Cape Air
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Craig Stewart, Dan Wolf, Grant Wilson |
| Headquarters | Hyannis, Massachusetts , United States |
Area served | Northeast United States, Caribbean, Eastern Montana |
Key people | Linda Markham (President and Chief Administrative Officer) |
| Products | Scheduled passenger flights |
| Parent | Hyannis Air Service Inc. |
Hyannis Air Service Inc., doing business as Cape Air, is an airline based at Cape Cod Gateway Airport in Hyannis, Massachusetts, United States. It offers scheduled passenger flights throughout the Northeast, the Caribbean, and Eastern Montana regions.
Cape Air operates light aircraft under Part 135 Commuter regulations and has established interline and codeshare partnerships with major airlines to facilitate ticketing and baggage handling. Services connecting Hyannis and Nantucket, Massachusetts are marketed under the Nantucket Airlines brand, which is also managed by Hyannis Air Service, Inc. The company’s tagline is We're your wings.
History
Founded in 1988 by pilots Craig Stewart and Dan Wolf, together with investor Grant Wilson, Cape Air began its operations on the route between Provincetown and Boston, Massachusetts. This service filled the void left after Provincetown-Boston Airlines ceased operations following airline deregulation. Throughout the 1990s, Cape Air steadily grew its presence across Cape Cod and southeastern New England. In 1994, it merged with Nantucket Airlines, introducing frequent hourly flights between Nantucket and Hyannis.
In 1993, Cape Air expanded into Florida by launching flights from Key West International Airport to Naples Municipal Airport. This network extended in 1996 to include Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers. By 1998, the airline had established a Caribbean hub based at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The year 2004 marked Cape Air’s acquisition of FAR Part 121 certification and the creation of a new hub in Guam equipped with three ATR 42 turboprop aircraft. Under Pacific Administrator Captain Russell Price, the airline began operating as Continental Connection, providing service from Guam to Saipan and Rota. This route was distinguished as "America's First Flight" daily due to its position relative to the International Dateline.
Throughout the 2000s, Cape Air’s Florida operations continued under the Continental Connection brand while retaining its own livery. It replaced Gulfstream International Airlines by operating flights between Tampa, Sarasota, and Fort Myers.
Expansion persisted in late 2007 when Cape Air introduced new routes in the Northeast and Midwest under the U.S. government's Essential Air Service (EAS) program. Initial service connected Boston with Rutland, Vermont, followed by additional routes in Indiana linking Indianapolis to Evansville and South Bend. However, Cape Air discontinued its Indiana operations in August 2008 after revenue guarantees ceased and passenger numbers proved insufficient.
Between 2008 and 2009, Cape Air briefly operated flights between Florida Keys Marathon Airport and Fort Myers but withdrew from all intra-Florida routes by 2013. After Big Sky Airlines ceased operations in early 2008, Cape Air expanded into upstate New York through EAS contracts running from Boston to Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake. Additional EAS services were launched connecting Albany to Watertown, Ogdensburg, Massena, and Rutland Airport. Routes from Rockland, Maine, and Lebanon, New Hampshire to Boston were also added. To accommodate this growth, Cape Air increased its fleet by acquiring four additional Cessna 402 aircraft.
Efforts to expand along the West Coast were unsuccessful when Cape Air lost a contract for Newport-Portland service in Oregon to SeaPort Airlines. Nonetheless, in September 2013 the U.S. Department of Transportation approved Cape Air for EAS service linking Billings with five communities across Eastern Montana beginning that December. In the Mid-Atlantic region, Cape Air operated flights from Hagerstown Regional and Lancaster Airports to Baltimore/Washington International Airport until ceasing these services in October 2012.
Linda Markham was named president and chief administrative officer in May 2013.
By 2014, Cape Air was transporting approximately 750,000 passengers annually with up to 550 daily departures generating revenues around $120 million. It stands as the largest independent regional airline within the United States with consistent growth fueled by expanding its route network.
In 2016, Cape Air commenced flights from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini in the Bahamas.
Following the merger of Continental Airlines with United Airlines in 2010, Cape Air’s Guam operations flew under the United Express brand until United terminated this partnership in May 2018. This ended United Express turboprop service at Guam’s Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport.
As of 2023, Cape Air provides service between Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Manistee County Blacker Airport in Michigan while maintaining codeshare and interline agreements with major carriers such as American Airlines and United Airlines on this corridor.
Pilots
In early 2016, Cape Air discontinued certain flights, attributing the decision to a shortage of pilots; however, the Air Line Pilots Association pointed to inadequate compensation as the root cause. The airline recruits pilots for co-pilot positions after they have logged between 500 and 750 hours in foundational roles such as flight instruction. Advancement to captain occurs once a pilot reaches 1,500 flight hours, and after accumulating comparable experience over roughly two years, pilots often move on to partner carriers like JetBlue or Spirit Airlines. Additionally, Cape Air hires pilots older than 65—the mandatory retirement age for FAR Part 121 operators—provided they hold a valid first-class medical certificate.
Nantucket Airlines
Cape Air merged with Nantucket Airlines in 1994, which now functions as an affiliated carrier specializing in routes connecting Nantucket Memorial Airport with Barnstable Municipal Airport. Nantucket Airlines operates a modest fleet of Cessna 402C Businessliners adorned in its own distinctive paint scheme.
Destinations
Cape Air serves three primary route systems spanning the Northeast, the Caribbean, and Montana.
