US Airways Express

US Airways Express
IATA ICAO Callsign
various various various
Founded 1967
Ceased operations October 17, 2015 (merged with American Eagle)
Hubs
Frequent-flyer program
  • Dividend Miles
Airport lounge
  • US Airways Club
Alliance Star Alliance (affiliate; 2004-2014)
Oneworld (affiliate; 2014-2015)[1]
Fleet size 278 [2]
Destinations 140 [2]
Parent company American Airlines Group
Headquarters Tempe, Arizona
Key people Doug Parker (CEO)
Derek Kerr (CFO)
Website www.usairways.com (defunct; redirects to www.aa.com)

US Airways Express was the brand name for the regional affiliate of US Airways, under which a number of individually owned commuter air carriers and regional airlines operate short and medium haul routes. This code sharing service was previously operated as USAir Express. Mainline carriers often outsource to regional airlines to operate services in order to increase frequency, serve routes that would not sustain larger aircraft, or for other competitive reasons. US Airways Express operations were conducted from smaller markets in the United States, Canada, and the Bahamas primarily centered on US Airways' major hubs and focus cities. Upon the completion of US Airways' merger process with American Airlines, US Airways Express was rebranded as American Eagle on October 17, 2015.[3]

History

Saab 340 in previous US Airways Express livery, 2005.

US Airways Express traced 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.[4] 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.[5] 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 aircraft livery of US Airways Express aircraft is identical to US Airways' mainline colors except for the word Express which is attached to the basic US Airways livery. In April 2013, an internal memo distributed to American Eagle employees at American Airlines Group's subsidiaries: (OW) Executive Airlines and American Eagle; indicated the US Airways Express banner and marketing brand, were expected to be discontinued although the remaining and independently operating airline subsidiaries, were expected to continue but operated with American Eagle branded colors.[6]

Destinations

A US Airways Express Bombardier CRJ200 (operated by Air Wisconsin) at the Portland International Jetport, 2009.
N808EX is ready for boarding at Tweed New Haven Airport flying for Piedmont Airlines under the US Airways Express brand in December, 2014.

Operators

Airline IATA code ICAO code Call sign Aircraft operated Parent
Air Wisconsin ZW AWI Wisconsin Bombardier CRJ-200 CJT Holdings
Mesa Airlines YV ASH Air Shuttle Bombardier CRJ-900 Mesa Air Group
Piedmont Airlines PT PDT Piedmont Bombardier Dash 8-100
Bombardier Dash 8-300
American Airlines Group
PSA Airlines OH JIA Blue Streak Bombardier CRJ-200
Bombardier CRJ-700
Bombardier CRJ-900
American Airlines Group
Republic Airlines YX RPA Brickyard Embraer 170
Embraer 175
Republic Airways Holdings
SkyWest Airlines OO SKW SkyWest Bombardier CRJ-200
Bombardier CRJ-900
SkyWest, Inc.

Fleet

A Republic Airlines Embraer 170 in the pre-2005 livery
A Mesa CRJ-900 in the current livery

Aircraft operated as US Airways Express:[7][8]

US Airways Express Combined Fleet (Total=285)
Aircraft Passengers Total Operated
Bombardier CRJ-900 9 First 70 Coach or 6 First 70 Coach 54 Mesa Airlines, PSA Airlines, SkyWest Airlines
Bombardier CRJ-700 9 First 58 Coach 15 PSA Airlines
Bombardier CRJ-200 50 118 Air Wisconsin, Mesa Airlines, PSA Airlines, SkyWest Airlines
Embraer 175 8 First 72 Coach 38 Republic Airlines
Embraer 170 9 First 60 Coach 20 Republic Airlines
Bombardier Dash 8-300 50 11 Piedmont Airlines
Bombardier Dash 8-100 37 29 Piedmont Airlines

Former airlines

Airlines which have previously operated as US Airways Express, USAir Express or predecessors include:

Airline Years of Operation Aircraft Operated Information
Air Midwest 1990–2008 Beechcraft 1900D Subsidiary of Mesa Air Group
Allegheny Airlines Ended 2004 de Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8 Merged into Piedmont Airlines
CCAir 1987–2002 Cessna 402
Beechcraft Model 99
Short 330
Short 360
BAe Jetstream 32
de Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8
Beechcraft 1900
CommutAir 1989–2000 Beechcraft 1900D Now flying under United Express[9]
FloridaGulf Airlines 1991–1997 Beechcraft 1900
Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
Merged into Air Midwest
Liberty Express Airlines 1994–1997 Beechcraft 1900 Merged into Air Midwest
Midway Airlines 2002–2003 Bombardier CRJ100
MidAtlantic Airways 2000–2006 de Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8-200
Embraer 170
Paradise Island Airlines 1989–1997 de Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7
Ransome Airlines 1973–1982 Volpar Beech 18
Nord 262
Mohawk 298
de Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7
Shuttle America 2001–2002 de Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8-100
Saab 340
Now operates as United Express and Delta Connection
StatesWest Airlines 1990–1993 Beechcraft 1900
Beechcraft 1300
de Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8
Colgan Air/Mesaba Airlines 1999-2012 Saab 340

In addition, Trans States Airlines operated as US Airways Express into Los Angeles during the late 1990s flying BAe Jetstream 31 aircraft with service to several destinations in southern and central California.[10]

Accidents and incidents

References

  1. "US Airways to join oneworld on March 31, 2014". The Wall Street Journal. December 9, 2013.
  2. 1 2 http://www.usairways.com/pv_obj_cache/pv_obj_id_003CA5F905508AB441350AD4D36958D0CD1D0100/filename/express.pdf
  3. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/american-retire-us-airways-brand-191953255.html;_ylt=AwrC1TGNyalVZlgAhADQtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTByZnU4cmNpBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwM5BHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--
  4. "Aviation museum gives a glimpse of the WWII way of life for many". The Record Herald. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  5. "History of People Express". Century of Flight. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  6. American Eagle to employees: Be patient | Airline Biz Blog. Aviationblog.dallasnews.com (2013-04-09). Retrieved on 2013-08-16.
  7. Fact sheets. US Airways. Retrieved on 2013-12-28.
  8. "American Airlines Announces Large Regional Jet Purchase" (Press release). Fort Worth, TX: American Airlines, Inc. 2013-12-12. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
  9. "CommutAir". CommutAir. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  10. http://www.departedflights.com, June 1, 1999 Official Airline Guide (OAG), Los Angeles flight schedules
  11. ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 1900C-1 N55000 Saranac Lake-Adirondack Airport, NY (SLK)
  12. "NTSB- Air Midwest Flight 5481". NTSB. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  13. Sarah Brumfield (January 1, 2011). "Pilot error prompts evacuation of U.S. Capitol building". thestar.com. Toronto. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
  14. Mary Compton (January 1, 2011). "Jets Scrambled Over Capitol Hill Airspace Scare". ABC News. Retrieved 2011-02-10.
  15. NBC News (May 18, 2013). "Plane makes belly landing at Newark Airport, no injuries reported". Retrieved May 20, 2013.

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