Delta Connection
Delta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and Comair operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc. 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.
The following airlines operate services under the Delta Connection name:
- (EV) Atlantic Southeast Airlines
- (OH) Comair
- (RP) Chautauqua Airlines
- (XE) ExpressJet Airlines
- (F8) Freedom Airlines
- (9E) Pinnacle Airlines
- (S5) Shuttle America
- (OO) SkyWest
[American Eagle Airlines|American Eagle]] code shares with Delta Connection for flights operating from Los Angeles International Airport to various destinations in California. American Eagle does not operate in Delta Connection colors on any of its flights or aircraft.
Delta Connection Academy is an airline flight school, wholly owned by Delta Air Lines, one of the few mainline carriers in the world to own their training centers to help source their regional airline affiliates staffing needs. 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.
History
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. It was later announced that ExpressJet would operate an additional 8 aircraft as Delta Connection.
On April 30, 2007, it was announced that Pinnacle Airlines would operate 16 Bombardier CRJ-900 under the Delta Connection banner starting in December 2007.
In October 2007 a new airline that also carries the name "Delta Connection" started operation out of Nairobi Airport in Nairobi, Kenya. This airline has absolutely no connection to the Delta Connection in North America, but nevertheless Delta Air Lines operates flights to Nairobi as well. Unlike Delta Connection in North America, this airline operates the Boeing 737-200 aircraft.
Fleets
| Type | Number | Equip. Code |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) fleet | ||
| ATR 72-210 | 12 | AT7 |
| Bombardier CRJ-200 | 110 | CRJ |
| Bombardier CRJ-700 | 37 | CR7 |
| Chautauqua Airlines fleet | ||
| Embraer ERJ 145 LR | 26 | ERJ |
| Embraer ERJ 135 | 32 | ER3 |
| Comair fleet | ||
| Bombardier CRJ-100ER | 62 | CRJ |
| Bombardier CRJ-100LR | 41 | CRJ |
| Bombardier CRJ-200ER | 40 | CRJ |
| Bombardier CRJ-700ER | 17 | CR7 |
| Bombardier CRJ-900ER | 7 (7 orders) | CR9 |
| ExpressJet fleet | ||
| Embraer ERJ 145 XR | 18 | ERX |
| Freedom Airlines fleet | ||
| Bombardier CRJ-900 | 2 (12 orders) | CR9 |
| Embraer ERJ 145 | 36 | ERJ |
| Shuttle America fleet | ||
| Embraer 170 | 16 | EMJ |
| SkyWest fleet | ||
| Embraer Brasilia EMB-120ER | 12 | EM2 |
| Bombardier CRJ-200 | 57 | CRJ |
| Bombardier CRJ-700 | 10 | CR7 |
| Bombardier CRJ-900 | 17 | CR9 |
| Pinnacle Airlines fleet | ||
| Bombardier CRJ-900 | 3 (13 orders) | CR9 |
Incidents and accidents
- 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.