United Express
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Chicago, Illinois | |
Key people | Scott Kirby (CEO) |
---|---|
Website | united |
United Express is the
On October 1, 2010,
History
Major airlines in the
In 1988,
In 1990, Mesa Airlines took over all of the United Express routes from Denver formerly operated by Aspen Airways except the Denver to Aspen route which went to Air Wisconsin. Mesa also added a number of new routes from Denver as well. In 1992 Mesa created a new division called California Pacific Airlines to begin new United Express service from the Los Angeles hub. In 1995 Mesa took over all United Express routes at the Seattle and Portland hubs formerly operated by WestAir. Mesa Airlines contract operating as United Express was cancelled in 1998 at which time Air Wisconsin and Great Lakes Airlines took over the Denver routes while SkyWest took over the Los Angeles, Seattle, and Portland routes.
In 1992, Great Lakes Airlines became a United Express partner, followed by Trans States Airlines the following year. In 1997, as United officially designated Los Angeles International Airport one of its hubs, SkyWest Airlines became a United Express partner as well. Great Lakes left the United Express system in early 2002, although it continued to do codeshare flights until they ceased operations in 2018.
In 1993, Trans States Airlines started United Feeder Service (UFS), to operate British Aerospace
When United declared for Chapter 11 reorganization in 2002, it pressured its regional partners for reduced fees. In 2004, ACA canceled its contract and reinvented itself as low-cost carrier Independence Air. The next year, Air Wisconsin unsuccessfully bid to retain its flying contract, though it did retain some ground-handling United Express operations. To compensate, United initiated new service agreements with Colgan Air, Trans States subsidiary GoJet Airlines, and Republic Airways Holdings subsidiaries Chautauqua Airlines and Shuttle America. Trans States Airlines. Mesa Airlines was also reinstated into the United Express system.
In 2005, United announced that service levels on major United Express routes would be upgraded to a new product called explus. Routes with explus service offer First Class seats and meal service on larger, 70-seat Embraer 170s and 66-seat Bombardier CRJ700s.[3] Expanding the traditional regional partner role, United started to use the airplanes configured with explus amenities instead of, or alongside with, mainline jets on routes linking large cities, such as Chicago to Houston.
United announced a new Express
United decided to cancel Dash 8 and CRJ200 service with
All Continental Express and Continental Connection service officially merged into United Express in late 2010 including that of Cape Air which was operating as Continental Connection on behalf of Continental Micronesia in Guam. Silver Airways was also a Continental Connection carrier that converted to United Express using turbo prop aircraft. Silver operated throughout Florida as well as routes from Washington Dulles Airport however their affiliation as United Express ended in 2013.
On April 1, 2012, Pinnacle Airlines Corp. filed for bankruptcy and announced it would draw down its Colgan Air operation. In May, United reached a deal with Republic Airways Holdings for its subsidiary Republic Airways to fly the Q400 in Colgan's place. The eight-year capacity purchase agreement included all 28 aircraft previously operated by Colgan as well as four currently flown by Republic for Frontier Airlines.
In August 2015, United announced the start of a new subsidiary, United Ground Express, to provide ground operation service in select airports within its domestic network.[6]
By September 2016, Republic Airways Q400s were phased out of service, replacing them with 50 more Embraer 175s.[7]
On February 27, 2017, United Airlines announced the return of their partnership with Air Wisconsin as a United Express carrier. They would be flying a fleet of 65 Bombardier CRJ200 beginning second-half 2017.
In September 2017, the Q300 was phased out[8] and in January 2018, the Q200 was phased out.[9] These were the final prop aircraft in the United Express system within the United States.
