Big Sky Airlines
Encyclopedia
Big Sky Airlines was an American
regional airline
that operated from 1978 to 2008. Headquartered in Billings
, Montana
, United States
. Big Sky was wholly owned by Big Sky Transportation Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of MAIR Holdings
.
Big Sky operated scheduled commuter passenger services to 10 cities and maintained a hub at Billings Logan International Airport
in Billings, Montana
, from which the airline flew more of its non-stop routes than it did from any other airport. The airline was a crucial air link within the state of Montana, served as the primary (and in some cases, only) commercial air carrier to several small airports in the state. The airline also began and ended service to a number of other locations over the years, often operating as a contract carrier under the federal government's Essential Air Service
(EAS) program.
. This remained the core of the company's business throughout its history, although the airline also expanded into a number of other geographic areas over the years. Most of the later expansions proved to be short-lived, however.
Big Sky started to take over Exec Express II d/b/a Lone Star Airlines
/Aspen Mountain Air's EAS routes in October 1998, following their bankruptcy. Transfer of services was completed in December 1998.
In late 2002, Big Sky Airlines offered service between Idaho Falls, Idaho
and Denver, Colorado
but canceled it three months afterward, declaring it unprofitable.
In early 2005, Big Sky announced a few changes to its service, planning the termination of service to North Dakota
, and replacing its Metro fleet with Beechcraft 1900Ds
which were leased from Mesa Air Group
subsidiary Air Midwest
.
In February 2006 Big Sky began daily service between Walla Walla Regional Airport(ALW) and Boise(BOI). Service ceased with the airline's bankruptcy in 2007.
In July 2006, Big Sky announced that the airline would discontinue service to Great Falls, Montana
; Kalispell, Montana
; and Spokane, Washington
. The airline also announced that one of their Beech 1900D's would be leased to an airline in Florida.
On September 1, 2006, Big Sky discontinued service to Moses Lake, Washington
.
On December 21, 2006, a press release announced that Big Sky would become a Delta Connection
carrier, using eight Beechcraft 1900D
turboprops out of Boston's Logan International Airport
. The airline's east coast operations ended on January 7, 2008.
In late 2007 Great Lakes Airlines
was given USDOT
approval to take over EAS service to and from Billings, Montana and seven other Montana cities currently served by Big Sky. Great Lakes has not announced a start date for its service, however, and Big Sky's EAS cities in Montana are currently without scheduled flight service.
Big Sky's final scheduled flights arrived in Billings on the morning of March 8, 2008; that morning, the three final flights marked the end of the airline by performing a joint flyover of the Billings airport prior to landing.
The airline's website, www.bigskyair.com, has been deactivated.
Idaho
Montana
Oregon
Washington
Wyoming
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
regional airline
Regional airline
Regional airlines are airlines that operate regional aircraft to provide passenger air service to communities without sufficient demand to attract mainline service...
that operated from 1978 to 2008. Headquartered in Billings
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Big Sky was wholly owned by Big Sky Transportation Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of MAIR Holdings
MAIR Holdings
MAIR Holdings, Inc. was an airline holding company. Later in its life its headquarters were in Fifth Street Towers II in Downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. At an earlier time its headquarters were on the property of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and in Fort Snelling, an unincorporated...
.
Big Sky operated scheduled commuter passenger services to 10 cities and maintained a hub at Billings Logan International Airport
Billings Logan International Airport
-Top Destinations:-External links:* , official site...
in Billings, Montana
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
, from which the airline flew more of its non-stop routes than it did from any other airport. The airline was a crucial air link within the state of Montana, served as the primary (and in some cases, only) commercial air carrier to several small airports in the state. The airline also began and ended service to a number of other locations over the years, often operating as a contract carrier under the federal government's Essential Air Service
Essential Air Service
Essential Air Service is a U.S. government program enacted to guarantee that small communities in the United States, which, prior to deregulation, were served by certificated airlines, maintained commercial service. Its aim is to maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service to these...
(EAS) program.
