ExpressJet

ExpressJet Airlines
Company type	Private
Industry	Airline
Predecessor	Britt Airways
Founded	1986
Defunct	2022
Fate	Ceased operations; filed for bankruptcy; plans to restart as air charter provider
Headquarters	College Park, Georgia, United States
Area served	United States (regional)
Key people	James Ream (former CEO)
Products	Regional airline services, air charter services
Number of employees	Approximately 8,000 (2002)

ExpressJet Airlines was a regional airline based in the United States that operated from 1987 until 2022, with its headquarters located in College Park, Georgia. Initially founded as Britt Airways, it functioned solely as Continental Express through a codeshare agreement with Continental Airlines. The airline adopted the ExpressJet name in 1995 during its transition from turboprop aircraft to regional jets. In addition to flying as Continental Express, ExpressJet also operated flights under the Delta Connection brand (2007–2008, 2012–2018), American Eagle (airline brand) (2012–2019), and began service for United Express in 2009. It briefly ran independently between 2007 and 2008. Following Continental’s merger with United Airlines in 2012, ExpressJet merged its Continental Express operations into United Express.

ExpressJet withdrew from the fee-for-departure regional airline sector in September 2020 and halted flight operations after its contract with United Airlines ended. The carrier recommenced service in September 2021 as an air charter and regional airline under its own brand, aha!, concentrating on West Coast routes with a hub at Reno-Tahoe International Airport. Scheduled flights launched on October 24, 2021. However, both ExpressJet and the aha! brand filed for bankruptcy on August 23, 2022, having ceased operations the day before. In July 2023, ExpressJet revealed intentions to restart as an air charter provider utilizing a leased Boeing 777.

Formation and acquisitions

The company was founded in 1986 and commenced operations the following year after Texas Air Corporation/Continental Airlines acquired several small commuter carriers. These acquisitions included Bar Harbor Airlines (Maine), Provincetown-Boston Airlines (New England), Rocky Mountain Airways (Denver), and Britt Airways (Terre Haute, Indiana). ExpressJet operates under the original FAA Part 121 certificate initially issued to Britt Airways, which began flying as Continental Express in April 1987. The incorporation of ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. occurred in 1995.

Autonomy and corporate development

In 2002, ExpressJet separated from Continental and planned to establish a dedicated corporate headquarters while employing more than 8,000 personnel. ExpressJet Holdings owns American Composites LLC, Saltillo Jet Center, and InTech Aerospace Services. These entities, along with additional U.S.-based facilities, compose ExpressJet Services, which offers third-party maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for various aircraft types. The company also holds minority interests in Wings Holdings LLC (49%) and Flight Services and Systems Inc (44%).

Prior to becoming independent, ExpressJet’s headquarters were situated in Continental Center I in Downtown Houston. After Continental reduced ExpressJet’s fleet by 69 aircraft in December 2005, ExpressJet opted to operate autonomously. It initiated charter services on December 31, 2006, deploying six aircraft under its Corporate Aviation Division.

On February 5, 2007, ExpressJet announced plans to serve 24 cities across the U.S. West Coast, Southwest, and Midwest regions beginning in April of that year. By April 2, 2007, the airline had launched point-to-point flights under its own brand using a fleet of 42 aircraft. CEO James Ream identified Los Angeles/Ontario International Airport as the airline’s largest operating base alongside a hub in New Orleans and several focus cities covering 24 destinations. Nevertheless, escalating oil prices—rising from $50 to $140 per barrel—rendered this branded operation financially unviable, leading to its termination on September 2, 2008.

Partnerships in 2007 and 2010

In March 2007, ExpressJet operated a fleet of four Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft on behalf of JetBlue, covering routes while JetBlue’s Embraer 190 jets were undergoing maintenance.

By June 2007, ExpressJet had initiated service at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), flying to western ski destinations and Mexico for Delta Air Lines under the Delta Connection brand, utilizing 10 ERJ 145 jets. This operation expanded to 18 aircraft by July but was discontinued by September 1, 2008, following the termination of the agreement in July 2008.

After concluding its contract with Delta, ExpressJet announced on July 8, 2008, the suspension of its own branded operations effective September 2. This decision was driven by escalating fuel costs and led to the furlough of 347 pilots.

