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Delta Connection
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Delta Connection is the name under which seven regional airlines operate short and medium haul routes for mainline carrier, Delta Air Lines.
SkyWest, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Comair, Chautauqua Airlines, Freedom Airlines and Shuttle America are the Delta Connection feeder carriers. Comair is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines. Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) was a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, but in 2005 it was sold to SkyWest. American Eagle codeshares with Delta Connection for flights operating from Los Angeles International Airport to various destinations in California. Mainline carriers often use regional airlines to operate services in order to increase frequency, serve routes that would not sustain larger planes, serve routes using cheaper labor, or for other competitive reasons.
Delta Air Lines is one of the only mainline carriers in the world to own their own flight school, called Delta Connection Academy. The academy is located in Sanford, Florida on the grounds of the Orlando Sanford International Airport. The school serves all the Delta Connection carriers above, and has been known to train pilots for over 30 other airlines in the world. The school currently issues more FAA certificates than any other Part 141 school in the country.
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Delta Connection began in 1984 as a means of expanding the Delta network to smaller markets via partnerships with regional airlines.
Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) began Delta Connection service on March 1, 1984, from the Atlanta hub, with a substantial later presence at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. ASA was a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines under the Delta Connection, Inc., holding company from May 11, 1999, to September 7, 2005, when it was purchased by SkyWest, Inc.
Ransome Airlines operated Delta Connection flights from March 1, 1984, to June 1, 1986, when it was purchased by Pan Am.
Comair began Delta Connection service on September 1, 1984. In January, 2000, Comair became a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines under the Delta Connection, Inc., holding company.
Rio Airways operated Delta Connection flights from the Dallas/Fort Worth hub from June 1, 1984, to December 14, 1986, when the airline declared bankruptcy.
Business Express operated Delta Connection flights in the northeastern US and Canada from June 1, 1986 to March 15, 2000. The company was purchased by AMR Corporation in 1999 and integrated into the American Eagle Airlines system in 2000.
Trans States Airlines operated Delta Connection flights from March 1998 to March 31, 2000, mainly from the Boston and New York focus cities.
American Eagle has provided code-share service from Los Angeles to cities in California since January 18, 2002. The agreement allows Delta to sell seats on certain American Eagle flights and to give Delta passengers SkyMiles frequent flier credit on designated flights.
On November 2, 2004 Atlantic Coast Airlines ended service as a Delta Connection Carrier. Atlantic Coast Airlines reinvented itself as a low fare carrier called Independence Air based at Washington Dulles Airport. Independence Air and its parent company Flyi was not a great success. Despite popularity with passengers, it was very unprofitable. Flyi filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and soon after officially shut down on January 5, 2006
On December 22, 2004, Delta Air Lines announced that Republic Airways would order and operate 16 Embraer 170 aircraft under the Delta Connection banner. Since then, it has been announced that Republic Airways subsidiary, Shuttle America, would operate the flights. The initial flight took place on September 1, 2005.
On May 4, 2005, Delta Air Lines announced that Mesa Air Group subsidiary Freedom Airlines would operate up to 30 Bombardier CRJ-200 aircraft under the Delta Connection banner beginning in October 2005. Shortly after the announcement, the decision was made for Freedom to operate the Embraer ERJ 145 for Delta Connection instead of the CRJ.
On December 21, 2006, it was announced that Big Sky Airlines would become a Delta Connection carrier, using eight Beechcraft 1900 turboprops out of Boston's Logan International Airport.
On March 1, 2007, it was announced that ExpressJet Airlines would operate 10 Embraer ERJ 145XR aircraft under the Delta Connection banner beginning in June 2007. ExpressJet will operate flights from Los Angeles International Airport and western ski destinations.
| Type | Number | Equip. Code |
| ATR 72-210 | 12 | AT7 |
| Bombardier CRJ-200 | 109 | CRJ |
| Bombardier CRJ-700 | 35 | CR7 |
| Type | Number | Equip. Code |
| Beechcraft 1900-D | 8 | BE1 |
| Type | Number | Equip. Code |
| Embraer ERJ 145 LR | 32 | ERJ |
| Embraer ERJ 135 | ER3 |
| Type | Number | Equip. Code |
| Bombardier CRJ-100ER | 68 | CRJ |
| Bombardier CRJ-100LR | 41 | CRJ |
| Bombardier CRJ-200ER | 40 | CRJ |
| Bombardier CRJ-700ER | 27 | CR7 |
| Type | Number | Equip. Code |
| DeHavilland Dash 8-100 | 12 | DH8 |
| Embraer ERJ 145 | 30 | ERJ |
| Type | Number | Equip. Code |
| Embraer 170 | 16 | EMJ |
| Type | Number | Equip. Code |
| Embraer Brasilia EMB-120ER | 12 | EM2 |
| Bombardier CRJ-200 | 57 | CRJ |
| Bombardier CRJ-700 | 2 | CR7 |
| Bombardier CRJ-900 | 3 | CR9 |
Delta Connection is a name given to Delta Air Lines flights that are operated by other regional airlines, formerly called commuter airlines. These regional airlines are independent from each other. For example, Comair has no financial stake or any relation to ASA, other than sharing the Delta Connection name.
- On August 21, 1995, Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529, an Embraer Brasilia crashed near Carrolton, Georgia. Officials determined that a propeller blade loss and inability to feather the remaining blades caused the accident, which killed 8 of the 28 passengers and crew on board.
- On January 9, 1997, Delta Connection Flight / Comair Flight 3272, an Embraer Brasilia crashed near Monroe, Michigan. The flight, which originated from Cincinnati, OH was on approach to Detroit. All 29 passengers and crew were killed when the plane crashed 18 miles from the airport. Officials say that ice buildup may have been a factor in the crash.
- On 27 August 2006, at 6:07 AM Eastern Time, a Delta branded flight operated by Comair, Delta Air Lines Flight 5191, crashed after takeoff at Lexington, Kentucky's Blue Grass Airport, with 47 passengers and three crew members on board. One survivor was reported.
- On February 18, 2007, a Delta branded flight operated by Shuttle America, Delta Flight 6448, skidded off the runway upon arriving at Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport in heavy snow. All 70 passengers and four crewmembers were safe.
- Delta Air Lines
- ASA
- Big Sky Airlines
- Chautauqua Airlines
- Comair
- ExpressJet Airlines
- Freedom Airlines
- Shuttle America
- SkyWest
- Comair
- Atlantic Southeast Airlines
- Skywest Airlines
- Chautauqua
- Freedom Airlines
- Shuttle America
- Delta Air Lines
- Delta Connection Academy
Timeline of aviation
Aircraft · Aircraft manufacturers · Aircraft engines · Aircraft engine manufacturers · Airports · Airlines
Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) · Experimental aircraft
Notable military accidents and incidents · Notable airline accidents and incidents · Famous aviation-related deaths
Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft
Atlantic Southeast Airlines · Chautauqua Airlines · Comair · Freedom Airlines · Shuttle America · SkyWest
Former Carriers: Air Midwest · Atlantic Coast Airlines · Business Express Airlines · Ransome Airlines · Rio Airways · Trans States Airlines
Future Carriers: Big Sky Airlines · ExpressJet Airlines