History
The airline was established in 1978 and started operations on September 15, 1978, initially operating to a number of small cities in eastern and central Montana formerly served by the original Frontier AirlinesFrontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines was formed from a merger of Arizona Airways, Challenger Airlines, and Monarch Airlines on June 1, 1950. They established their headquarters at Stapleton Airport in Denver. However, the airline dated itself to November 27, 1946, when Monarch Airlines began service in Colorado,...
. This remained the core of the company's business throughout its history, although the airline also expanded into a number of other geographic areas over the years. Most of the later expansions proved to be short-lived, however.
Big Sky started to take over Exec Express II d/b/a Lone Star Airlines
Lone Star Airlines
Lone Star Airlines was an American regional airline that operated both domestic and international flights. For much of the airline's life its headquarters were located in the Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas. The airline's largest hub was located at Dallas-Fort Worth International...
/Aspen Mountain Air's EAS routes in October 1998, following their bankruptcy. Transfer of services was completed in December 1998.
In late 2002, Big Sky Airlines offered service between Idaho Falls, Idaho
Idaho Falls, Idaho
Idaho Falls is a city in and the county seat of Bonneville County, Idaho, United States, and the largest city in Eastern Idaho. As of the 2010 census, the population of Idaho Falls was 56,813, with a metro population of 130,374....
and Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
but canceled it three months afterward, declaring it unprofitable.
In early 2005, Big Sky announced a few changes to its service, planning the termination of service to North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, and replacing its Metro fleet with Beechcraft 1900Ds
Beechcraft 1900
The Beechcraft 1900 is a 19-passenger, pressurized twin-engine turboprop airplane manufactured by the Beechcraft Division of the Raytheon Company . It was designed, and is primarily used, as a regional airliner...
which were leased from Mesa Air Group
Mesa Air Group
Mesa Air Group, Inc. is a Nevada Corporation commercial aviation holding company with headquarters in Suite 100 at 410 North 44th Street in the Camelback East area of Phoenix, Arizona, United States. The company operates one regional airline subsidiary: Mesa Airlines, and five supporting...
subsidiary Air Midwest
Air Midwest
Air Midwest, Inc., was a Federal Aviation Administration Part 121 certificated air carrier operating under air carrier certificate number AMWA510A issued on May 15, 1965. It was headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, United States, and was a subsidiary of Mesa Air Group. It operated flights as US...
.
In February 2006 Big Sky began daily service between Walla Walla Regional Airport(ALW) and Boise(BOI). Service ceased with the airline's bankruptcy in 2007.
In July 2006, Big Sky announced that the airline would discontinue service to Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
; Kalispell, Montana
Kalispell, Montana
Kalispell is a city in and the county seat of Flathead County, Montana, United States. The 2010 census put Kalispell's population at 19,927 up 5,704 over 2000. At 40.1% this is the largest percentage of growth of any incorporated city in Montana. Kalispell is the largest city and commercial center...
; and Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
. The airline also announced that one of their Beech 1900D's would be leased to an airline in Florida.
On September 1, 2006, Big Sky discontinued service to Moses Lake, Washington
Moses Lake, Washington
Moses Lake is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 20,366 as of the 2010 census. Moses Lake is the largest city in Grant County.-Background:...
.
On December 21, 2006, a press release announced that Big Sky would become 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, using eight Beechcraft 1900D
Beechcraft 1900
The Beechcraft 1900 is a 19-passenger, pressurized twin-engine turboprop airplane manufactured by the Beechcraft Division of the Raytheon Company . It was designed, and is primarily used, as a regional airliner...
turboprops out of Boston's Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...
. The airline's east coast operations ended on January 7, 2008.
Closure
On December 20, 2007, Big Sky announced that it would more than likely cease operations within 60 to 90 days. This was due to the loss of the Delta contract, unusually bad weather, disappointing revenue and record-high fuel prices. The remaining Beechcraft 1900D aircraft are be auctioned off and proceeds returned to MAIR holdings stockholders. When this happens, the airline will be disbanded.In late 2007 Great Lakes Airlines
Great Lakes Airlines
Great Lakes Airlines , is an American regional airline operating domestic scheduled and charter services. Corporate headquarters are located in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with hubs at Denver International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, McCarran...
was given USDOT
United States Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967...
approval to take over EAS service to and from Billings, Montana and seven other Montana cities currently served by Big Sky. Great Lakes has not announced a start date for its service, however, and Big Sky's EAS cities in Montana are currently without scheduled flight service.
