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==Midway Connection==
==Midway Connection==
In 1987 Midway Airlines purchased the air carrier Fisher Brothers Aviation based in Galion, OH and moved the entire operation to Springfield, IL. The initial move consisted of the Fisher Brothers Management team (including Vice President of Operations Armondo Cardenas, Chief Pilot Mark Zweidinger, Vice President of Customer Service Mark Fisher and Human Resources Manager Sandy Baldwin) and was lead by Midway Airlines executive and Richard Pfennig and offers were provided to anyone from the maintenance team that wanted to relocate. Mr. Pfennig took control of the operation and was able to quickly get the operation through certification flights and in the spring of 1987 the commuter started scheduled passenger carrying flights. The initial operation consisted of the original 10 Dornier DO-228 aircraft and eventually ended with 28 Dornier aircraft and 13 Embraer 120 Brasilia aircraft. Midway Connection operated to cities in the Midwest states including Wisconsin (Milwaukee, Madison, Greenbay, Osh Kosh), Michigan (Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Muskegeon, Lansing, Kalamazoo), Indiana (South Bend, Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis) and Illinois (Bloomington, Champaign, Peoria and their home base Springfield, IL). Midway was a wholly owned susidiary of Midway Airlines and although was an independent operation, it was completely operated as a "feeder" for the "mainline" operation. Dispatch and Maintenance for the airline was conducted in Springfield, IL while reservations were supported through Midway Airlines in Chicago utilizing the SABRE reservations system.
In 1987 Midway Airlines purchased the air carrier Fisher Brothers Aviation based in Galion, OH and moved the entire operation to Springfield, IL. The initial move consisted of the Fisher Brothers Management team (including Vice President of Operations Armondo Cardenas, Chief Pilot Mark Zweidinger, Vice President of Customer Service Mark Fisher and Human Resources Manager Sandy Baldwin) and was lead by Midway Airlines executive and Richard Pfennig and offers were provided to anyone from the maintenance team that wanted to relocate. Mr. Pfennig took control of the operation and was able to quickly get the operation through certification flights and in the spring of 1987 the commuter started scheduled passenger carrying flights. The initial operation consisted of the original 10 Dornier DO-228 aircraft and eventually ended with 28 Dornier aircraft and 13 Embraer 120 Brasilia aircraft. Midway Connection operated to cities in the Midwest states including Wisconsin (Milwaukee, Madison, Greenbay, Osh Kosh), Michigan (Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Muskegeon, Lansing, Kalamazoo), Indiana (South Bend, Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis), Illinois (Bloomington, Champaign, Peoria and their home base Springfield, IL), and Ohio (Toledo). Midway was a wholly owned susidiary of Midway Airlines and although was an independent operation, it was completely operated as a "feeder" for the "mainline" operation. Dispatch and Maintenance for the airline was conducted in Springfield, IL while reservations were supported through Midway Airlines in Chicago utilizing the SABRE reservations system.


==Accidents==
==Accidents==

Revision as of 04:29, 30 August 2013

For the North Carolina based Midway Airlines, see Midway Airlines (1993–2003).
Midway Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
ML MDW MIDWAY
Founded1976
Ceased operations1991
HubsChicago Midway International Airport
Frequent-flyer programFlyersFirst
Fleet size60
Destinations40
HeadquartersChicago, Illinois
Key peopleDavid R. Hinson (CEO)
Midway Airlines Boeing 737-200

Midway Airlines was a United States airline founded on October 13, 1976, by investor Irving T. Tague. Although it received its operating certificate from the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) prior to the passage of the Airline Deregulation Act in 1978, it is widely recognized as the first post-deregulation start-up. The airline commenced operations in 1979.

The airline was intended to breathe new life into Chicago Midway International Airport, then called Chicago Midway Airport, which had lost most of its scheduled flights to O'Hare International Airport. Midway Airlines and the revitalized airport were advertised as a trouble-free alternative to O'Hare, and both of these spurred re-development and growth on Chicago's South Side. The airport was billed as a convenient ten to fifteen minute drive from downtown Chicago.

History

Following the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, Midway first emerged as a discount carrier. It was noted for its low fares and ease of connections at Midway Airport. The airline purchased three DC-9s from TWA and began flying to Cleveland (Lakefront), Kansas City, and Detroit. The scheduled service was an instant success. In 1980 Midway bought five more DC-9s and added flights to St Louis, New York La Guardia and Washington National; they also shifted to CLE, and tried MSP and quickly dropped it. [2] has several Midway route maps from 1980 to 1989.

During the 1980s the airline adopted a combination of all-leather two-by-two seating to business markets and all-coach seating to vacation destinations. This idea was eventually dropped due to the impact on revenue caused by eliminating seats, and the confusion it created in the minds of connecting passengers.

The carrier expanded into the Caribbean via the purchase in 1984 of the assets of Air Florida, which had gone into bankruptcy. It proved to be good mix of business and vacation travel revenue. Midway flourished under the leadership of David R. Hinson (CEO 1985 to 1991), but a second hub at Philadelphia International in 1990 proved unsuccessful.

