Red Way
| Company type | Virtual airline |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | 2023 |
| Defunct | 2023 |
| Headquarters | Lincoln, Nebraska , United States |
Area served | United States (Lincoln, Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Nashville, Orlando) |
| Parent | Global Crossing Airlines (operated flights) |
Red Way was a United States-based virtual airline headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, operating primarily out of Lincoln Airport. The carrier commenced service on June 8, 2023, with flights conducted by Global Crossing Airlines through a public charter arrangement. Operations were terminated on August 31, 2023.
Formation
Introduced in March 2023, Red Way intended to connect Lincoln with seven domestic cities: Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Nashville, and Orlando. The airline began functioning in June 2023 as a virtual carrier, marketing seats on aircraft managed by Global Crossing Airlines' GlobalX Air Tours, since it did not possess its own air operator's certificate. The airline's debut was financially supported by a $3 million allocation from the American Rescue Plan Act via the City of Lincoln, substantially lowering initial expenses.
Operations
While initially focusing on primarily seasonal routes, Red Way transitioned to offering twice-weekly flights to each destination and planned to expand service frequency from September 2023 and continue operations through November in response to increased demand. Nevertheless, on August 23, the airline announced it would discontinue services at the end of the month, attributing the decision to elevated costs and limited resources after under three months of activity.
After ceasing operations, Red Way became subject to an inquiry by the Nebraska State Auditor's Office regarding the deployment of ARPA funds provided by the City of Lincoln and Lancaster County.
Destinations
Red Way operated flights from Lincoln Airport to multiple U.S. cities:
| State | City | Airport | Start date | End date | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | Orlando | Orlando International Airport | June 8, 2023 | August 31, 2023 | [1] | |
| Georgia | Atlanta | Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport | June 16, 2023 | August 6, 2023 | [1][2] | |
| Minnesota | Minneapolis/Saint Paul | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport | June 16, 2023 | August 8, 2023 | [1][2] | |
| Nebraska | Lincoln | Lincoln Airport | June 8, 2023 | August 31, 2023 | Template:Airline hub | [1] |
| Nevada | Las Vegas | Harry Reid International Airport | June 8, 2023 | August 31, 2023 | [1] | |
| Tennessee | Nashville | Nashville International Airport | June 24, 2023 | August 30, 2023 | [1] | |
| Texas | Austin | Austin–Bergstrom International Airport | June 24, 2023 | August 5, 2023 | [1][2] | |
| Dallas/Fort Worth | Dallas Fort Worth International Airport | June 16, 2023 | August 28, 2023 | [1] |
Fleet
Red Way did not possess its own airplanes; instead, it arranged flights through Global Crossing Airlines, which operates a fleet consisting of Airbus A320 and Airbus A321 aircraft.
Service concept
Adopting a low-cost carrier approach, Red Way provided competitive base ticket prices while charging separately for extras such as checked luggage and onboard meals.
See also
- Defunct airlines of the United States
- Airlines established in 2023
- Airlines disestablished in 2023
- 2023 establishments in Nebraska
- Airlines based in Nebraska
- American companies established in 2023
- Companies based in Lincoln, Nebraska
- Defunct charter airlines of the United States
- Defunct charter airlines
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln