 | 20 | Republic Airlines |
| Embraer 175 | 86 | 38 | Republic Airlines |
| Saab 340B | 34 | 10 | Colgan Air |
Former Airlines
Airlines which have previously operated as US Airways Express or its predecessors include:
Accidents and incidents
- November 16, 2008
- Piedmont Airlines Flight 4551, a US Airways Express Bombardier Dash 8-300 turboprop, took off from Lehigh Valley International Airport at 8:20am heading to Philadelphia International Airport, had to make an emergency landing. The flight crew was indicated that the front nose gear hadn't come down and had to make a flyover the runway for confirmation. Of 35 passengers and 3 crew, there were no injuries.[6][7]
- August 26, 2005
- A Republic Airways Embraer 170 landed with the parking brake set in Houston, causing extensive damage to the gear. No passengers were injured and the plane has been repaired and is back in service.[8]
- August 26, 2003
- Colgan Air Flight 9446 - A Colgan Air Beech 1900D operated for US Airways Express hit the water shortly after taking off from Yarmouth, Massachusetts. Both pilots died.[9]
- January 8, 2003
- Air Midwest Flight 5481 - A Beechcraft 1900D operated by Air Midwest as US Airways Express under a franchise agreement, crashed into an airport hangar and burst into flames 37 seconds after leaving Charlotte/Douglas International Airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina for Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, South Carolina. All 19 passengers and 2 pilots aboard died in the accident.[10]
- January 3, 1992
- CommutAir Flight 4821 - A Raytheon Beech 1900C Airliner operating for USAir Express, was flying from Plattsburgh to Saranac Lake when it crashed into wooded mountaintop as it was landing at Adirondack Regional Airport. Of the 4 people on board (2 passengers and 2 crew) 2 died while the other 2 sustained serious injuries. The cause of the crash was determined to be pilot error in establishing a stabilized approach and cross-checking instruments. [1]
References
- ^ a b http://finance.yahoo.com/news/US-Airways-Bolsters-Flying-to-bw-610877329.html?x=0&.v=1
- ^ "Aviation museum gives a glimpse of the WWII way of life for many". The Record Herald. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
- ^ "History of People Express". Century of Flight. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
- ^ http://www.usairways.com/pv_obj_cache/pv_obj_id_37C28BF78063FB8B7F4A9679B07AC9D388830000/filename/factsheet.pdf
- ^ "CommutAir". CommutAir. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081116/ap_on_re_us/emergency_landing
- ^ http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-emergency-landing,0,5060610.story
- ^ "USAirways Parking Brake Set Landing". Dauntless. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ "UPDATE ON NTSB INVESTIGATIONS INTO RECENT BEECH 1900D ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS." National Transportation Safety Board. November 21, 2003. Retrieved on February 13, 2009.
- ^ "NTSB- Air Midwest Flight 5481". NTSB. Retrieved 25 May 2010.