Big Sky's final scheduled flights arrived in Billings on the morning of March 8, 2008; that morning, the three final flights marked the end of the airline by performing a joint flyover of the Billings airport prior to landing.
The airline's website, www.bigskyair.com, has been deactivated.
Destinations
ColoradoColorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- Denver (Denver International AirportDenver International AirportDenver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel...
)
Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
- BoiseBoise, IdahoBoise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
(Boise AirportBoise AirportBoise Airport , also known as Boise Air Terminal or Gowen Field, is a joint civil-military, commercial and general aviation airport located three nautical miles south of downtown Boise in Ada County, Idaho, USA...
)
Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
- BillingsBillings, MontanaBillings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
(Billings Logan International AirportBillings Logan International Airport-Top Destinations:-External links:* , official site...
) Hub - BozemanBozeman, MontanaBozeman is a city in and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. The 2010 census put Bozeman's population at 37,280 making it the fourth largest city in the state. It is the principal city of the Bozeman micropolitan area, which consists...
(Gallatin Field AirportGallatin Field AirportGallatin Field Airport , also known as Gallatin Field, is a public-use airport located seven nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Bozeman, a city in Gallatin County, Montana, United States. It is owned by the Gallatin Airport Authority...
) - GlasgowGlasgow, MontanaGlasgow is a city in and the county seat of Valley County, Montana, United States. The population was 3,253 at the 2000 census.-History:Glasgow was founded in 1887 as a railroad town by James J. Hill, who was responsible for creating many communities along the Hi-Line. The town was named after...
(Glasgow Airport) - GlendiveGlendive, MontanaGlendive is a city in and the county seat of Dawson County, Montana, United States. The population was 4,935 at the 2010 census.The town of Glendive is located in South Eastern Montana and is considered by many as an agricultural hub of Eastern Montana...
(Dawson Community AirportDawson Community AirportDawson Community Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located four nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Glendive, a city in Dawson County, Montana, United States. This airport is included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2009–2013, which...
) - Great FallsGreat Falls, MontanaGreat Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
(Great Falls International AirportGreat Falls International AirportGreat Falls International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located within city limits, three miles southwest of central Great Falls in Cascade County, Montana, USA...
) - HavreHavre, MontanaHavre is a city in, and the county seat of, Hill County, Montana, United States. It is said to be named after the city of Le Havre in France. The population was 9,621 at the 2000 census.-History:...
(Havre City-County AirportHavre City-County AirportHavre City-County Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles west of the central business district of Havre, a city in Hill County, Montana, United States. It is owned by the city of Havre and Hill County. This airport is included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport...
) - HelenaHelena, MontanaHelena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
(Helena Regional AirportHelena Regional AirportHelena Regional Airport is a public airport located two miles northeast of the city of Helena in Lewis and Clark County, Montana, United States. The airport has three runways.- Airlines & Destinations :- External links :*...
) - KalispellKalispell, MontanaKalispell is a city in and the county seat of Flathead County, Montana, United States. The 2010 census put Kalispell's population at 19,927 up 5,704 over 2000. At 40.1% this is the largest percentage of growth of any incorporated city in Montana. Kalispell is the largest city and commercial center...
(Glacier Park International AirportGlacier Park International AirportGlacier Park International Airport is a public airport serving Flathead County, Montana, in the United States. It located six miles northeast of the central business district of Kalispell and also serves the towns of Evergreen, Columbia Falls, and Whitefish as well as Glacier National Park...
) - LewistownLewistown, MontanaLewistown is a city in and the county seat of Fergus County, Montana, United States. The population was 5,813 at the 2000 census. Lewistown is located in central Montana, the geographic center of the state, southeast of Great Falls...
(Lewistown Municipal AirportLewistown Municipal AirportLewistown Municipal Airport is a public-use airport located two nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Lewistown, a city in Fergus County, Montana, United States. It is owned by the City of Lewistown and Fergus County...