On April 16, 2018, United Airlines announced the end of its partnership with Cape Air. Services ended on May 31, 2018, which marked the end of United Express operations in Guam, along with the retirement of the last turboprop aircraft in the United Express fleet.[10]
In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Trans States Airlines announced that it would be ceasing operations on April 1, 2020, ending its operations as United Express.[11]
On July 30, 2020, it was announced that United Airlines had decided to end its contract with ExpressJet and transferred these operations to CommuteAir. ExpressJet continued its operations until September 30, 2020, and CommuteAir became the sole operator of the United Express Embraer ERJ145 fleet.[12][13]
In August 2022, Air Wisconsin announced that it would again be leaving the United Express brand and transferring exclusively to American Eagle. The transition started in March 2023.[14]
As of 2023, five airlines remain as United Express feeder carriers: CommuteAir, GoJet, Mesa Airlines, Republic Airways, and SkyWest Airlines. Most of these carriers now have routes spanning the entire United States with regional jets. SkyWest serves a number of small cities that are subsidized by the federally funded Essential Air Service program as well as other local and state governments.[15]
Destinations
Bus service
United Express bus service connects Beaumont/Port Arthur to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). This service began after Colgan Air-operated Saab 340 turboprop flights ended on July 1, 2012,[16] and this bus service continues at present with several trips a day.[17]
United Express also has a bus service from
Fleet
As of April 2024[update], the combined United Express-branded fleet consists of the following regional jet aircraft:[21]
Airline | Aircraft | In fleet | Orders | Passengers | Notes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
F | Y+ | Y | Total | |||||
CommuteAir | Embraer ERJ 145 | 53 | — | — | 6 | 44 | 50 | |
GoJet Airlines | Bombardier CRJ550
|
59 | — | 10 | 20 | 20 | 50 | |
Mesa Airlines | Embraer 175
|
31 | — | 12 | 32 | 26 | 70 | |
47 | — | 12 | 16 | 48 | 76 | |||
Republic Airways | Embraer 170 | 26 | — | 6 | 16 | 48 | 70 | |
Embraer 175
|
46 | — | 12 | 16 | 48 | 76 | ||
SkyWest Airlines | Bombardier CRJ200 | 73 | — | — | — | 50 | 50 | |
Bombardier CRJ700
|
19 | — | 6 | 16 | 48 | 70 | ||
Embraer 175
|
29 | 35[22] | 12 | 32 | 26 | 70 | ||
65 | — | 16 | 48 | 76 | ||||
Total | 448 | 35 |
Former fleet
- Historical regional jet fleet
Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
BAe 146
|
28 | 1985 | 2006 | Operated by Air Wisconsin |
Bombardier CRJ100
|
7 | 2005 | 2019 | Operated by Mesa Airlines and SkyWest Airlines |
Bombardier CRJ900
|
46 | 2024 | Operated by Mesa Airlines | |
Dornier 328JET
|
23 | 1998 | 2003 | Operated by Air Wisconsin |
Embraer ERJ-135
|
9 | 2012 | 2018 | Operated by ExpressJet |
- Historical turboprop fleet
The United Express brand, through its various regional and commuter airline partners, operated a variety of twin turboprop aircraft over the years including the following types.
Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
ATR 42 | 4 | 2010 | 2018 | Former Continental Connection fleet. Operated by Cape Air, and designated in Guam only. |
BAe ATP | 10 | 1993 | 2000 | Operated by United Feeder Service |
BAe Jetstream 41
|
41 | 1993 | 2004 | Operated by Atlantic Coast Airlines |
Beechcraft 1900 | 24 | 1995 | 2012 | Operated by Great Lakes Airlines |
de Havilland Canada Dash 8-100
|
5 | 1993 | 1995 | Operated by Atlantic Coast Airlines |
Bombardier Q200 | 28 | 1996 | 2018 | Operated by Mesa Airlines until 2010, former Continental Connection fleet acquired the same year, operated by CommuteAir |
Bombardier Q300 | 14 | 1989 | 2017 | Operated by Mesa Airlines until 1996, former Continental Connection fleet acquired in 2011, operated by CommuteAir |
Bombardier Q400 | 30 | 2010 | 2016 | Former Continental Connection, operated by Republic Airways, and Colgan Air |
Dornier 328 | 21 | 1998 | 2003 | Operated by Air Wisconsin |
Embraer EMB-120
|
103 | 1990 | 2015 | Operated by SkyWest Airlines, WestAir Commuter Airlines, Great Lakes Airlines |
Saab 340 | 32 | 2004 | 2012 | Operated by Shuttle America, Colgan Air |
Accidents and incidents
- On February 2, 1988, United Express Flight 3749 from Denver to Durango, CO, operated by Aspen Airways using a Convair 580 aircraft, drifted off a snow-packed runway at night while landing at Durango-La Plata County Airport and crashed into a snowbank. No injuries were reported among the 38 passengers and three crew members on board.[23]
- On December 26, 1989, United Express Flight 2415 operated by North Pacific Airlines, a BAe Jetstream 31 crashed on approach to Tri-Cities Airport near Pasco, Washington. The four passengers and two crew members on board were killed. The crew executed an excessively steep and unstabilized instrument landing system (ILS) approach. That approach, along with improper air traffic control commands and aircraft icing, caused the aircraft to stall and crash short of the runway.[24]
- On January 7, 1994, NTSBconcluded that Atlantic Coast shouldn't have paired an inexperienced first officer with a captain who had a history of failed check rides.
