Atlantic Southeast Airlines
Encyclopedia
College Park, Georgia
College Park is a city located partly in Fulton County, Georgia and partially in Clayton County, Georgia, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 13,942...
, flying to 144 destinations as a Delta Connection
Delta Connection
Delta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and one wholly owned regional carrier operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc...
carrier and, as of February 2010, commenced service as a United Express
United Express
United Express is a brand name under which eight regional airlines operate feeder flights for United Airlines. They primarily connect smaller cities with United's domestic hub airports and “focus cities,” although they offer some point-to-point service such as Sacramento to Eureka.As of Sept...
carrier. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyWest, Inc.
SkyWest, Inc.
SkyWest, Inc. is the parent company of SkyWest Airlines , Atlantic Southeast Airlines, and ExpressJet Airlines. It is headquartered in St. George, Utah, United States.-History:...
ASA operates nearly 900 flights each day. Its main hub is at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
(ATL).
History
On March 36, 1979, the company was incorporated as Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Inc. with headquarters established in the Atlanta area. June 27 saw the start of operations with one 19-passenger Twin Otter aircraft between Atlanta and Columbus, GeorgiaColumbus, Georgia
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, United States, with which it is consolidated. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 189,885. It is the principal city of the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, which, in 2009, had an estimated population of 292,795...
. From 1979 to 1999 the call sign for ASA was "ACEY". In 1999 there was confusion with call sign for FAA- NM based fighter unit w/ call sign "ACER". FAA insisted one change call sign- ASA was the one to change, since they had used the call sign for the least amount of time. June 27, 1999 ASA changed to call sign CAA "Candler" after founder of Coke, Asa Candler. On March 15, 2006 ASA was allowed to change its call sign back to ACEY, after the NM fighter unit defunct. Over the years, ASA's ICAO identifier changed from ASE to CAA to ACY to ASQ..
The company went public when the initial stock offering was completed in 1982. On April 1, 1983 the company acquired Southeastern Airlines
Southeastern Airlines
Southeastern Airlines was a regional airline that was acquired by Atlantic Southeast Airlines, a Delta Connection carrier, on April 1, 1983. It was formed in 1982 by Atlanta entrepreneur Michael J...
. About a year later, in 1984, ASA joined the Delta Connection Program as one of the first regional partners. In 1985 Atlantic Southeast Airlines was headquartered in what is now College Park. After only a few years as a true regional airline, the company was named 'Regional Airline of the Year' by Air Transport World
Air Transport World
Air Transport World is a monthly trade magazine covering the airline industry published by Penton Media. They also provide an online version with daily air transport news. The publication covers airline operations, market conditions, management, and related issues...
in January 1987.
In 1995 ASA was headquartered in a building in the Atlanta City limits.
ASA initiated jet service with introduction of BAe 146 aircraft in 1995. Two years later, the company began using the Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) for service from its Atlanta hub. CRJ service from the Dallas/Fort Worth hub began in 2000.
On September 8, 1998 the company was honored as one of the global aviation and aerospace industry's best managed companies by Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine.
Delta Air Lines acquired the company on March 22, 1999, increasing its stake in Atlantic Southeast Airlines from 28% to 100%, and operations began on May 11 of that year. In 2000, Comair, a Delta Connection partner, joined ASA in announcing industry's largest regional jet order. Also in 2000, ASA went international with flights to Toronto, Canada, from Atlanta.
In 2001, President Skip Barnette was named Regional Airline Executive of the year by the 2000 Commuter/Regional Airline News. Near the end of 2001, ASA carried the 2002 Olympic Flame
Olympic Flame
The Olympic Flame or Olympic Torch is a symbol of the Olympic Games. Commemorating the theft of fire from the Greek god Zeus by Prometheus, its origins lie in ancient Greece, where a fire was kept burning throughout the celebration of the ancient Olympics. The fire was reintroduced at the 1928...
between Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
and Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, as part of Delta's sponsorship of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
In 2002, ASA received and began using its first Delta Connection 70-seat CRJ700 aircraft. All previous CRJs were CRJ200 models, which only offered 50 seats. Also in 2002, ASA began service to its 100th airport: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport , sometimes called the Greater Cincinnati Airport is located in Hebron, unincorporated Boone County, Kentucky, United States and serves the Greater Cincinnati metropolitan area. Despite being located in Boone County, the airport operations are...
in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
. By June 2003, ASA had received its 100th CRJ. In 2004, a special-edition CRJ700 was delivered to ASA to celebrate its 25th anniversary of passenger service.