In 1986 the company assisted in setting up a successful regional affiliate, Midway Connection, as a feeder from small communities in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan. This carrier was established following the bankruptcy of Chicago Air, a regional carrier which attempted a similar, but independent feeder operation in 1986.

On a June 1988 weekday Midway scheduled 116 nonstop flights into MDW from 25 airports, along with 75 Midway Connection nonstops from 17 other airports. They flew MDW-MIA-STX-STT and back and MDW-FLL-NAS and back; aside from those all Midway flights were nonstop to/from MDW.

Midway was noted for friendly employees and attentive service, and its Chicago South Side passengers were fiercely loyal to their hometown airline. Some of the signature inflight service items were after-dinner chocolate wafer mints and hot hand towels to the entire cabin, both of which had originally caught on with Midway's business clientele.

The airline purchased the hub operation of Eastern Air Lines at Philadelphia International Airport in 1990. However, this expansion, in direct competition with the Philadelphia hub of US Airways, coupled with the run-up of airline fuel prices during the Persian Gulf War in 1991, strained the company's financial resources. The airline filed Chapter 11 and attempted to reach agreement with Northwest Airlines for a sale. The sale was nearing completion when Northwest suddenly pulled out of the deal November 12, 1991. Midway ceased operations November 13, 1991 and filed under Chapter 7 bankruptcy laws. Settlement was completed in summer, 2005.

Destinations

Canada

Caribbean

United States

Fleet

Midway Metrolink

During 1983-1985 Midway experimented with a one-class business service called "Midway Metrolink" on some of its flights.[1] Seating was 2x2 on DC-9s, which typically have 2x3 seating.

Midway Express

After its initial acquisition of Air Florida, Midway Airlines operated an express service called "Midway Express", which flew some of Air Florida's old tourist routes. Midway Express served five airports in Florida, including Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. The airline used re-badged Air Florida 737s.[2]

Midway Connection

In 1987 Midway Airlines purchased the air carrier Fisher Brothers Aviation based in Galion, OH and moved the entire operation to Springfield, IL. The initial move consisted of the Fisher Brothers Management team (including Vice President of Operations Armondo Cardenas, Chief Pilot Mark Zweidinger, Vice President of Customer Service Mark Fisher and Human Resources Manager Sandy Baldwin) and was lead by Midway Airlines executive and Richard Pfennig and offers were provided to anyone from the maintenance team that wanted to relocate. Mr. Pfennig took control of the operation and was able to quickly get the operation through certification flights and in the spring of 1987 the commuter started scheduled passenger carrying flights. The initial operation consisted of the original 10 Dornier DO-228 aircraft and eventually ended with 28 Dornier aircraft and 13 Embraer 120 Brasilia aircraft. Midway Connection operated to cities in the Midwest states including Wisconsin (Milwaukee, Madison, Greenbay, Osh Kosh), Michigan (Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Muskegeon, Lansing, Kalamazoo), Indiana (South Bend, Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis), Illinois (Bloomington, Champaign, Peoria and their home base Springfield, IL), and Ohio (Toledo). Midway was a wholly owned susidiary of Midway Airlines and although was an independent operation, it was completely operated as a "feeder" for the "mainline" operation. Dispatch and Maintenance for the airline was conducted in Springfield, IL while reservations were supported through Midway Airlines in Chicago utilizing the SABRE reservations system.

Accidents

Midway Airlines had no aircraft accidents.

Midway Connection had only 3 minor incidents and 2 large bird strike incidents. During initial FAA flight proving runs, a cabin door on the Dornier 228 aircraft opened in flight and struck the tail of the aircraft. The aircraft sustained minor damage and returned to Springfield, IL. The door was found in a farmers field later that month. During a passenger flight, a repair of the previous tail damage came loose inflight and departed the aircraft. The damage was found during inspection by the first officer for the next flight. During engine start up procedures, a parking brake was left engaged on a Donier 228 aircraft. The FAA determined that braking pressure had bled out from one of the main landing gear brakes. The over-riding parking brake valve prohibited the pilot from being able to actuate the pilot brakes causing the aircraft to yaw and strike one of the other nearby parked aircraft. Midway Connection had (2) large bird strike incidents involving geese. The first incident involved a goose striking the inner wing between the engine and the fuselage. During the incident the bird was also struck by the propeller and a portion of the carcass was thrown through the passenger window striking a passenger. The second involved a goose striking one of the landing gear sponsons causing substantial damage to the fairing and structure.

Frequent flyer program

Midway operated a frequent flyer program called FlyersFirst. Upon cessation of service, the program ended and mileage credits were not transferred to any other program.[3]

References

  1. ^ history
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ WebFlyer :: The Frequent Flyer Authority

External links

  • [3] has several Midway timetables and route maps including timetable of routes purchased from Eastern Airlines.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Midway Airlines.
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