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<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11929276" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="united-airlines" source="Orion">United Airlines</keyword> is adding a new route from the small city of <keyword id="12547137" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="texarkana" source="Orion">Texarkana</keyword> to Houston.</li><li>The route will be funded by a federal grant provided by the Department of <keyword id="11894924" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="transportation" source="Orion">Transportation</keyword>.</li></ul><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-will-stop-flying-to-11-us-cities-indefinitely-list-2021-11">After dropping 11 cities since the start of November</a>, United Airlines is adding one new small city to its network. </p><p>United Airlines' subsidiary <keyword id="12547136" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="commutair" source="Orion">CommutAir</keyword> will launch a new route to <a href="https://www.txkairport.com/">Texarkana Regional Airport</a> on February 13, which serves the city on the border of <keyword id="11896956" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="texas" source="Orion">Texas</keyword> and <keyword id="11910054" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="arkansas" source="Orion">Arkansas</keyword>. The <keyword id="12499562" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="united-express" source="Orion">United Express</keyword> flight will operate once daily between Texarkana and Houston using a 50-seater Embraer 145, according to the airport. The move comes after United slashed a handful of small markets due to unsustainability and low demand.</p><p>Service to Texarkana is new, though it was not originally United's plan. <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/news/united-adds-txk-small-city/">According to The Points Guy</a>, the Department of Transportation's Small Community Air Service Development Program awarded the airport an $884,722 grant to fund the operation. The one-year federal contract will be a test to see if the flights work and ensure United does not lose money on the route even if the plane is not full, <a href="https://www.ksla.com/2021/10/29/texarkana-airport-expanding-thanks-federal-grant/">according to KSLA News 12</a>, a CBS-affiliated local <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">news</keyword> station.</p><p>"We are ecstatic to officially add Houston in our route network and provide more <keyword id="11896628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="travel" source="Orion">travel</keyword> options for our community," Texarkana's airport director, Paul Merlich said in a statement. "Houston is a unique and exciting destination for local residents to enjoy and we are confident our community will support this new route in a way that will ensure its long-term success."</p><p>The flight will depart Texarkana at approximately 7 a.m. and return at approximately 7:25 p.m., according to the airport.</p><p>"Over the course of the year we are looking to increase the number of people flying from our airport to 10,000 people," Merlich told KSLA. "That means a person could potentially fly down to Houston in the morning, work an eight-hour day, and fly home and be home in time for dinner."</p><p>Officials at Texarkana have high hopes for the airport with the construction of a brand new terminal and United's future service. </p><p>"With the new terminal coming, the airline's coming back, this is kind of the starting of a rebirth of our airport and we hope that will ripple out to the entire community," Merlich said.</p><p>In addition to United's new route to Texarkana, American Airlines also serves the small city. The Texas-based carrier operates up to four daily flights between the community and its Dallas-Fort Worth hub. While American is keeping its operations at Texarkana, it has cut other low-demand markets during the pandemic. </p><p>In September 2021, the <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=35871X943606&amp;isjs=1&amp;jv=15.2.1-stackpath&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com%2Funited-will-stop-flying-to-11-us-cities-indefinitely-list-2021-11&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.courant.com%2Fbusiness%2Fhc-biz-tweed-american-airlines-pullout-20210930-ieir7ypstbgkzc7ssfuvfbgexm-story.html%23%3A%7E%3Atext%3DLongtime%2520carrier%2520American%2520Airlines%2520pulls%2520out%2520of%2520Tweed%252DNew%2520Haven%2520Airport%2C-By%2520Kenneth%2520R%26text%3DJust%2520as%2520momentum%2520builds%2520for%2Cto%2520Philadelphia%2520from%2520the%2520airport.&amp;xs=1&amp;xtz=300&amp;xuuid=b2c8dcd5db9421b1350e4de8edfa5f4b&amp;xjsf=other_click__contextmenu%20%5B2%5D">Hartford Courant</a> reported the airline dropped flights to New Haven, Connecticut, leaving the airport with no commercial air service until <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/avelo-airlines-6-new-routes-to-winter-vacation-destinations-2021-10">Avelo Airlines entered the market on November 3</a>. Meanwhile, also in September, Williamsport, Pennsylvania lost its daily American service from Philadelphia, <a href="https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lycoming-county/williamsport-regional-airport-scrambling-to-find-new-airline-service/523-24055a8b-bf28-417a-91f9-95707cc77cf5">according to ABC-affiliate news station WNEP 16</a>.</p>

United Airlines will start service to a small city on the border of Arkansas and Texas after dropping 11 small cities earlier this month

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Pilots at United Airlines' partially-owned subsidiary CommutAir are getting a big pay raise.</li><li>New-hire first officers will now make $72 per hour and captains will make $100 per hour in their first year.</li></ul><p>Pilots at another US regional airline are getting a big pay raise as the pilot shortage continues to take its toll on the industry.</p><p>On Wednesday, Cleveland, Ohio-based CommutAir announced <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/commutair-pilots-sign-new-letter-of-agreement-for-their-long-term-contract-301610839.html">a new letter of agreement</a> with its pilot union, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), that will up its pilot pay. The carrier, which flies Embraer 145 aircraft, is partially owned by and flies entirely on behalf of United Airlines.</p><p>First officers will now earn $72 per hour, and captains will earn $100 per hour during their first year flying for the airline, according to the company. The <a href="https://www.flycommutair.com/press-release-new-long-term-pilot-contract-established/">prior contract</a> gave CommutAir pilots $51 per hour and $84 per hour, respectively.</p><p>"For years, regional airlines have tried to skimp and save on the most important safety feature on any flight – two highly trained, fully qualified pilots," CommutAir pilot and union leader Captain Jeffrey Sutter <a href="https://www.alpa.org/news-and-events/news-room/2022-08-23-commutair-pilots-pay-increases">said in a statemen</a>t. "Today's agreement at CommutAir is an acknowledgment that airlines must offer competitive packages and work rules to attract and retain pilots."</p><p>In addition to the pay hike, first officers will receive $25,000, and Captains will receive $50,000 in new-hire sign-on and retention bonuses, according to the airline.</p><p>"We are excited about the opportunities this will provide CommutAir and is one more step towards securing our long-term success in the regional airline industry," CommutAir CEO Rick Hoefling said in a press release.</p><p>Hoefling told <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/news/commutair-pilot-pay-increase-united-express/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=thepointsguy&amp;utm_content=6CC5F986-23D1-11ED-BE43-2CC14744363C&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;tw=1&amp;utm_term=editorial">The Points Guy</a> in an interview that during the pandemic, the airline had to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-airlines-ceo-100-aircraft-planes-left-sitting-pilot-shortage-2021-12">store aircraft last year</a> due to the lack of crews. But, CommutAir, which has hubs in Denver, Houston, and Washington, DC, has recently reactivated those planes and increased its flying this year.</p><p>"We went from a small regional airline to a bigger one in the middle of the pandemic," Hoefling said. </p><p>The move comes as the airline industry grapples with the ongoing <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-airlines-cutting-training-requirements-to-get-more-pilots-shortage-2022-5">pilot shortage</a>, which was exacerbated post-pandemic when <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/worst-airline-horror-stories-summer-travel-chaos-airport-passengers-2022-8">travel demand skyrocketed</a> beyond what airlines anticipated.</p><p>In June, American Airlines' wholly-owned carriers — Envoy Air, PSA Airlines, and Piedmont Airlines — announced pilots would be bumped up <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-regional-pilots-getting-massive-pay-raise-envoy-piedmont-2022-6">nearly twice their former salary</a>, with first-year captains now making $146 per hour through August 31, 2024.</p><p>Then, in July, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-airlines-offers-pilots-pay-rise-amid-shortage-2022-7">mainline American increased its pilot pay by up to $64,000</a> to alleviate the pilot shortage.</p><p>While some airlines are upping pay, some are taking different routes to manage the shortages. Alaska Airlines slashed some of its summer flying in May, with CEO Ben Minicucci saying in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EPxjoatllI">YouTube video</a> that the carrier "had 63 fewer pilots than what we planned for when we built our scheduled" and that it caused a "ripple effect." </p><p>Carriers are also launching aggressive hiring campaigns and opening new flight schools to get pilots flying faster, like <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=united+airlines+aviate+insider&amp;ei=RmsGY_i0FsujptQP4qycqAk&amp;ved=0ahUKEwj474mTi-D5AhXLkYkEHWIWB5UQ4dUDCA4&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=united+airlines+aviate+insider&amp;gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAMyCggAEEcQsAMQyQMyBwgAEEcQsAMyBwgAEEcQsAMyBwgAEEcQsAMyBwgAEEcQsAMyBwgAEEcQsAMyBwgAEEcQsAMyBwgAEEcQsANKBAhBGABKBAhGGABQugFY4AVgnAZoAXABeACAAQCIAQCSAQCYAQCgAQHIAQjAAQE&amp;sclient=gws-wiz">United Airlines' Aviate Academy</a> in Arizona.</p>

