RegionsAir
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Regional airline |
| Predecessor | Corporate Express Airlines, Corporate Airlines |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Defunct | 2007-03-08 |
| Headquarters | Smyrna, Tennessee , United States |
Key people | Chuck Howell (president during Corporate Airlines era) |
| Products | Regional air transportation |
RegionsAir was a 14 CFR Part 121 regional airline headquartered at Smyrna Airport in Tennessee, United States. Its key operational bases included Lambert-St. Louis International Airport (STL) and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE).
The airline maintained code-share partnerships with TWA and American Airlines under the AmericanConnection brand from STL, and with Continental Airlines as Continental Connection operating from CLE.
Operations were discontinued on March 8, 2007, with all staff laid off by the following month.
History
Initially launched as Corporate Express Airlines between 1996 and 1998, the carrier was subsequently renamed Corporate Airlines from 1998 until 2004. Its early role involved serving as a feeder for Midway Airlines until that airline ceased operations in 2001. During this time, it also flew as Trans World Express for TWA out of St. Louis. Following the December 2001 merger of TWA into American Airlines, Corporate Airlines transitioned to operating under the AmericanConnection brand, continuing regional services from STL. Leadership during this era was under Chuck Howell, who later assumed the presidency at Great Lakes Airlines.
To clarify its market identity, the airline adopted the name RegionsAir in May 2004. By 2006, it had broadened its code-sharing arrangement with Continental Airlines as Continental Connection, creating a hub at CLE. Additionally, RegionsAir provided service to several smaller markets supported by the federally funded Essential Air Service initiative.
In October 2005, Viva International expressed intent to acquire RegionsAir through a Letter of Intent; however, this acquisition was never finalized.
The Federal Aviation Administration grounded RegionsAir in March 2007 due to concerns regarding its training and certification processes, which led to the suspension of all flight operations.
Incidents and accidents
On October 19, 2004, Corporate Airlines Flight 5966 crashed while approaching Kirksville, Missouri, resulting in thirteen deaths and two survivors with injuries. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that pilot error was the primary cause.
Following a disagreement with FAA officials over language in training manuals, the airline voluntarily halted scheduled flights on March 2, 2007. Despite FAA evaluations revealing no pilot record issues, approximately 35 flights were canceled that day.
The FAA imposed another grounding on RegionsAir on March 8, 2007, citing deficiencies in training protocols for line-check airmen. This second suspension within one week triggered several regional airports to pursue alternative airline providers.
See also
- Great Lakes Airlines – successor carrier at the St. Louis hub
- List of defunct airlines of the United States
External links
- RegionsAir (Archived)
- Corporate Airlines (Archived)