On August 15, 2005, Delta announced that it had entered into an agreement to sell ASA to SkyWest, Inc.
SkyWest, Inc.
SkyWest, Inc. is the parent company of SkyWest Airlines , Atlantic Southeast Airlines, and ExpressJet Airlines. It is headquartered in St. George, Utah, United States.-History:...
for $425 million, and on September 8, 2005, SkyWest announced that the acquisition had been completed, and that the code shares and flying would commence that night.
Shortly after the completion of the purchase by SkyWest, Inc.
SkyWest, Inc.
SkyWest, Inc. is the parent company of SkyWest Airlines , Atlantic Southeast Airlines, and ExpressJet Airlines. It is headquartered in St. George, Utah, United States.-History:...
the decision was made to close ASA's Salt Lake City hub and transfer 12 of ASA's CRJ700s to SkyWest Airlines
Skywest Airlines
Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd is a regional airline company based in Perth, Western Australia, Australia; servicing key towns in the state of Western Australia, Darwin, Northern Territory and Melbourne, Victoria; as well as charter flights to Bali, Indonesia....
. Eventually only 4 of the 12 airplanes were transferred between the certificates. SkyWest Airlines
Skywest Airlines
Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd is a regional airline company based in Perth, Western Australia, Australia; servicing key towns in the state of Western Australia, Darwin, Northern Territory and Melbourne, Victoria; as well as charter flights to Bali, Indonesia....
also took delivery of the remainder of ASA's regional jet orders, as 5 additional CRJ700s and 17 CRJ900s.
On June 1, 2006, ASA filed with the US Department of Transportation for an exemption to begin service from Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
to nine Mexican destinations under the Delta Connection
Delta Connection
Delta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and one wholly owned regional carrier operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc...
brand. This service is contingent on US as well as Mexican government approvals. ASA also announced the opening of a Los Angeles crew base on December 1, 2006, to support the expanded west coast operations. ASA began operations at its new Los Angeles focus city on December 15, 2006.
On December 20, 2006, Skywest Inc. announced that 8 Comair CRJ700 aircraft would be transferred to Atlantic Southeast Airlines and operated out of Delta's Cincinnati hub beginning in January 2007. This followed a request for proposal put out by Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
aiming to reduce costs of its Delta Connection service.
On December 30, 2008, Delta announced that 10 CRJ900 aircraft would be allocated to Atlantic Southeast Airlines beginning in April 2009. Eight aircraft will be delivered from the factory and two already in service with Pinnacle Airlines
Pinnacle Airlines
Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. is an American regional airline, which is a subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp., and operates as Delta Connection for Delta Air Lines...
will be transferred to ASA. As part of the fleet enhancement, 20 CRJ200 aircraft will be removed from ASA's Delta Connection Agreement beginning in June 2010.
ASA had the lowest rate of on-time performance, and the worst rate of mishandled baggage among all 19 US air carriers reporting to the US Department of Transportation for the full-year 2006. ASA's baggage handling performance improved slightly in 2007, but they once again ranked last out of all 20 reporting carriers for on-time performance. It should be noted, however, that ASA is not directly responsible for the mishandled baggage problems since ASA baggage is handled by Delta Air Lines. Under Brad Holt's new leadership, on-time performance has been steadily improving, with full recoveries in markets such as Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, where ASA was honored for exceeding the city's expectation in improving performance.
After over five years of contentious negotiations with the Air Line Pilots Association, a new three year agreement was reached in late September 2007 with ASA's 1800 pilots. ASA's Flight Attendants represented by the Association of Flight Attendants reached a contract agreement as of August 2008.
On February 12, 2009 Atlantic Southeast created aviation history by having the first all female African American crew in United States history. Flight 5202, A Bombardier CRJ700, departed Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International enroute to Nashville International
Nashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport is a joint civil-military airport in southeastern Nashville, Tennessee. The IATA Airport Code BNA is derived from the early name of the facility—Berry Field, NAshville. Berry Field was the name of the airport until 1988, when the name was changed to reflect...
with Captain Rachelle Jones and First Officer Stephanie Grant at the controls, and Flight Attendants Diana Galloway and Robin Rogers taking care of the passengers' needs. The return leg, Flight 5106 to Atlanta, had the same crew.
On May 21, 2010 Atlantic Southeast unveiled a new brand (top of page on right), moving away from "ASA," and a new vision.
In August 2010, SkyWest announced that it had entered into a definitive merger agreement with ExpressJet Holdings, whereby Atlantic Southeast,as SkyWest's wholly owned subsidiary, will purchase ExpressJet for $6.75 per share. Day one of the combined airlines was Friday, November 12, 2010. The combined airline will be based in Atlanta
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
. ExpressJet currently operates as Continental Express
Continental Express
Continental Express is the operating brand name used by a number of independently owned regional airlines providing regional jet feeder service under agreement with Continental Airlines...
and United Express
United Express
United Express is a brand name under which eight regional airlines operate feeder flights for United Airlines. They primarily connect smaller cities with United's domestic hub airports and “focus cities,” although they offer some point-to-point service such as Sacramento to Eureka.As of Sept...
. The airline expects to be operating under one certificate 4th quarter of 2011.
On July 13, 2011, Atlantic Southeast announced that it will change its name to "SureJet" after completion of its merger with ExpressJet Airlines
ExpressJet Airlines
ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. is an American regional airline based in the A-Tech Center in College Park, Georgia. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlantic Southeast Airlines which is in turn a subsidiary of the airline holding company SkyWest, Inc., parent company of the air carrier SkyWest...
. However, the reaction of employee groups at both airlines was so negative that the new name was put on hold less than 24 hours after being announced. Brand information and press releases pertaining to "SureJet" have been removed from Atlantic Southeast's public and employee websites and the company's combined identity was reconsidered. On October 14, 2011, the company announced that Atlantic Southeast's official company name will change to ExpressJet Airlines on December 31, 2011.
On November 22, 2011, both Atlantic Southeast and ExpressJet gained approval from the FAA for a single operating certificate that would allow them to operate as a single carrier under the ExpressJet name making ExpressJet the largest regional airline in the world with more than 400 aircraft.
Destinations
Fleet
As of January 2011, the Atlantic Southeast Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft with an average age of 8.4 years:| Aircraft | In Service | Passengers | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | Y | Total | ||
| Bombardier CRJ200ER Bombardier CRJ200 The Bombardier CRJ100 and CRJ200 are a family of regional airliner manufactured by Bombardier, and based on the Canadair Challenger business jet.-Development:... |
112 | 0 | 50 | 50 |
| Bombardier CRJ700ER | 46 | 9 | 56 | 65 |
| Bombardier CRJ900ER | 10 | 12 | 64 | 76 |
| Total | 168 | |||
After the closing of the proposed merger with ExpressJet a large amount (244) of ERJ-145 aircraft will join the fleet.
Most aircraft are operated as Delta Connection
Delta Connection
Delta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and one wholly owned regional carrier operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc...
, though 14 CRJ-200 aircraft operate as United Express
United Express
United Express is a brand name under which eight regional airlines operate feeder flights for United Airlines. They primarily connect smaller cities with United's domestic hub airports and “focus cities,” although they offer some point-to-point service such as Sacramento to Eureka.As of Sept...
.
Previous aircraft
Embraer Brasilia aircraft were retired from service in 2003, and aircraft that have not been sold are in storage at Hot Springs, ArkansasHot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...
. The airline operated:
- 19 ATR 72-210
- 6 British Aerospace 146-200BAe 146The British Aerospace 146 is a medium-sized commercial airliner formerly manufactured in the United Kingdom by British Aerospace, later part of BAE Systems. Production ran from 1983 until 2002. Manufacture of an improved version known as the Avro RJ began in 1992...
- de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterThe DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
- 6 de Havilland Canada Dash 7De Havilland Canada Dash 7The de Havilland Canada DHC-7, popularly known as the Dash 7, is a turboprop-powered regional airliner with STOL capabilities. It first flew in 1975 and remained in production until 1988 when the parent company, de Havilland Canada, was purchased by Boeing and was later sold to Bombardier...
- 13 Embraer EMB 110 BandeiranteEmbraer EMB 110 BandeiranteThe Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante is a general purpose 15-21 passenger twin-turboprop light transport aircraft suitable for military and civil duties...