Pilots at one of United's regional airlines are getting a massive pay raise as the industry battles the ongoing pilot shortage

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Two American-owned carriers are skipping interviews to offer jobs to pilots of a bankrupt airline. </li><li>An Envoy Airlines boss said it is making conditional offers to ExpressJet flight deck crew.</li></ul><p>Pilots from an airline that went bust this week are being offered new jobs at rival carriers without being interviewed first.</p><p>The decision reflects the intense competition for pilots as airlines continue to struggle to meet post-pandemic demand for air travel.</p><p>Ric Wilson of Envoy Airlines, an American Airlines subsidiary, <a href="https://twitter.com/CaptRicWilson/status/1562970710129094657?s=20&amp;t=BI5RdMpu0wUqp4pgSUtKtA">said</a> it would offer pilots from collapsed Georgia-based ExpressJet "conditional job offers with no interview". Envoy operates flights under brands including American Eagle. </p><p>He was responding to a <a href="https://piedmont-airlines.com/2022/08/piedmont-airlines-announces-employment-relief-for-expressjet-pilots-under-distressed-carrier-contract-provisions/">statement</a> by another AA-owned regional airline, Piedmont, in which it said it would offer jobs to ExpressJet pilots as they were able to fly the Embraer planes it also operates.</p><p>ExpressJet <a href="https://ecf.deb.uscourts.gov/doc1/042120536108">filed</a> for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-us-regional-carrier-aha-ceases-operations-financial-challenges-2022-8?r=US&amp;IR=T">blaming</a> "market and economic conditions".</p><p>Matt Kernan of Piedmont said pilots with five years' experience at the failed airline, which operates in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, could earn at least $160 an hour by joining Piedmont.</p><p>"No one wants to see an airline fail, ever. We know that ExpressJet pilots are well-trained aviators who know the Embraer 145, and we are very pleased to make this transition as easy as possible for them," Kernan said.</p><p>The recruiting efforts of both Envoy and Piedmont reflect an airline industry gripped by a staffing shortage that looks unlikely to abate any time soon, as regional operators fight to stop pilots joining larger operators. </p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pilots-at-united-airlines-subsidiary-commutair-getting-pay-raise-2022-8?r=US&amp;IR=T">Insider reported</a> this week that CommutAir, a subsidiary of United Airlines, gave first officers a pay raise of $21 per hour, and captains a $16-per-hour raise, in a bid to attract and retain regional pilots.</p>

Pilots from a failed airline are being offered new jobs with no interview amid intense competition

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Air-hotel-adventure, or Aha! for short, has filed bankruptcy and ceased operations less than a year after launching.</li><li>The airline was run by former regional carrier ExpressJet Airlines that collapsed during the pandemic.</li></ul><p>Air-hotel-adventure, or more simply, Aha!, is closing its doors just 10 months after launching its inaugural flight the company announced on Tuesday.</p><p>Reno-based Aha!, owned by former regional carrier ExpressJet Airlines, <a href="https://www.flyaha.com/destinations">announced</a> it is ceasing operations after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The decision, which is effective immediately, comes a month after Tim Sieber, who heads Aha!, called the carrier "one of the fastest growing regional airlines in the Western US" <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aha-announces-additional-flying-from-ontario-california-to-reno-tahoe-ahead-of-burning-man-2022-301582465.html?tc=eml_cleartime">in a July 2022 press release.</a></p><p>However, Aha!'s expansion was cut short due to a myriad of reasons, including low aircraft availability, high fuel prices, COVID-19-related revenue challenges, and the inability to offer hotel and flight packages, <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/news/expressjet-aha-bankruptcy/">reported The Points Guy</a>.</p><p>"A combination of conditions led us to this decision," ExpressJet CEO Subodh Karnik said in a statement in a Tuesday press release. "Despite the valiant efforts of our employees to overcome challenges, and despite great support by our cities and airports – especially Reno-Tahoe and the community there, we arrived at a point where termination of operations was in the best interest of our stakeholders."</p><p>Aha! did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.</p><p>Aha! was a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/expressjet-airlines-ceases-operations-regional-airline-history-2020-10?amp">pandemic-era creation after its parent company, ExpressJet</a>, ceased operations on September 30, 2020, due to COVID-related challenges. At its peak, ExpressJet was one of the US' largest regional airlines flying over 450 aircraft on behalf of Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and United Airlines. However, the carrier only flew for United <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airlines-that-went-out-of-business-in-2020-2021-1">at the time of its collapse</a>, but that contract was given to rival CommutAir at the start of the pandemic.</p><p>A year after closing its doors, ExpressJet announced a brand new airline known as Aha! that would <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-show-new-low-cost-airline-ahas-onboard-service-2021-10">operate Embraer 145 jets to connect small airports</a> in a point-to-point network. The 50-seater planes would be the carrier's workhorse, shuttling passengers from its base at Reno-Tahoe International Airport in Nevada to 11 cities on the West Coast, like Redmond, Oregon, and Fresno, California.</p><p>While the airline <a href="https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/584201341/aha-reports-exceptional-operating-performance-for-july-2022">revealed</a> a near-perfect operating month in July 2022 with no cancellations and a 95.6% on-time arrival rate, the celebration was short-lived. According to Aha!'s website, customers with a ticket for travel after August 22 must contact their credit card company for a refund.</p><p>Regional flying has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/small-communities-are-losing-air-service-rest-the-country-2021-11?amp">become a common casualty of the pandemic</a>. High fuel prices, as Aha! noted, paired with low demand and the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-fighting-pilot-shortage-private-charter-company-partnership-2022-7?amp">pilot shortage</a>, makes flying regional routes more difficult for operators, with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-cutting-17-routes-leaving-1-us-city-completely-list-2022-2?amp">United</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-airlines-cancel-route-stop-flights-pilot-labor-shortage-piedmont-2022-6?amp">American</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-cutting-5-regional-routes-and-expanding-a321neo-service-list-2022-8?amp">Delta</a> all cutting regional flying in the past two years.</p><p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-airlines-ceo-100-aircraft-planes-left-sitting-pilot-shortage-2021-12?amp">United</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-grounding-100-regional-jets-due-to-the-pilot-shortage-2022-6?amp">American</a> have grounded 100 regional jets each because they don't have enough pilots to fly them.</p>

