 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Founded | 1996; 29 years ago (1996)[1] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | December 16, 1996; 28 years ago (1996-12-16)[1] | ||||||
| Ceased operations | May 25, 2007; 17 years ago (2007-05-25) | ||||||
| Hubs | As AmericanConnection: | ||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | Aviators (TWA) AAdvantage (American) OnePass (Continental) | ||||||
| Alliance | oneworld (American) SkyTeam (Continental) | ||||||
| Fleet size | 12 BAe Jetstream Super 31's 4 SAAB 340A's | ||||||
| Destinations | 13 from St. Louis (TWA/American) 3 from Cleveland (Continental) 12 from Raleigh/Durham (Midway) | ||||||
| Parent company | RegionsAir | ||||||
| Headquarters | Smyrna,Tennessee | ||||||
| Key people | Charles Howell President/CEO (after shutdown) | ||||||
| Website | Regionair.com | ||||||
RegionsAir was a14 CFR Part 121regional airline based out of theSmyrna Airport inSmyrna, Tennessee,USA.[2] The hub airports for RegionsAir wereLambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL) andCleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE).
RegionsAir operated under a code-sharing agreement withTWA andAmerican Airlines to provide flights to communities asAmericanConnection fromLambert-St. Louis International Airport, and asContinental Connection fromCleveland Hopkins International Airport.
RegionsAir ceased all operations on March 8, 2007, and furloughed all of its employees a month later.
RegionsAir was known asCorporate Express Airlines from 1996 to 1998, and thenCorporate Airlines from 1998 to 2004. Operating as Corporate Express, it flew forMidway Airlines providing feed until their first shutdown in 2001 and also flew forTWA asTrans World Express out of St. Louis. When TWA merged intoAmerican Airlines on December 2, 2001, Corporate began operating asAmericanConnection continuing to provide flights to communities fromLambert-St. Louis International Airport. At that time, the airline was run by Chuck Howell, who became the president atGreat Lakes Airlines. The airline changed its Corporate name toRegionsAir in May 2004 to end confusion with similarly named airlines. RegionsAir began another code-sharing alliance withContinental Airlines asContinental Connection in 2006 with a hub atCleveland Hopkins International Airport. RegionsAir had been the air service provider for many small communities as part of the federally subsidizedEssential Air Service (EAS) program.[3]
On October 7, 2005, Viva International, an aviation holding company, issued an irrevocable Letter of Intent to Purchase RegionsAir for an undisclosed sum, but nothing ever became of the LOI.
In March, 2007 theFederal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded the airline, saying there had been problems with the airline's training and certification program.[4][5]
On October 19, 2004Corporate Airlines Flight 5966 crashed on approach toKirksville, Missouri. Thirteen people died and two were injured. TheNational Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined pilot error to be the cause of this accident.[6]
On March 2, 2007, the local Airline'sFSDO office, FAA officials in DC, and the airline got into a disagreement over wording in the airline's training manuals. The airline voluntarily ceased scheduled operations until the items could be clarified. FAA officials found no discrepancies when they went over all pilots records. In the end, about 35 of the airline's flights were canceled that Saturday.[7][8]
On March 8, 2007, at 4:36pm the FAA again grounded RegionsAir due to discrepancies in the airline's training procedures forline-check airmen. As a result of this second grounding within one week, several regional airports serviced by RegionsAir announced intentions to replace the airline with other regional carriers.