Northeast
Caribbean
| City | Airport | IATA Code | Destinations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anguilla | ||||
| Anguilla | Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport | AXA | St. Thomas | |
| British Virgin Islands | ||||
| Tortola | Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport | EIS | San Juan, St. Thomas | |
| Virgin Gorda | Virgin Gorda Airport | VIJ | San Juan | |
| Puerto Rico | ||||
| Culebra | Benjamín Rivera Noriega Airport | CPX | San Juan, Vieques | |
| Mayagüez | Eugenio María de Hostos Airport | MAZ | San Juan | |
| San Juan | Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport | SJU | Culebra, Mayagüez, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Tortola, Vieques, Virgin Gorda | |
| Vieques | Antonio Rivera Rodríguez Airport | VQS | Culebra, San Juan, St. Croix | |
| St. Kitts and Nevis | ||||
| Nevis | Vance W. Amory International Airport | NEV | St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Thomas | |
| St. Kitts | Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport | SKB | Nevis, St. Thomas | |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | ||||
| St. Croix | Henry E. Rohlsen Airport | STX | Nevis, San Juan, St. Thomas, Vieques | |
| St. Thomas | Cyril E. King Airport | STT | Anguilla, Nevis, San Juan, St. Croix, St. Kitts, Tortola, Vieques | |
Montana
| City | Airport | IATA Code | Destinations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | ||||
| Billings | Logan International Airport | BIL | Glasgow MT, Glendive, Havre, Sidney MT, Wolf Point | |
| Glasgow | Glasgow Valley County Airport | GGW | Billings | |
| Glendive | Dawson Community Airport | GDV | Billings | |
| Havre | Havre City–County Airport | HVR | Billings | |
| Sidney | Sidney–Richland Municipal Airport | SDY | Billings | |
| Wolf Point | L. M. Clayton Airport | OLF | Billings | |
JetBlue
Beginning in February 2007, Cape Air entered into an interline arrangement with JetBlue Airways, which has enhanced its operational framework by allowing passengers to transfer smoothly from Boston Logan and San Juan to Cape Air’s regional routes throughout the Northeast, Florida, and Caribbean territories. This collaboration facilitates unified booking under one reservation and consolidated baggage handling while utilizing adjacent terminals in both Boston and San Juan to ensure efficient connections—thereby bolstering Cape Air’s market presence and competitive positioning in these areas.
American Airlines
In February 2013, Cape Air and American Airlines (AA) initiated a code-share partnership for Caribbean service, including destinations such as Anguilla, Nevis, Tortola, Vieques, and Mayaguez. Their collaboration in the Midwest began in 2010, linking Marion, IL; Owensboro, KY; and Kirksville, MO through St. Louis, MO. This alliance concluded on July 31, 2023, with Contour Airlines taking over service to Chicago, IL from those airports.
United Airlines
Cape Air has sustained a long-term code-sharing relationship with United Airlines (UA), providing access to multiple destinations. This alliance allows travelers in the Caribbean to benefit from through-ticketing, early boarding privileges, and mileage accrual on Cape Air-operated flights.
Interline agreements
To improve connectivity and streamline passenger experience, Cape Air partners with numerous carriers for interline ticketing and baggage handling. These partners include:
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- Condor
- Delta Air Lines
- Hahn Air
- Hawaiian Airlines
- JetBlue
- Qatar Airways
- United Airlines
Seaplane base
Cape Air runs the Boston Harbor Seaplane Base located near Logan International Airport (BNH/MA87), supporting its regional network and specialized market segments.
Fleet
As of July 2024, Cape Air's aircraft composition is as follows:
| Model | Quantity | On Order | Seating Capacity | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Britten-Norman Islander | 4 | – | 9 | Operates within Caribbean routes. |
| Cessna 402 | 64 | – | 9 | Currently being replaced by Tecnam P2012 Traveller; ninth seat reserved for co-pilot not in use. |
| Eviation Alice | – | 75 | 9 | Cape Air's first fully electric passenger aircraft. |
| Tecnam P2012 Traveller | 30 | 70 | 9 | Phasing in as replacement for Cessna 402. |
| Total | 98 | 145 | ||
In late 2010, Cape Air began assessing replacement options for the Cessna 402. By April 2011, Italian manufacturer Tecnam announced the P2012 Traveller model, which completed its maiden flight in July 2016. Cape Air took delivery of its initial P2012 unit in March 2019. Historically, the airline operated ATR 42 aircraft under United Express in Guam until United phased out its turboprop fleet. At the 2019 Paris Air Show, Cape Air became the launch customer for Eviation Aircraft’s all-electric Alice commuter plane, signaling a commitment to eco-friendly aviation advancements.
Accidents and incidents
- On June 12, 2007, Cape Air voluntarily grounded its entire Cessna 402C fleet nationwide following three separate engine failures caused by premature wear on crankshaft counterweights. Flights were suspended for two days during inspection and replacement processes before operations resumed four days later. The FAA observed but did not enforce the grounding.
- On September 26, 2008, a repositioning Cessna 402C crashed near Martha’s Vineyard resulting in the pilot’s death—the first fatal incident for the airline in eighteen years. The accident was linked to spatial disorientation leading to loss of control.
- On January 22, 2009, a night flight from Key West to Fort Myers experienced dual engine power loss due to issues with fuel selector maintenance. The aircraft performed an emergency landing successfully with six passengers onboard.
- On September 9, 2021, a Cape Air Cessna 402C impacted trees during an approach to Provincetown Airport involving one crew member and six passengers. While no fatalities occurred, several individuals sustained injuries. The pilot noted the aircraft was traveling at a higher speed than anticipated during a go-around maneuver.
- On September 17, 2024, a Cessna 402C returning to Boston Logan from Bar Harbor executed a safe landing on one wheel. The pilot and two passengers exited without harm.
These events underscore operational challenges faced by Cape Air and reflect its ongoing efforts toward fleet safety management and incident response.
External links
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