The newest regional airline in the US just ceased operations after only 10 months of flying

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11929276" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="united-airlines" source="Orion">United Airlines</keyword> is dropping 3 <keyword id="12020592" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="routes" source="Orion">routes</keyword> and leaving 2 cities indefinitely in its latest network adjustment.</li><li>The carrier will no longer fly to Texarkana, Texas, or Flagstaff, Arizona, come this fall.</li></ul><p><keyword id="11896643" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="united" source="Orion">United</keyword> <keyword id="11898285" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="airlines" source="Orion">Airlines</keyword> is once again dropping cities from its regional network.</p><p>On Tuesday, United confirmed to Insider that it is cutting three routes and exiting two cities indefinitely. The carrier is also ending service between Los Angeles and San Diego, which it has flown for 40 years, <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/news/united-airlines-cuts-us-cities-ends-san-diego-shuttle/">according to The Points Guy</a>. </p><p>Here are the details:</p><ul><li><strong>Flights between Texarkana, Texas, and Houston will end on September 6.</strong></li><li><strong>Flights between Flagstaff, Arizona, and Denver will end on October 30.</strong></li><li><strong>Flights between Los Angeles and San Diego will end on October 30.</strong></li></ul><p>The carrier flew to Texarkana from Houston and Flagstaff from Denver, but United's departure means both cities will only have commercial airline service from American Airlines. The Texas-based carrier flies to Texarkana from Dallas/Fort Worth and to Flagstaff from Dallas/Fort Worth and Phoenix.</p><p>"We've made the difficult decision to suspend service to two cities this fall - Flagstaff and Texarkana - and have already started working with customers on alternate plans," United told Insider.</p><p>Flights to San Diego will still be served from other United hubs, including Denver, Newark, Washington DC, Houston, Chicago, and San Francisco, according to the airline.</p><p>United's decision to drop Texarkana is particularly interesting because<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-airlines-adds-texarkana-to-its-network-after-dropping-small-cities-2021-11"> it just started the service in February</a>, with regional carrier CommutAir operating the flight on behalf of United. The route, which flew once daily using an Embraer 145 jet, was an experiment funded by the city's local airport authority, per TPG.</p><p>Specifically, the airport received $884,722 from the US Department of <keyword id="11894924" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="transportation" source="Orion">Transportation</keyword>'s Small Community Air Service Development Program to get the new service running.</p><p>The service was supposed to run for a year, but low bookings forced United to end the route five months early, according to <a href="https://www.ksla.com/2022/07/03/united-airlines-stop-operations-texarkana-regional-airport/">local news station KSLA.</a></p><p>However, the outlet noted that the airline saw a four-month growth in passenger numbers at Texarkana since it started the service and the airport even saw its parking lot at full capacity for the first time in its history.</p><p>Texarkana Regional Airport director Paul Mehrlich told KSLA that he was disappointed that United was exiting the airport, but said "we realize this was a business decision, and we appreciate United's willingness to give us a chance during a difficult time."</p><p>However, Mehrlich said there may still be an opportunity to increase its American service or even welcome new operators.</p><p>"It is very unfortunate to see United leave TXK (Texarkana); however, we will continue to strengthen our partnership with American Airlines and aggressively look for ways to create opportunities to add more destinations and possibly carriers," he said.</p><p>This is not the first time United has dropped small cities. In November, the carrier announced it <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-will-stop-flying-to-11-us-cities-indefinitely-list-2021-11#:~:text=United%20Airlines%20is%20dropping%2011,markets%20since%20the%20pandemic%20started.">would be exiting 11 markets</a>, cut another <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-cutting-14-more-routes-to-small-cities-list-2021-12">14 in December</a>, and then <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-cutting-17-routes-leaving-1-us-city-completely-list-2022-2#:~:text=United%20Airlines%20is%20dropping%2017,responsibility%22%20to%20serve%20unsustainable%20airports.">nixed 17 more in February</a>. </p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/small-communities-are-losing-air-service-rest-the-country-2021-11">Small markets have become a common casualty of the pandemic</a>, with United, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-airlines-cancel-route-stop-flights-pilot-labor-shortage-piedmont-2022-6">American</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-ending-flights-to-cities-in-wyoming-colorado-and-nebraska-2021-12">Delta Air Lines</a> all shredding regional networks over the past year due to a combination of low demand, high operating costs, and staffing shortages. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-grounding-100-regional-jets-due-to-the-pilot-shortage-2022-6">American</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-airlines-ceo-100-aircraft-planes-left-sitting-pilot-shortage-2021-12">United</a> have both grounded 100 regional jets because they simply don't have enough pilots to fly them.</p><p>Henry Harteveldt, <keyword id="11896628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="travel" source="Orion">travel</keyword> analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group, told Insider in November that airlines do not have a "civic responsibility" to serve small towns.</p><p>"In the wake of the most financially brutal 18 months that the global airline industry has experienced due to the COVID pandemic, airlines are going to seek out markets that they believe will give them an advantage, but if a city isn't profitable, they will cut it," he said at the time.</p>

United is cutting 3 routes and leaving 2 cities indefinitely as small markets continue to suffer post-pandemic — see the full list