- 3 Embraer EMB 120ER BrasiliaEmbraer EMB 120 Brasilia-Accidents:*Brazilian Air Force on July 8, 1988 an Embraer EMB 120RT Brasília registration FAB-2001 crashed during and engine-out landing at São José dos Campos. Five of the 9 occupants died....
- 12 Embraer EMB 120RT BrasiliaEmbraer EMB 120 Brasilia-Accidents:*Brazilian Air Force on July 8, 1988 an Embraer EMB 120RT Brasília registration FAB-2001 crashed during and engine-out landing at São José dos Campos. Five of the 9 occupants died....
- 10 Shorts 360Shorts 360The Short 360 is a commuter aircraft built by Short Brothers. The Short 360 seats up to 36-39 passengers and was introduced into service in 1981. It is a larger version of the Short 330.-Development:...
Incidents and accidents
- Flight 2366 (Lawton, OklahomaLawton, OklahomaThe city of Lawton is the county seat of Comanche County, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Located in the southwestern region of Oklahoma approximately southwest of Oklahoma City, it is the principal city of the Lawton Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, May 24, 1988; Crashed due to engine failure on take-off) - Flight 2254Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 2254On April 9, 1990, Atlantic Southeast Airlines commuter commercial flight 2254 from Muscle Shoals, Alabama to Gadsden, Alabama to Atlanta, Georgia was involved in a mid-air collision with a Cessna 172 over Gadsden resulting in the death of the pilot and passenger of the Cessna 172.-Accident:Atlantic...
(Gadsden, AlabamaGadsden, AlabamaThe city of Gadsden is the county seat of Etowah County in the U.S. state of Alabama, and it is located about 65 miles northeast of Birmingham, Alabama. It is the primary city of the Gadsden Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 103,459. Gadsden is closely associated with the...
, April 9, 1990; collided with a Civil Air PatrolCivil Air PatrolCivil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
Cessna 172Cessna 172The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a four-seat, single-engine, high-wing fixed-wing aircraft. First flown in 1955 and still in production, more Cessna 172s have been built than any other aircraft.-Design and development:...
after takeoff from Northeast Alabama Regional AirportNortheast Alabama Regional AirportNortheast Alabama Regional Airport is a public use airport located four nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Gadsden, a city in Etowah County, Alabama, United States. It is owned by Gadsden Airport Authority and it was previously known as Gadsden Municipal Airport...
) - Flight 2311Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 2311Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 2311 was a regularly scheduled commuter flight from Atlanta, Georgia to Brunswick, Georgia which suffered an uncontrolled collision with terrain during landing approach to Glynco Jetport , just north of Brunswick, on April 5, 1991. The aircraft was an Embraer...
(Brunswick, GeorgiaBrunswick, GeorgiaBrunswick is the major urban and economic center in southeastern Georgia in the United States. The municipality is located on a harbor near the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 30 miles north of Florida and 70 miles south of South Carolina. Brunswick is bordered on the east by the Atlantic...
, April 5, 1991; killed 23, including former U.S. Senator John TowerJohn TowerJohn Goodwin Tower was the first Republican United States senator from Texas since Reconstruction. He served from 1961 until his retirement in January 1985, after which time he was the chairman of the Reagan-appointed Tower Commission that investigated the Iran-Contra Affair. He was George H. W...
and astronaut Sonny CarterSonny CarterManley Lanier "Sonny" Carter, Jr. was an American physician, professional soccer player, naval officer, and NASA astronaut who flew on STS-33.-Early life:...
) - Flight 529Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529, registration N256AS, was an Embraer Brasilia aircraft that crashed near Carrollton, Georgia on August 21, 1995 while on a flight from the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport in Gulfport, Mississippi...
(near Carrollton, GeorgiaCarrollton, GeorgiaCarrollton is a city in West Georgia, United States, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,388...
, August 21, 1995) - Flight 5058 (Baton Rouge Metropolitan AirportBaton Rouge Metropolitan AirportBaton Rouge Metropolitan Airport , also known as Ryan Field, is a public use airport located four nautical miles north of the central business district of Baton Rouge, a city in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States....
), September 2, 2011; Canadair CRJ-200 N875AS landed with the port main undercarriage retracted. There were no injuries amongst the 50 passengers and three crew on board.