In September 2007, ExpressJet operated feeder flights for Frontier Airlines from Denver International Airport using ERJ 145 jets until Frontier’s Lynx Aviation subsidiary obtained certification in December of the same year. ExpressJet ended this service on December 7.

In April 2008, SkyWest, Inc. made a proposal to acquire ExpressJet at $23.50 per share; however, ExpressJet’s special committee unanimously declined the offer. SkyWest withdrew its bid in June after ExpressJet entered into a new seven-year Capacity Purchase Agreement with Continental Airlines.

ExpressJet introduced Branson Air Express in May 2010, providing nonstop service from Branson, Missouri to several destinations including Houston, Austin, Nashville, Des Moines, Shreveport, Terre Haute, Chicago Midway, and Indianapolis. This service concluded on October 30, 2010.

Expansion as United Express

Beginning in June 2009, ExpressJet commenced a contract with United Airlines to operate roughly ten aircraft as a United Express carrier from United’s hubs at O’Hare and Washington Dulles airports. These planes bore ExpressJet livery and the agreement ended on September 2, 2009.

Toward the end of 2010, ExpressJet secured a multi-year contract with United Airlines for operating 22 ERJ 145 jets fully painted in United Express colors. Additionally, during the summer peak of 2010, ten more ERJ 145s flew in ExpressJet colors. Flights under this contract started on December 1, 2009, with all aircraft deployed by spring of the following year.

Merger with Atlantic Southeast Airlines

On November 12, 2010, SkyWest, Inc., owner of SkyWest Airlines—the largest regional carrier in the U.S.—completed the acquisition of ExpressJet and merged it with Atlantic Southeast Airlines. The original legal entity of ExpressJet was dissolved while Atlantic Southeast operated flights under its FAA certificate throughout the transition period.

In October 2011, employees voted to retain the name ExpressJet for the merged airline; however, Atlantic Southeast’s callsign "Acey" continued in use. Formerly, ExpressJet had used IATA code “XE”, ICAO code “BTA”, and callsign “JET LINK”. Atlantic Southeast had been a feeder airline for Delta Connection and reinstated ExpressJet as a Delta Connection carrier in 2012.

On November 15, 2012, ExpressJet broadened its scope by adding feeder services for American Airlines under the American Eagle banner.

By October 2013, ExpressJet established new crew bases at Kansas City International Airport and Denver International Airport to support operational growth and improve efficiency.

2018 acquisition

In August 2017, as negotiations with United Airlines progressed, Delta Air Lines terminated its agreement with ExpressJet, reallocating its fleet of Delta-owned Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft to Endeavor Air. Subsequently, in May 2018, American Airlines also ended its contract with ExpressJet, concluding ExpressJet's operations under the American Eagle brand by January 2019.

Later that year, SkyWest revealed plans to spin off and sell ExpressJet to ManaAir, a partnership where KAir Enterprises held a 50.1% controlling interest and United Airlines retained a 49.9% minority stake.

By January 2019, the acquisition of ExpressJet by ManaAir was completed with United as a minority shareholder. United pledged to supply ExpressJet with 25 new Embraer 175 jets for deployment under United Express starting in April 2019.

In February 2020, United transferred 36 ERJ-145 aircraft from another United Express carrier to ExpressJet, elevating it to the position of the largest ERJ-145 operator worldwide.

AVIATE program

ExpressJet collaborated with United Airlines on the "AVIATE" Pilot Career Path Program, which provided a streamlined progression for ExpressJet pilots to secure First Officer roles at United. This initiative assured qualified pilots access to United’s hiring process and was designed to fulfill a significant portion of United’s new pilot recruitment through ExpressJet.

COVID-19 pandemic disruption

The aviation industry downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic led United Airlines to terminate its contract with ExpressJet on July 30, 2020. Operational control of the United Express ERJ-145 fleet was shifted to CommutAir, another United Express affiliate.

On August 24, 2020, ExpressJet announced plans to discontinue its United Express operations by September 30, 2020. As part of this shutdown, maintenance facilities at Chicago O'Hare and Cleveland Hopkins were closed. The Newark crew base remained active until the overall system closure, while the Chicago flight crew base operated until the final revenue flight on September 2.