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Low-cost startup <keyword id="12412594" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="avelo-airlines" source="Orion">Avelo Airlines</keyword> is offering increased pay and sign-on bonuses to first-year pilots.</li><li><keyword id="12807772" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="avelo" source="Orion">Avelo</keyword>'s effort comes as <keyword id="11898285" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="airlines" source="Orion">airlines</keyword> continue to struggle to find and retain crews amid the <keyword id="11898881" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pilot-shortage" source="Orion">pilot shortage</keyword>. </li></ul><p>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airlines-respond-to-pilot-shortage-higher-pay-lower-requirements-2022-1">pilot shortage is once again plaguing airlines</a> as <keyword id="11896628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="travel" source="Orion">travel</keyword> rebounds to normal levels, and low-cost carriers are approaching the issue with increased pay and enticing bonuses. </p><p>Avelo Airlines <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avelo-airlines-announces-enhancements-to-pilot-compensation-301464570.html">announced</a> on Thursday that it is upping pilot compensation by nearly 50% for captains and about 30% for first officers, effective February 1. </p><p>In addition to the bolstered pay, the airline will also offer a $20,000 sign-on bonus for pilots hired before June 1, 2022, as well as a monthly commuter stipend for all pilots. Avelo plans to employ 120 new pilots in 2022, according to the company. </p><p>"We're committed to attracting and retaining the industry's best pilots," Avelo CEO Andrew Levy said in a press release. "In addition to our enhanced pay scale, Avelo supports quality of life initiatives such as an additional $1,800 per month to help offset the cost of commuting. And, if a pilot chooses to live in base, they'll keep the $1,800 per month."</p><p>According to the carrier, the added pay will make Avelo's first-year pilots the highest-paid crews of any ultra-low-cost or regional airline in the US. At a minimum, captains will now make $209,600 and first officers will make $117,200 in their first year, including bonuses and stipends. </p><p>The increased pay scale comes as airlines struggle to attract and retain pilots amid the looming pilot shortage. The issue was temporarily alleviated as travel slowed during the pandemic, but has returned as travel reaches more normal levels.</p><p>Avelo is not the only airline feeling the impact. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/breeze-airways-raising-pilot-pay-and-hiring-australian-pilots-shortage-2022-1">New budget carrier Breeze Airways also upped its pay rates this month</a>, with first-year Embraer captains and first officers receiving a bump of $12 and $6 per hour, respectively. The company needs to hire about 280 pilots to fill its growing fleet of Embraer 190, Embraer 195, and Airbus A220 aircraft.</p><p>"The reason for that was the overwhelming feedback that we received back from the pilots," Christopher Owens, <keyword id="12807773" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="breeze" source="Orion">Breeze</keyword>'s vice president of flight operations, told Insider. "Their three top priorities were: pay rates, pay rates, and pay rates."</p><div type="image" title="Breeze Airways is raising pilot pay as of January 2022." height="812" width="932" msid="89024970" hostid="261"></div><p>According to Henry Harteveldt, travel analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group, low-cost carriers like Avelo and Breeze were able to scoop up furloughed or laid-off pilots during the pandemic, but are now at risk of losing them over pay. </p><p>"One of the risks I see for the budget airlines right now is keeping their employees, particularly their more-recently hired flight attendants and pilots with lower seniority because they could get better pay or benefits at some of the larger carriers," he told Insider. </p><p>In addition to paying more, carriers are also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airlines-respond-to-pilot-shortage-higher-pay-lower-requirements-2022-1">offering incentives to new pilots, lowering education requirements, or hiring from abroad</a>. For example, Missouri-based regional airline GoJet is offering a $20,000 bonus to new first officers and $40,000 to pilots hired on as captains, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/347405265446833/posts/1948016618719015/?d=n">the airline announced in December</a>.</p><p>Meanwhile, <keyword id="11894307" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="delta" source="Orion">Delta</keyword> changed its hiring qualifications for pilots, removing the requirement to have a four-year college degree. The airline explained eliminating the degree "removes unintentional barriers to our Delta flight decks."</p><p>Moreover, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/breeze-airways-raising-pilot-pay-and-hiring-australian-pilots-shortage-2022-1">Breeze is opening its doors to Australian pilots</a> who apply to work at the carrier through the E-3 work visa program, which has also been used by regional carriers like CommutAir and ExpressJet Airlines. </p>

Avelo Airlines is raising pay and offering a $20,000 sign-on bonus to attract pilots amid an industry-wide staffing shortage

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12683050" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="breeze-airways" source="Orion">Breeze Airways</keyword> is one of many airlines bracing for the global shortage of <keyword id="11996286" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pilots" source="Orion">pilots</keyword> as <keyword id="11940261" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="air-travel" source="Orion">air travel</keyword> ramps up.</li><li>The startup airline is looking to fill about 280 open pilot spots as more aircraft are delivered. </li></ul><p>The airline industry is returning to normal, and that means once again contending with a global shortage of pilots.</p><p>Airlines moved quickly to lean their pilot workforce's but hiring at many airlines has restarted and for others, it never ended. Regional airlines and new startups in particular have been feeling the crunch.</p><p>Breeze Airways, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/breeze-airways-pushing-back-launch-until-2021-what-we-know-2020-7">startup airline launched by JetBlue Airways founder David Neeleman</a>, has been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/breeze-airways-recruiting-pilots-what-execs-look-for-when-hiring-2021-4">steadily hiring pilots throughout the COVID-19 pandemic</a> and is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/breeze-brings-home-airbus-a220-for-transcontinental-europe-flights-2021-10">expanding its efforts as it grows its fleet of aircraft</a>. </p><p>About 280 pilot spots need to be filled for Breeze's Embraer E190, Embraer E195, and Airbus A220 aircraft, and the airline is pulling out all the stops to attract talent. </p><h2>Higher pay for all pilots</h2><p>Breeze is raising pilot pay with new pay scales for pilots taking effect in January. </p><p>Pay scales on each aircraft are different with Airbus pilots earning slightly more than their Embraer counterparts given the "additional revenue-generating capability" of the aircraft, Christopher Owens, Breeze's vice president of flight operations, told Insider.</p><p>First-year pay for A220 first officers is $68 per flight hour, up by $13, while first-year pay for Embraer first officers is $61, up by $6.</p><div type="image" title="Breeze Airways new payscales" height="812" width="1082" msid="88778900" hostid="261"></div><p><br />"The reason for that was the overwhelming feedback that we received back from the pilots," Owens. "Their three top priorities were: pay rates, pay rates, and pay rates."</p><p>Embraer pilots fly what are known as "out and back" trips that will see them return to their home base every night. Airbus pilots will help induct Breeze's A220-300 fleet later this year and fly longer flights and multi-day trips comparable to traditional airline pilots. </p><h2>Alternative solutions to the pilot shortage</h2><p>Australian pilots will be able to work as Breeze pilots under the E-3 work visa program in a little-used but not unprecedented solution to the pilot shortage. Skilled Australian nationals can apply to legally work in the US and regional airlines including <a href="https://www.flycommutair.com/e-3-visa/">CommutAir</a> and <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/expressjet-airlines-a-united-express-carrier-welcomes-australian-pilots-through-e-3-visa-program-300820512.html">ExpressJet Airlines</a> have used the program to recruit pilots from the country.</p><p>"It's an opportunity to give good, hardworking, well-qualified folks jobs who want to live in the US [and] want to be a pilot for a US airline," Owens said. </p><p>Breeze already has around 120 applicants for the program, with the majority of pilots living in Australia and some who are already in the US. Pilots from Down Under will, however, incur <keyword id="11896628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="travel" source="Orion">travel</keyword> and visa costs before being able to fly for Breeze. </p><p>Other solutions include establishing a pipeline program with a major US flight school and Breeze may also join the likes of United Airlines in starting an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/airlines-combat-pilot-shortage-by-fast-tracking-trainees-2021-7">ab initio program for would-be pilots with no flight time</a>. </p><p>Breeze is also seeking airline pilots that retired during the pandemic but still have a few years left before reaching the Federal <keyword id="12018329" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="aviation" source="Orion">Aviation</keyword> Administration's mandatory retirement age of 65. "Anybody who has three years left would be great because they bring in maturity, discipline, and lots of experience," Owens said.</p><h2>Shaking off a reputation for low pay</h2><p>The labor shortage also has a way of holding airlines accountable as pilots can seek opportunities elsewhere given that airlines across the country have been raising pay and lowering requirements to ensure a steady supply. </p><p>"We've been operating for seven months and we simply can't be as competitive as pilots would like us to be right now," Owens said. "Pilots just need to have a little bit of patience, see the forest through the trees, and see Breeze for what it can be."</p>