) - Miles CityMiles City, MontanaMiles City is a city in and the county seat of Custer County, Montana, United States. The population was 8,123 at the 2010 census.- History :...
(Miles City Municipal AirportMiles City Municipal AirportMiles City Airport or Frank Wiley Field is a city-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Miles City, in Custer County, Montana, United States. This airport is included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for...
) - MissoulaMissoula, MontanaMissoula is a city located in western Montana and is the county seat of Missoula County. The 2010 Census put the population of Missoula at 66,788 and the population of Missoula County at 109,299. Missoula is the principal city of the Missoula Metropolitan Area...
(Missoula International AirportMissoula International AirportMissoula International Airport/Johnson-Bell Field is a public airport located four miles northwest of the city of Missoula in Missoula County, Montana, USA. The airport has two runways. There are currently several expansion projects planned or underway, including the construction of 150 foot...
) - SidneySidney, MontanaSidney is a city in and the county seat of Richland County, Montana, United States, less than away from the North Dakota border. The population was 5,191 at the 2010 census. The city lies along the Yellowstone River and is in proximity to the badlands of the Dakotas...
(Sidney-Richland Municipal AirportSidney-Richland Municipal AirportSidney-Richland Municipal Airport is a public use airport located one nautical mile west of the central business district of Sidney, a city in Richland County, Montana, United States. It is owned by the Sidney Richland Airport Authority...
) - Wolf PointWolf Point, MontanaWolf Point is a city in and the county seat of Roosevelt County, Montana, United States. The population was 2,621 at the 2010 census. It is the largest community on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Wolf Point is the home of the annual Wild Horse Stampede, held every year during the second weekend...
(L. M. Clayton AirportL. M. Clayton AirportL. M. Clayton Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Wolf Point, a city in Roosevelt County, Montana, United States. It is owned by the City of Wolf Point and Roosevelt County...
)
Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
- PortlandPortland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
(Portland International AirportPortland International AirportPortland International Airport is a joint civil-military airport and the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of passenger travel and more than 95% of air cargo of the state. It is located within Portland's city limits just south of the Columbia River in Multnomah...
)
Washington
- Moses LakeMoses Lake, WashingtonMoses Lake is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 20,366 as of the 2010 census. Moses Lake is the largest city in Grant County.-Background:...
(Grant County International AirportGrant County International AirportGrant County International Airport is a public use airport located five nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Moses Lake, in Grant County, Washington, United States. It is owned by the Port of Moses Lake....
) - SpokaneSpokane, WashingtonSpokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
(Spokane International AirportSpokane International AirportSpokane International Airport is a commercial airport located about west of downtown Spokane in Spokane County, Washington. It is the primary airport for Spokane, eastern Washington, Coeur d'Alene, and northern Idaho...
) - Walla WallaWalla Walla, WashingtonWalla Walla is the largest city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,731 at the 2010 census...
Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
- SheridanSheridan, ColoradoSheridan is a Home Rule Municipality in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. The population was 5,600 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sheridan is located at ....
(Sheridan County AirportSheridan County AirportSheridan County Airport is a public airport located two miles southwest of the central business district of Sheridan, a city in Sheridan County, Wyoming, USA. The airport covers and has two runways...
)
Fleet
As of January 2008, Big Sky Airlines had 10 aircraft in its fleet consisting of:| Aircraft | Total | Passengers (Economy) |
Routes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beechcraft 1900D Beechcraft 1900 The Beechcraft 1900 is a 19-passenger, pressurized twin-engine turboprop airplane manufactured by the Beechcraft Division of the Raytheon Company . It was designed, and is primarily used, as a regional airliner... |
10 | 19 | All | Some aircraft set aside for use 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... |
Codeshare agreements
Big Sky had codeshare agreements with the following airlines. The codeshare agreements allowed the larger carriers to place their airline codes on Big Sky flights, but not vice versa.- Alaska AirlinesAlaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
/Horizon AirHorizon AirHorizon Air Industries, Inc. is a regional low-cost airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States. It is the eighth largest regional airline in the USA, serving 52 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.... - Northwest AirlinesNorthwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
- US AirwaysUS AirwaysUS Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
External links
- Big Sky Airlines (Archive)