The final revenue flight operated by ExpressJet took off from Memphis International Airport on September 30, 2020. This flight was captained by former Houston Chief Pilot James Campbell alongside Assistant Chief Pilot Sean George and marked the conclusion of ExpressJet’s service for United Airlines. Despite government relief programs aimed at airline employees, nearly 3,000 ExpressJet workers were laid off without receiving assistance.

Resumption and launch of aha! brand

In July 2021, the US Department of Transportation authorized ExpressJet to recommence commercial flights. The airline's first post-relaunch revenue flight was a sports charter conducted on September 30, 2021, between Tallahassee, FL, and Anderson, SC—coinciding exactly with the one-year anniversary of its last contract carrier flight. The following day saw the introduction of aha!, a leisure-focused brand offering scheduled service from Reno-Tahoe International Airport to various West Coast destinations. Regular flights began on October 24, 2021, targeting underserved markets affected by industry consolidation and route up-gauging trends.

On June 14, 2022, United Airlines Holdings Inc. divested its interest in ExpressJet’s parent company, leaving KAir Enterprises as the sole proprietor. However, on August 22, 2022, ExpressJet filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Although Chapter 11 typically facilitates restructuring efforts, the airline ceased all operations and initiated plans for asset liquidation.

This period demonstrates ExpressJet’s strategic attempt to reclaim market presence through the aha! brand focusing on niche leisure travel markets but also highlights ongoing challenges in maintaining sustainable growth amid competitive and financial pressures.

2023 Relaunch Proposal

At the beginning of 2023, the assets of ExpressJet were purchased by the proprietor of Logistic Air, an aviation lessor and solutions provider based in Nevada, along with Global Supertanker Aviation, LLC.

By July 2023, ExpressJet revealed intentions to restart its operations utilizing a single Boeing 777 aircraft. The airline requested a 90-day extension for its Air Operator Certificate to officially confirm this plan. This Boeing 777, formerly operated by Japan Airlines and currently owned by Logistic Air, is pivotal to the relaunch strategy and is projected to necessitate an investment close to $2 million.

In November 2023, ExpressJet applied to modify its operating certificate from Part 121 domestic to Part 121 supplemental authority. Although approval was expected by mid-2024, no further developments were reported by the end of the year, leading to the certificate’s revocation.

Fleet at Closure

As of , ExpressJet’s fleet consisted of:

Aircraft	In service	Passenger Capacity	Operated for
Embraer ERJ 145	5	50	aha!
Total	5

Former Fleet

In previous years, ExpressJet operated various aircraft including Bombardier CRJ200, CRJ700, CRJ900, as well as Embraer ERJ 145 and Embraer 175 models for carriers such as American Eagle, United Express, and Delta Connection.

Corporate Headquarters

ExpressJet’s main office is situated in College Park, Georgia, part of the Greater Atlanta metropolitan region.

Earlier, the company maintained its headquarters in the North Belt Office Center IV within the Greens Crossing office park located in the Greenspoint district of Houston. The airline leased space within this two-building North Belt Office Center complex, which was managed by FORT Properties. This location was chosen strategically due to its closeness to George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Continental Airlines’ downtown Houston headquarters. ExpressJet had moved to this site by 2006. FORT Properties acquired these Class A office buildings in 2007; they were originally constructed in 2003.

Accidents and incidents

On August 8, 2009, ExpressJet, operating as Continental Express Flight 2816, endured a six-hour tarmac hold after being rerouted to Rochester International Airport due to adverse weather conditions. Because Rochester lacked adequate facilities for handling passengers, Mesaba Airlines personnel prevented passengers from disembarking. This event led to fines imposed by the Department of Transportation on the airlines involved and contributed to the development of enhanced passenger rights regulations.
On April 3, 2012, an ExpressJet Embraer ERJ 145, operating as Flight 5912, collided with approach lighting equipment while landing at Denver International Airport. Passengers were evacuated safely, with one individual sustaining minor injuries.
On May 1, 2013, Scandinavian Airlines Flight 908 made contact with the tail of ExpressJet Flight 4226 during taxi operations at Newark Liberty International Airport. No injuries were reported in this incident.

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