One of the newest airlines in the US is tackling the pilot shortage by paying them more and hiring from Australia

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="11929276" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="united-airlines" source="Orion">United Airlines</keyword> is dropping 17 routes to <keyword id="13277869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="regional-airports" source="Orion">regional airports</keyword> due to low demand and staffing shortages.</li><li>Small cities have been a casualty of the pandemic, with airlines cutting unprofitable markets.</li></ul><p><keyword id="11896643" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="united" source="Orion">United</keyword> Airlines is cutting over a dozen regional routes from its network as demand in <keyword id="12730533" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="small-markets" source="Orion">small markets</keyword> continues to feel the impact of the pandemic.</p><p>On Monday, Chicago-based United revealed it is cutting 17 routes to small <keyword id="11921290" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="airports" source="Orion">airports</keyword>, including leaving Alexandria, Louisiana, entirely. The <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">news</keyword> was first reported by <a href="https://thepointsguy.com/news/united-airlines-cuts-domestic-routes/?utm_term=editorial&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=thepointsguy&amp;utm_content=25E7F4F8-989C-11EC-87D4-33CC4744363C&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;tw=1">The Points Guy</a> and later confirmed to Insider. </p><p>"United makes regular adjustments to its schedule in response to market demand and staffing resources to ensure we can best serve our customers," the airline told Insider in a statement.</p><p>The move comes as airlines struggle to find and maintain profitable regional routes, despite a strong rebound in air <keyword id="11896628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="travel" source="Orion">travel</keyword>. Specifically, United is dropping routes from its major hubs in Denver, Newark, Chicago, Houston, and Washington, DC, though it will continue to serve 16 of the 17 airports from other cities. Here's the full list:</p><ul><li><strong>Denver to Dayton, Ohio: </strong>United will still serve Dayton from Chicago and Washington DC.</li><li><strong>Newark to Oklahoma City: </strong>United will still serve Oklahoma City from Chicago, Denver, Houston, and San Francisco. </li><li><strong>Newark to Omaha, Nebraska: </strong>United will still serve Omaha from Chicago, Denver, and Houston.</li><li><strong>Newark to Knoxville, Tennessee: </strong>United will still serve Knoxville from Chicago, Denver, Houston, and Washington DC.</li><li><strong>Washington DC to Allentown, Pennsylvania: </strong>United will still serve Allentown from Chicago and Newark.</li><li><strong>Washington DC to Lexington, Kentucky: </strong>United will still serve Lexington from Chicago.</li><li><strong>Washington DC to Madison, Wisconsin: </strong>United will still serve Madison from Chicago and Denver.</li><li><strong>Washington DC to Oklahoma City:</strong> United will still serve Oklahoma City from Chicago, Denver, Houston, and San Francisco.</li><li><strong>Washington DC to Pensacola, Florida:</strong> United will still serve Pensacola from Chicago, Denver, and Houston.</li><li><strong>Houston to Alexandria, Louisiana: </strong>United is pulling out of Alexandria entirely, leaving Delta and American as the airport's only competitors.</li><li><strong>Houston to Columbia, South Carolina: </strong>United will still serve Columbia from Chicago and Washington DC.</li><li><strong>Houston to Akron-Canton, Ohio: </strong>United will still serve Akron-Canton from Chicago and Washington DC.</li><li><strong>Chicago to Bismarck, North Dakota: </strong>United will still serve Bismarck from Denver.</li><li><strong>Chicago to Charlottesville, Virginia: </strong>United will still serve Charlottesville from Washington DC.</li><li><strong>Chicago to Jackson, Mississippi: </strong>United will still serve Jackson from Houston.</li><li><strong>Chicago to Pasco-Tri Cities, Washington: </strong>United will still serve Pasco-Tri Cities from Denver and San Francisco.</li><li><strong>Chicago to Redmond, Oregon: </strong>United will still serve Redmond from Denver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.</li></ul><p>All of the routes were operated by United subsidiaries, including GoJet Airlines, SkyWest Airlines, Republic Airways, Air Wisconsin, Mesa Airlines, and CommutAir.</p><p>The pilot shortage has significantly impacted regional affiliates, with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-airlines-ceo-100-aircraft-planes-left-sitting-pilot-shortage-2021-12">United CEO Scott Kirby telling legislators in December that 100 regional planes have been grounded</a> "because there's not enough pilots to fly them."</p><p>In a recent interview with The Points Guy, Kirby said he is unsure if the small jets have a future in the company's fleet.</p><p>"We're still debating what the long-term future of 50 seaters really is," he said. "The challenge is, do you want to serve places like Erie, Pennsylvania, at all, or Cody, Wyoming, or do those places just get cut off of the connectivity to the world?"</p><p>United's network adjustment is not the first regional schedule change the carrier has made since the pandemic. In November, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-will-stop-flying-to-11-us-cities-indefinitely-list-2021-11#:~:text=United%20Airlines%20is%20dropping%2011,markets%20since%20the%20pandemic%20started.">the company cut 11 cities from its route map</a>, like Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Evansville, Indiana. Soon after, in December, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-cutting-14-more-routes-to-small-cities-list-2021-12#:~:text=United%20confirmed%20to%20Insider%20on,factors%20contributing%20to%20the%20cuts.">United dropped another 14 routes between small airports and the DC area's Washington Dulles International Airport</a>.</p><p>A number of factors contribute to United's decision to pull out of <keyword id="13277868" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="regional-markets" source="Orion">regional markets</keyword>, though the biggest reasons are demand and profitability.</p><p>Henry Harteveldt, president and travel industry analyst of Atmosphere Research Group, told Insider in November that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/small-communities-are-losing-air-service-rest-the-country-2021-11">small markets are expensive to operate to</a> and carriers do not have a "civic responsibility" to serve them.</p><p>"In the wake of the most financially brutal 18 months that the global airline industry has experienced due to the COVID pandemic, airlines are going to seek out markets that they believe will give them an advantage, but if a city isn't profitable, they will cut it," he said at the time.</p><p>United is not the only carrier struggling to maintain regional routes. In November, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/american-airlines-cutting-27-routes-indefinitely-list-2021-11#:~:text=American%20Airlines%20is%20dropping%2027%20routes%20in%202022%2C%2018%20of,as%20ending%20some%20regional%20routes.">American Airlines cut service to several small airports</a>, like Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, and Charleston, West Virginia.</p><p>The carrier also nearly pulled out of Stillwater, Oklahoma, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/small-us-cities-fight-to-retain-airline-services-amid-pandemic-2022-2">but the city and its local college agreed to pay the airline $4 million</a> in revenue guarantee to keep its service.</p><p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-dropped-10-routes-from-its-flight-schedule-list-2021-12">Delta also axed several regional routes at the end of 2021</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/delta-ending-flights-to-cities-in-wyoming-colorado-and-nebraska-2021-12#:~:text=Atlanta%2Dbased%20Delta%20is%20dropping,The%20Points%20Guy%20first%20reported.">left three cities entirely</a>, including Cody, Wyoming, Grand Junction, Colorado, and Lincoln, Nebraska. </p><p>However, some airports were not so lucky, with American leaving a couple of cities without any airline service at all, including Williamsport Regional Airport in Pennsylvania and Tweed-New Haven Airport in Connecticut.</p><p>Fortunately, new low-cost carrier <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/avelo-airlines-low-cost-planning-routes-new-haven-florida-fares-2021-8">Avelo Airlines started operations out of New Haven in November</a>, though Williamsport is still waiting on a new operator, <a href="https://www.flyipt.com/airline/">according to the airport's website</a>.</p>