- On November 19, 1996, King Air during landing at Quincy Regional Airport. The ten passengers and two crew members on board were killed. The pilots of the King Air were blamed for failing to effectively monitor both the common frequency and to scan for traffic.[25]
- On April 9, 2017, passenger Dr. David Dao was dragged off of The airline later faced criticism and backlash for how the incident was handled.
- On March 4, 2019, Embraer EMB-145XR, landed in a snow-covered grassy area to the right of the runway at Presque Isle International Airport and was severely damaged; two passengers and the first officer suffered minor injuries. The accident was attributed to an inadequately reported ILS misalignment combined with "confirmation bias" and fatigue that led the first officer to continue the approach despite being unable to see the runway due to blowing snow.[28]
References
- ^ "United Airlines Strips 'Continental' from parent company's name". Bloomberg News. June 27, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ "Ridgelines: iHistory – The Story of an Airline (1989–2004)". ridgelines.org. Archived from the original on December 1, 2008.
- ^ "United Express features". Archived from the original on December 24, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
- ^ "Mesa Air Group, Inc. Announces Update on CRJ-200s Operating at United Airlines". November 6, 2009.
- ^ "United Airlines Announces New Partnership With ExpressJet". November 16, 2009. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2009.
- ^ Sokolow, Jesse (August 10, 2015). "United Airlines Launches United Ground Express". Frequent Business Traveler. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017.
- ^ Bhaskara, Vinay (September 17, 2014). "ANALYSIS: United Express to Eliminate Q400 fleet; Add More E175s". Archived from the original on October 9, 2016.
- ^ "CommutAir ends Q300 operations". October 30, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
- ^ "CommutAir becomes all-jet, phases out its last DHC-8-200 Dash 8". January 10, 2018. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
- ^ Sablan, Jerick (April 16, 2018). "United to change flights between Guam and Saipan June 1". Archived from the original on June 9, 2019.
- ^ Jacob Barker (March 17, 2020). "Regional carrier Trans States Airlines to stop flying April 1 as airlines reel from coronavirus". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- ^ "United to drop contract with ExpressJet, dealing fatal blow". Reuters. July 30, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ "ExpressJet to cease operations on 30 September".
- ^ Burns, Jelissa (August 23, 2022). "Greenville-based Air Wisconsin leaves United Airlines for new agreement with American Airlines". Retrieved April 2, 2023.
- ^ United Airlines timetables and multiple issues of the Official Airline Guide
- ^ Collier, Kiah (September 22, 2012). "Small airports struggle as major carriers pull back". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
- ^ ACS. "Charter to Jack Brooks Rgnl Airport". Retrieved May 8, 2018.
- ^ "United Archived 2016-10-27 at the Wayback Machine." Lehigh Valley International Airport. Retrieved on October 27, 2016. "Non Stop to:[...]Newark"
- ^ a b Karp, Gregory (May 4, 2010). "Airlines merger could halt bus flight". The Morning Call. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
- ^ Wade, Betsy (December 14, 1997). "PRACTICAL TRAVELER; When the Plane Is Really a Bus". The New York Times. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
- ^ "United Express". Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ "SkyWest orders 19 E175 for United Express operation".
- ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Convair CV-580 N5808 Durango-La Plata Airport, CO (DRO)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- Aviation Safety Network
- Aviation Safety Network
- ^ Aulbach, Lucas. "Video shows man forcibly removed from United flight from Chicago to Louisville". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
- ^ Bucher, Chris (April 11, 2017). "David Dao: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
- ^ National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Accident Final Report (Report). National Transportation Safety Board. July 12, 2022. DCA19FA089. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
External links
- United's official United Express page
- United's official United Express Fleet page