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Piedmont Airlines

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Piedmont Airlines, Inc.
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryAirline
PredecessorHenson Airlines
Founded1961
FounderRichard A. Henson
Headquarters
Salisbury, Maryland
,
United States
Area served
United States (northeastern and western regions)
ProductsRegional air transportation
OwnerAmerican Airlines Group
Number of employees
9,800+ (2022)
ParentAmerican Airlines Group
Websitepiedmont-airlines.com

Piedmont Airlines, Inc. () is a regional carrier in the United States with its headquarters situated at Salisbury Regional Airport in Wicomico County, Maryland, close to Salisbury.[1][2] As a fully owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group, Piedmont is responsible for staffing, operating, and maintaining aircraft that fly under the American Eagle banner, which are sold and marketed by American Airlines. Additionally, the airline provides ground handling and customer service support at various airports throughout the northeastern and western regions of the United States.

The airline’s fleet consists exclusively of Embraer ERJ 145 regional jets, with primary hubs located at Philadelphia International Airport and Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Piedmont employs more than 9,800 personnel and services close to 50 destinations.

Originally established in 1961 as Henson Airlines, the company adopted the Piedmont Airlines name in 1993 to preserve the trademark associated with the original Piedmont Airlines (1948–1989), a predecessor of American Airlines.

History

The company was founded by Richard A. Henson in 1961 as Henson Aviation, initially operating as a fixed-base operator in Hagerstown, Maryland. Scheduled passenger service began in 1962 under the name Hagerstown Commuter, later becoming Henson Airlines.[3] In 1967, it became one of the pioneers in code-sharing agreements by partnering with Allegheny Airlines (which later became US Airways), operating flights as an Allegheny Commuter carrier using Beechcraft 99 aircraft. The airline concentrated on routes connecting Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and Baltimore, relocating its headquarters to Salisbury in 1968. During the 1970s, the fleet was modernized with Short 330 and de Havilland Canada Dash 7 turboprop aircraft.[3]

In 1983, Henson Airlines was acquired by Piedmont Aviation, which rebranded it as "Henson, The Piedmont Regional Airline," leading to rapid expansion particularly in Florida. Both companies were purchased by USAir Group in 1987; Piedmont was merged into USAir in 1989, and Henson’s aircraft were repainted with USAir Express branding.[4] The fleet transitioned to de Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft while expanding maintenance and operational capacity in Jacksonville, Florida.[3]

To retain rights to the Piedmont brand, USAir renamed Henson to "Piedmont Airlines" in 1993. Similarly, other regional subsidiaries were rebranded as PSA Airlines and Allegheny Airlines. After USAir became US Airways in 1997, Piedmont and Allegheny operated as US Airways Express carriers. In 2004, US Airways consolidated Allegheny into Piedmont.

Operations

By August 2022, Piedmont Airlines had a workforce exceeding 10,000 employees and managed nearly 400 flights daily to over 55 destinations. It serves as the sole airline operating at Pitt–Greenville, Florence Regional, and Watertown International Airports.

Following the merger between American Airlines and US Airways in 2013, Piedmont functions under the American Eagle brand. Its maintenance facilities are located at Albany, Charlotte, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Richmond, Roanoke, and Salisbury airports. Crew bases have been established in Charlotte, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia.

Fleet

As of June 2025, Piedmont's aircraft lineup consists of:

Piedmont Airlines Current Fleet
Aircraft Model Active Units Pending Orders Seating Capacity Additional Information
First Class+ Economy Total Seats
Embraer ERJ 145 68 — 3 47 50 Includes 3 aircraft returning from extended storage
Embraer E175 — 45 12 64 76 Scheduled for delivery starting early 2028
Total 68 45

Former fleet

Piedmont Airlines Former Aircraft
Aircraft Type Year Introduced Year Retired Successor Aircraft Remarks
Beechcraft Model 99 1967 1987 Short 330
Bombardier Dash 8-100 1993 2017 Embraer ERJ 145 Final flight on November 29, 2017.
Bombardier Dash 8-200 1996 2004
Bombardier Dash 8-300 2000 2018 Embraer ERJ 145 Last operated on July 4, 2018.
Bombardier Q200 1996 2008
de Havilland Canada Dash 7 1979 1997 Bombardier Dash 8-300
Short 330 1977 1989 Bombardier Dash 8-100

Incidents and accidents

  • On September 23, 1985, Henson Airlines Flight 1517, operated with a Beechcraft Model B99 turboprop, crashed near Grottoes, Virginia, resulting in the deaths of all 12 passengers and two crew members. This tragedy was notable as it involved the first fatality of a female commercial pilot in the U.S., First Officer Zilda A. Spadaro-Wolan. The National Transportation Safety Board cited the airline’s lack of standardized cockpit layouts and insufficient pilot training as contributing factors.
  • On November 16, 2008, Piedmont Airlines operated US Airways Express Flight 4551 with a Dash 8 turboprop that was forced into an emergency landing after the nose landing gear failed to extend. None of the 35 passengers or three crew members were injured; the aircraft experienced minor damage but was later returned to service.
  • On January 1, 2011, US Airways Express Flight 4352, a Piedmont Dash 8-100, inadvertently entered restricted airspace near Washington, D.C. due to radio communication issues, prompting an evacuation of the U.S. Capitol and deployment of fighter jets. The plane safely landed at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport without incident.
  • On January 7, 2011, US Airways Express Flight 4507, also operated by Piedmont with a Dash 8-100 on a route from Philadelphia to Tweed New Haven Regional Airport, encountered a lightning strike over Long Island Sound. Electrical malfunctions necessitated diversion to Long Island MacArthur Airport; all 33 passengers continued their journey safely.
  • On May 18, 2013, US Airways Express Flight 4560 performed a gear-up landing at Newark Liberty International Airport due to landing gear malfunction. All occupants were evacuated without injury.
  • On December 31, 2022, a ground employee at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama tragically lost their life after being ingested into an engine of an Embraer 175 operated by Envoy Air under Piedmont’s banner. The event resulted in temporary suspension of airport operations.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Career Opportunities." Piedmont Airlines. Retrieved on May 20, 2009. "5443 Airport Terminal Rd Salisbury, MD 21804 "
  2. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ↑ Flight International April 12–18, 2005

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External links

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