United is cutting 17 routes and leaving one US city entirely — see the full list

<p><strong></strong></p><strong><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Mark Makela</span></p><p class="caption">The National Transportation Safety Board just made public more than 3,000 pages of its investigation into Atlas Air Flight 3591, which was a flight contracted by Amazon.</p></strong><ul class="summary-list"><li>The National Transportation Safety Board made public more than 3,000 pages of its investigation into Atlas Air Flight 3591 on December 19. </li><li>That flight was carrying Amazon and US Postal Service cargo, and was contracted by Amazon. </li><li>The NTSB made no final report from the documents, but interviews point to oversights in training and hiring at Atlas. </li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</strong></li></ul><p>The National Transportation Safety Board made public more than 3,000 pages of its investigation into Atlas Air Flight 3591 on December 19. </p><p>Three people, including two Atlas Air employees and one Mesa Airlines employee riding in the plane's jump seat, died in the February 23 crash. Called CustomAir Obsession, the plane was contracted to Atlas Air by Amazon, and was carrying Amazon and US Postal Service cargo. </p><p>The NTSB did not release a final report or conclusion with its opening of the public docket. But, interviews with myriad executives, pilots, and training officials reveal a disturbing truth about safety standards at Atlas Air, which contracted 20 of its 112 planes to Amazon <a href="https://www.atlasairworldwide.com/2019/02/atlas-air-worldwide-reports-record-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-results-outlook-for-continued-growth-in-2019/">as of February</a>. Amazon also owns 20% of Atlas' stock warrants.</p><p>Two pilots were at the helm of Atlas Air Flight 3591, which it crashed on February 23 in Houston, Texas. The captain was Ricky Blakely, who had worked for Atlas Air since September 2015. He had 11,000 hours of flight experience and 1,250 hours of experience with the Boeing 767.</p><p><em><strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-air-pilots-labor-issues-2019-2">An Amazon Air plane crashed in February, killing all 3 people on board. Weeks earlier, several pilots said they thought an accident was inevitable.</a></em></p><p>Conrad Jules Aska, the first officer, or copilot, had 5,000 hours total flight experience and about 520 hours of experience with the Boeing 767. Mesa Airlines Capt. Sean Archuleta, who was riding in the jump seat, also died in the crash.</p><h2>What the NTSB documents showed</h2><p>The NTSB investigators found numerous problems relating to Atlas' pilot hiring practices - specifically around Aska. The first officer previously worked at Mesa Airlines, Air Wisconsin, and CommutAir. At the latter two airlines, the NTSB found that he failed to finish training and was promptly flushed out of those carriers. He spent just a month at CommutAir. </p><p>Before working at Atlas, Aska was a first officer at Mesa. He tried but could not upgrade from FO to captain on the Embraer 175 regional jet at the Phoenix-based regional carrier. Check airmen, or pilot trainers, at Mesa raised several concerning flags to NTSB investigators.</p><p>Captain Paul Allred, Mesa Air check airman, told the NTSB that Aska was "one of the worst he'd ever seen, probably a 2" out of 10 in terms of piloting skills.</p><p>Meanwhile, Captain Leigh Lawless, another Mesa Air check airman, said Aska had a "lack of understanding of how unsafe he was."</p><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/pages/DCA19MA086.aspx">National Transportation Safety Board</a></span></p><p class="caption">Aerial view of the debris following Atlas Air 3591's crash into Trinity Bay, near Houston, Texas.</p><p>NTSB investigators wrote, from talking with Lawless, that Aska "was making very frantic mistakes, lots and lots of mistakes, and did a lot of things wrong but did not recognize this was a problem. He thought he was a good pilot never had any problems and thought that he should be a captain. He could not evaluate himself and see that he did not have the right stuff."</p><p>Aska later applied to Atlas Air. He did not disclose his short stretches at Air Wisconsin or CommutAir while applying. </p><p>An Atlas spokesperson told Business Insider that the company's employees "meet or exceed all government safety standards. Atlas pilot training includes multiple reviews, evaluations and proficiency checks to comply with FAA regulations."</p><p>The spokesperson, who said Atlas is cooperating with the NTSB investigation, added that Atlas has enhanced employee training and candidate background checks since the crash.</p><h2>Quick scaling</h2><p>Scott Anderson, senior director of flight procedures, training, and standards at Atlas, told NTSB investigators that the airline would not have hired Aska had they known about his failures to pass trainings at those two airlines.</p><p>The pilot told Atlas during the hiring process that he was involved in real estate and freelance work during the two-year gap of his resume, which Atlas Air believed at the time. </p><p>"Any idea why Atlas didn't know about that -- those training difficulties?" the NTSB investigator asked.</p><p>"I don't know," Anderson responded. "I don't know."</p><p>Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.stevencmarks.com">aviation attorney Steven Marks</a> - who is representing Aska <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-atlas-air-fatal-crash-pilots-sue-2019-9">in a federal lawsuit against Amazon, Atlas, and other parties</a> - said every proficiency check and airline an applicant works for is disclosed by the Federal Aviation Agency when they apply to a new airline. "It is a wakeup call to start paying attention more to the operations and not compromise safety at the expense of growth," Marks told Business Insider. </p><p>Additionally, Anderson said Aska had several remedial trainings while at Atlas. Asked why he did not receive additional remedial training or retribution, Anderson referred to "mitigating circumstances" - including the presence of FAA officials observing his type rating, which could have made him more nervous and his performance worse, as well as damage to his home during Hurricane Irma.</p><p class="source"><span>Ted S. Warren / AP Images</span></p><p class="caption">The pilots who move your Amazon Air packages for contractors like Atlas Air have raised issue with their employers.</p><p>Anderson alluded in his interview to the quick scaling of Atlas Air in recent years. That growth is largely due to its partnership with Amazon, which it began working with in 2016.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-atlas-air-fatal-crash-pilots-sue-2019-9">Business Insider spoke with 13 pilots who work at Atlas Air and ATSG, Amazon's other air cargo partner, earlier this year.</a> Those pilots described how a culture of quick growth at Atlas, due to the Amazon contract, which contributed to a decline in safety and hiring standards.</p><p>"I am concerned anytime that new entrants into aviation particularly carrying packages or goods enter a market where their background has been essentially trying to cut costs to make money," <a href="http://www.hallassoc.net/Staff/managing%20partner.htm">Jim Hall</a>, who led the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) from 1994 to 2001, previously told Business Insider, referring specifically to Amazon.</p><p>"Cutting costs in aviation causes deaths and accidents."</p><p class="tagline"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/40-big-tech-predictions-for-2019?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;itm_content=amazon&amp;itm_campaign=40-big-tech-predictions-for-2019-2"></a></p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/million-mile-battery-tesla-miles-lifetime-2019-11">Here's how the million-mile battery could lead to Teslas lasting a lifetime</a></h3>

