Reno Air
Encyclopedia
Reno Air was a scheduled passenger airline headquartered in Reno
, Nevada
, United States.
Reno Air provided service from its hubs at Reno/Tahoe International Airport
in Reno, Nevada
and San Jose International Airport
in San Jose, California
to destinations throughout the western United States, Canada (Vancouver, British Columbia) and with limited service to the US east coast. Its fleet consisted of McDonnell Douglas MD-80 and MD-90 aircraft. In addition, Jetstream 31 aircraft were operated as Reno Air Express by Mid Pacific Air
.
Founded in June 1990, the airline's first flight was on July 1, 1992, a nonstop flight from Reno to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
in Seattle, Washington
. Following the development of its Reno hub, the airline purchased the San Jose hub of American Airlines
and built it up as a second hub. At the same time, the airline joined American's AAdvantage
program, allowing AAdvantage members to earn credit for flying Reno Air.
While the airline flew most of its routes on the U.S. West Coast from their two hubs, Reno Air also operated a separate route system based in Gulfport, Mississippi
. The Mississippi airport was linked with flights to St. Petersburg
and Orlando
in Florida
and Atlanta, Georgia
. None of those four airports was linked to the rest of the Reno Air route system. The flights were operated as scheduled flights, not charter flights.
In February 1999, Reno Air was purchased by American, and flew its last flight on August 30 of that year. Although American at first retained the former Reno Air aircraft and repainted them into a modified version of the American Airlines color scheme (with a white fuselage instead of an unpainted one), American disposed of the entire Reno Air fleet in 2001 as part of capacity reduction efforts following the 9/11 attacks (this was the same case with former Trans World Airlines
services that American had acquired). The re-acquisition of the San Jose hub, which American did not want anyway, combined with other issues led to the remaining assets of the airline being dismantled. By the end of 2001 (especially after 9/11) nothing of the original Reno Air existed anymore, and American Airlines downgraded Reno to a spoke city rather than a hub.
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, United States.
Reno Air provided service from its hubs at Reno/Tahoe International Airport
Reno/Tahoe International Airport
Reno-Tahoe International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three nautical miles southeast of the central business district of Reno, a city in Washoe County, Nevada, United States...
in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
and San Jose International Airport
San Jose International Airport
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport is a city-owned public-use airport serving the city of San Jose in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is named for San Jose native Norman Yoshio Mineta, who was Transportation Secretary in the Cabinet of George W...
in San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
to destinations throughout the western United States, Canada (Vancouver, British Columbia) and with limited service to the US east coast. Its fleet consisted of McDonnell Douglas MD-80 and MD-90 aircraft. In addition, Jetstream 31 aircraft were operated as Reno Air Express by Mid Pacific Air
Mid Pacific Air
Mid Pacific Air was founded in 1981 as a low-cost regional airline serving Hawaii. Routes connected the islands of Kauai, O'ahu, Maui and Hawaii . Its primary competitors were the existing regional carriers, Hawaiian Airlines and Aloha Airlines...
.
Founded in June 1990, the airline's first flight was on July 1, 1992, a nonstop flight from Reno to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
The Seattle–Tacoma International Airport , also known as Sea–Tac Airport or Sea–Tac , is an American airport located in SeaTac, Washington, at the intersections of State Routes 99 and 509 and 518, about west of Interstate 5...
in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. Following the development of its Reno hub, the airline purchased the San Jose hub of American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
and built it up as a second hub. At the same time, the airline joined American's AAdvantage
AAdvantage
AAdvantage is the frequent flyer program of American Airlines. Launched May 1, 1981, it was the second such loyalty program in the world , and remains the largest with more than 67 million members as of October 2011.Miles accumulated in the program allow members to redeem tickets, upgrade service...
program, allowing AAdvantage members to earn credit for flying Reno Air.
While the airline flew most of its routes on the U.S. West Coast from their two hubs, Reno Air also operated a separate route system based in Gulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport, Mississippi
Gulfport is the second largest city in Mississippi after the state capital Jackson. It is the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. As of the...
. The Mississippi airport was linked with flights to St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
and Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. None of those four airports was linked to the rest of the Reno Air route system. The flights were operated as scheduled flights, not charter flights.
In February 1999, Reno Air was purchased by American, and flew its last flight on August 30 of that year. Although American at first retained the former Reno Air aircraft and repainted them into a modified version of the American Airlines color scheme (with a white fuselage instead of an unpainted one), American disposed of the entire Reno Air fleet in 2001 as part of capacity reduction efforts following the 9/11 attacks (this was the same case with former Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines was an American airline that existed from 1925 until it was bought out by and merged with American Airlines in 2001. It was a major domestic airline in the United States and the main U.S.-based competitor of Pan American World Airways on intercontinental routes from 1946...
services that American had acquired). The re-acquisition of the San Jose hub, which American did not want anyway, combined with other issues led to the remaining assets of the airline being dismantled. By the end of 2001 (especially after 9/11) nothing of the original Reno Air existed anymore, and American Airlines downgraded Reno to a spoke city rather than a hub.
Fleet
| Aircraft | Total |
|---|---|
| McDonnell Douglas MD-81 | 1 |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | 11 |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-83 | 14 |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-87 | 6 |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-90 McDonnell Douglas MD-90 The McDonnell Douglas MD-90 is a twin-engine, short- to medium-range, single-aisle commercial jet aircraft. The MD-90 was developed from the MD-80 series. Differences from the MD-80 include more fuel efficient International Aero Engines V2500 engines and a longer fuselage... |
5 |
External links
- Reno Air (Archive)