'Lack of understanding of how unsafe he was': A pilot in Amazon Air's crashed cargo plane raised safety concerns at previous employers and repeatedly failed key exams

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Last year saw an influx of <keyword id="44023" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="airlines">airlines</keyword> close up shop as the pandemic forced travelers to stay home. </li><li>All 11 major US airlines remained intact but smaller regional carriers were forced to close or merge due to the drop in <keyword id="6354692" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword> demand. </li><li>Not all were due to the pandemic, however, as the first two months of the year saw high-profile closures due to mounting losses. </li></ul><p>Each year sees a small number of airlines close up shop for any number of reasons, but last year had the pandemic to speed some along. </p><p>A surprise announcement in February that the promising Qatar Airways-backed Air Italy would be liquidated set the stage for a year of losses even before lockdowns grounded the world's airlines. And while the coronavirus was well-known by then, its destructive power in the airline industry was still yet to be realized. </p><p>In the US, all 11 major airlines remained intact but smaller regional carriers folded amid an unprecedented drop in passengers that remains low even into the new year. Three carriers operating flights on behalf of larger carriers both closed up shop after their services were no longer required by the majors, costing thousands of jobs in the industry amid an already grim period of furloughs. </p><p>Brett Snyder of the aviation blog CrankyFlyer's yearly list of "<a href="https://crankyflier.com/2020/12/31/airlines-we-lost-2020/">airlines we lost</a>" that reveals just how many didn't live to see the new year.</p><p><em><strong>Read more</strong>: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-airlines-business-class-pandemic-finance-covid-19-vaccine-2020-11?r=tp-sub">5 charts reveal how badly the loss of business travel is hurting America's biggest airlines - and why a COVID-19 vaccine won't ease the pain</a></em></p><p>Here are the most notable airlines we said goodbye to in 2020.</p><h2>Compass Airlines</h2><h2><div type="image" title="American Eagle E175" height="2827" width="3769" msid="80315208" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>Compass Airlines was a regional airline that shut down in April 2020 after ending operations with American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, according to <a href="https://www.flightglobal.com/strategy/compass-airlines-to-shut-down-operations/137408.article">FlightGlobal</a>. The Minneapolis-based carrier primarily flew the Embraer E175 aircraft with bases on the West Coast in its last years. </p><h2><keyword id="1476925" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="ExpressJet">ExpressJet</keyword> Airlines</h2><h2><div type="image" title="United Express Embraer ERJ145 ExpressJet" height="1666" width="2223" msid="80315211" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>ExpressJet Airlines was a regional airline that ceased operations on September 30, 2020, after United Airlines chose rival CommutAir to fly regional services. Major airlines like American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and most recently, United Airlines had contracted the airline to fly its regional hubs to smaller cities. </p><p>One pilot who flew for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/expressjet-airlines-ceases-operations-regional-airline-history-2020-10">ExpressJet described the airline to Insider as reliable and professional to the end</a>, earning the nickname "SureJet." </p><p> "We were the little airline that could," Colin Crane, a former ExpressJet pilot, told Insider in a prior interview.</p><p>The carrier had a small stint as an independent airline selling its own tickets and <keyword id="52392" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Flying">flying</keyword> its own routes but rising oil prices at the time put an end to that plan. </p><h2>Ernest</h2><h2><div type="image" title="Ernest airline" height="1441" width="1922" msid="80315213" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>Italy's Ernest suspended operations less than two weeks into 2020 after only five years of service, <a href="https://airlinegeeks.com/2019/12/29/italian-carrier-ernst-airlines-suspends-operations/">AirlineGeeks</a> reported. The carrier primarily served European destinations with a fleet of four Airbus aircraft. </p><h2>AtlasJet</h2><h2><div type="image" title="AtlasGlobal" height="1668" width="2223" msid="80315216" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>Turkish carrier AtlasGlobal suspended operations in February 2020 after having just resumed operations following a challenging economic environment in its home country, according to <a href="https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/turkeys-atlasglobal-reportedly-set-to-halt-flights-again/136720.article">FlightGlobal</a>. The airline operated flights within the Middle East and Europe with an Airbus fleet.</p><h2>Trans States Airlines</h2><h2><div type="image" title="Trans States Airlines" height="1113" width="1484" msid="80315218" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>Trans States Airlines was a regional airline that flew Embraer ERJ145 services for United Airlines, While originally planning to cease operations by the end of 2020 after consolidating operations with ExpressJet Airlines, the pandemic saw the airline cease operations on April 1, as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-airlines-that-failed-bankrupt-covid19-pandemic-2020-3#trans-states-airlines-us-march-2020-2">Insider's David Slotnick reported</a>.</p><p>Its parent company, Trans States Holdings, was also the parent company of Compass Airlines.</p><h2>Air Italy</h2><h2><div type="image" title="Air Italy" height="1665" width="2221" msid="80315220" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>Air Italy was an Italian airline reborn in 2018 under new ownership and strong backing from Qatar Airways. The airline could trace its routes back to the 1960s and flew under the Meridiana brand from the early 2000s until its rebrand. </p><p>Meridiana and the former Air Italy had combined to create an airline to rival Alitalia. The first new intercontinental flight launched to New York from Milan in June 2018 with subsequent expansions across the US and Canada. </p><p>Operations were ultimately ceased in February 2020 as its first years saw massive losses, as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/air-italy-to-liquidate-and-end-flights-latest-airline-bankruptcy-2020-2">Insider's David Slotnick reported</a>. The Boeing 737 Max grounding had also cost the airline since it relied on the aircraft for its European route network. </p><h2>Flybe</h2><h2><div type="image" title="Flybe Portugal" height="800" width="1066" msid="80315223" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>Flybe was an independent regional airline in the UK that ceased operations in March 2020 due to the pandemic, as the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/05/business/flybe-administration-coronavirus.html#:~:text=Flybe%2C%20an%20ailing%20regional%20airline,financial%20strains%20caused%20by%20coronavirus.">New York Times</a> reported. The airline had served the furthest and most obscure reaches of the British isle, especially cities that had been shunned by the country's larger carriers. </p><p>A group of companies including Virgin Atlantic Airways, Stobart Group, and Cyrus Capital had purchased the airline in 2019, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/05/business/flybe-administration-coronavirus.html#:~:text=Flybe%2C%20an%20ailing%20regional%20airline,financial%20strains%20caused%20by%20coronavirus.">Times</a> reported, but that couldn't keep the airline from going under.</p><h2>Germanwings</h2><h2><div type="image" title="germanwings plane" height="2331" width="3108" msid="80315227" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>Germanwings was one of the Lufthansa Group's low-cost carriers that ceased operations in April 2020 due to the pandemic, as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lufthansa-grounds-germanwings-in-sweeping-restructuring-2020-4">Reuters</a> reported. The Lufthansa Group started these carriers as a way of competing with the likes of Ryanair and EasyJet, which had offered incredibly low fares for flights across the continent. </p><p>The airline had suffered a massive public relations disaster when a co-pilot committed suicide by crashing a plane during a <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/plane-flying-from-barcelona-to-dusseldorf-crashes-in-france-2015-3">scheduled flight from Spain to Germany in 2015, killing all on board.</a></p><h2>SA Express</h2><h2><div type="image" title="SA Express" height="1392" width="1857" msid="80315229" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>SA Express was an independent regional airline in South Africa that ceased operations in May 2020 due to the pandemic, as <a href="https://airlinegeeks.com/2020/05/01/south-african-express-placed-under-liquidation-s-african-aviation-on-the-verge-of-collapse/">AirlineGeeks</a> reported. The airline had entered bankruptcy protection in February 2020. </p><h2>Tame</h2><h2><div type="image" title="TAME airline" height="1666" width="2222" msid="80315232" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>Tame was the flag carrier of Ecuador and shut down operations in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as <a href="https://www.routesonline.com/news/29/breaking-news/291391/tame-to-be-liquidated-but-essential-routes-to-continue/">Routesonline</a> reported. The carrier had flown within Latin America and North America during its tenure. </p><h2>Makani Kai</h2><div type="image" title="Mokulele Airlines Cessna 208" height="1232" width="1642" msid="80315235" hostid="261"></div><p>Makani Kai was a Hawaiian commuter airline that merged with Mokulele Air in June 2020, according to the <a href="https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/06/03/breaking-news/mokulele-airlines-and-makani-kai-air-announce-merger/">Star-Advertiser</a>. Both airlines merged as the pandemic has crippled traffic with Hawaii largely closed to tourists at the time. </p><h2>Level</h2><h2><div type="image" title="LEVEL airline" height="1666" width="2223" msid="80315237" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>Level was a low-cost airline that ceased operations in June and July 2020. The carrier was initially started by the International Airlines Group to rival the likes of Norwegian and Wow Air on transatlantic and intra-European routes.</p><p>Flights were operated from Barcelona and Paris to cities across Europe and across the Atlantic to the Americas.  Both the European and the transatlantic divisions of the airline ceased operations due to the pandemic, as <a href="https://www.flightglobal.com/strategy/level-france-becomes-latest-coronavirus-crisis-airline-casualty/139242.article">FlightGlobal</a> reported.  </p><h2>NokScoot</h2><h2><div type="image" title="Nokscoot airline" height="1362" width="1816" msid="80315239" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>NokScoot was a Thai airline that ceased operations in June 2020, as the <a href="https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1941572/nokscoot-goes-out-of-business">Bangkok Post</a> reported, citing the effects of the pandemic. The six-year-old airline was the result of a partnership between Scoot and Nok Airlines.</p><h2>LIAT</h2><h2><div type="image" title="LIAT airline" height="1666" width="2223" msid="80315241" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>LIAT was a Caribbean regional airline that ceased operations in July 2020 due to the pandemic after connecting the region's islands for years, the <a href="https://www.caymaniantimes.ky/news/liat-may-never-fly-again">Caymanian Times</a> reported. Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda had said the airline had been posting losses before the pandemic and hoped a replacement airline supported by Caribbean governments would form. </p><h2>Cathay Dragon</h2><h2><div type="image" title="Cathay Dragon Airbus A330-300" height="1357" width="1809" msid="80315242" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>Cathay Dragon was a regional airline based in Hong Kong that <a href="https://news.cathaypacific.com/cathay-pacific-group-announces-corporate-restructuring">ceased operations in October 2020</a>. The carrier's operations were restructured under the Cathay Pacific Group with Cathay Pacific Airways. </p><h2>Laudamotion</h2><h2><div type="image" title="Lauda Airbus A320" height="3623" width="4830" msid="80315244" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>Austria's Laudamotion was a European airline that ceased operations in 2020 to form a new airline, Lauda Europe, according to <a href="https://airlinegeeks.com/2020/07/30/laudiamotion-to-close-transfer-assets/">AirlineGeeks</a>. It was formed by Formula One driver Niki Lauda and owned by the Ryanair Group to provide low-cost flights across Europe. </p><h2>Austral</h2><h2><div type="image" title="Austral Argentina" height="1781" width="2375" msid="80315245" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>Argentina's Austral ceased to exist on December 1, 2020, after a merger with the country's flag carrier, Aerolineas Argentinas, according to <a href="https://airlinegeeks.com/2020/12/01/goodbye-penguins-austral-lineas-aereas-brand-disappears-after-merge/">AirlineGeeks</a>. The carrier had formed in 1971 and provided regional services in Argentina and neighboring countries.  </p><h2>German Airways</h2><h2><div type="image" title="German Airways" height="1666" width="2223" msid="80315246" hostid="261"></div></h2><p>German Airways was a charter airline that ceased operations in April 2020 due to the pandemic, according to <a href="https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/89443-germanys-lgw-files-for-voluntary-administration">CH Aviation</a>. The carrier provided 15 aircraft to Lufthansa Group's Eurowings including the Dash 8-400.</p><h2>Montenegro Airlines</h2><div type="image" title="Montenegro Airlines Fokker 100." height="3133" width="4177" msid="80315247" hostid="261"></div><p>Montenegro Airlines was a European carrier that ceased operations in December 2020 after its government stopped providing financing, the <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2020/12/27/montenegro-airlines-indebted-state-airline-ceases-operations/4054535001/">Associated Press</a> reported. The flag carrier only operation regional services within the continent with no overseas flights beyond the continent. </p>

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