Latest news with #RobertW.MannJr.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why is Air Wisconsin running a $400 nighttime route from Appleton to Milwaukee? What we know
Amid significant layoffs and pending bids for federal Essential Air Service contracts, Air Wisconsin is selling tickets for late-night Saturday flights between Appleton and Milwaukee. The one-way flight scheduled on Saturday nights from Appleton International Airport (ATW) to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) costs $447 per passenger as of April 22, according to JustFly. The route isn't prominently listed on other travel platforms like Booking or Expedia, nor are they displayed on the Appleton airport's website. In comparison, United Airlines offers a one-way flight from Appleton to Milwaukee with a connection in Chicago O'Hare International Airport, with fares at around $558 per passenger as of April 22, according to JustFly. However, there are discrepancies between scheduled listings and actual operations for the route. The MKE route map shows these flights are listed as scheduled on Saturday nights from April 12 through May 31. Data from FlightAware, a flight tracking service, shows an Air Wisconsin flight departed from ATW to MKE on April 11 and again on April 12. There was an April 21 departure from MKE, and another flight took off on April 22. Air Wisconsin hasn't responded to The Post-Crescent's multiple inquiries for comment. One aviation industry analyst says the scheduled flights are used to maintain the airline's Federal Aviation Administration certificate as an air carrier. 'It's really just the logistics operation to keep the certificate valid,' Robert W. Mann Jr., a former airline executive officer and current president of R.W. Mann and Co., an independent airline consultancy, told The Post-Crescent. Air Wisconsin is a regional airline and has historically operated flights connecting smaller cities to larger hubs and served as a feeder airline for major carriers, including American Airlines. To operate scheduled passenger services, Air Wisconsin must hold an FAA Part 121 Air Carrier Certificate, which ensures that airlines adhere to strict safety, operational and maintenance standards. In January, the company announced the end of its partnership with American Airlines and a strategic move toward federally subsidized Essential Air Service (EAS), typically linking smaller, less-populated airports to major hub ones and expanding its charter operations. Air Wisconsin drastically reduced its flight operations after concluding its contract with American Airlines on April 3, according to FlightAware. The airline had scheduled 108 flights under the American Eagle banner on April 3, but this number dropped to just a handful the following day. Mann said it takes time to build a portfolio of charter operations and EAS program markets, assuming the company secures those federal contracts, while continuing to qualify as a federally certified regional air carrier. While the FAA doesn't specify a minimum number of flights that a 121 air carrier must operate to retain its certificate, the company is maintaining a minimum number of airplanes in operation. That allows pilots to retain their qualification and keeps maintenance personnel engaged. 'They're really just trying to hedge their bets on the transition, but also the ability to hold on to a certificate as a 121,' Mann said. While seeking alternative flying opportunities, including bids for federally subsidized EAS routes and expansion of its charter operations, the company is facing challenges in securing new contracts. Recent bids for EAS routes in Burlington, Iowa, and Quincy, Illinois, are pending with the U.S. Department of Transportation as of April 17. 'If that doesn't work out, their best shot may be to sell a certificate to someone who is involved in a certification and wants to move faster by acquiring it,' Mann said. Zhen Wang is a business reporter for The Post-Crescent. Reach her with story tips and feedback at zwang@ or 920-993-7117. This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Why is Air Wisconsin running a $400 nighttime Appleton-Milwaukee route?
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Smaller planes, big questions: Why regional airlines are under the spotlight
Regional airlines are in the public consciousness lately in a way that usually only avgeeks think about them. This year, three high-profile aviation safety incidents involved regional jets: a fatal collision between an American Airlines/PSA Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C.; a Delta Air Lines/Endeavor Air regional jet that flipped over just after touching down at Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport, and another Delta/Endeavor Air regional jet that clipped its wing against the runway at LaGuardia International Airport in New York. As a result, many travelers are taking a closer look at their airline tickets and wondering what, exactly, these regional carriers are. At the end of the day, they are regulated the same way as the mainline airlines (American, Alaska, Delta and United) that they're affiliated with, but that doesn't mean they're exactly the same. Here's what you need to know if your next trip involves a regional airline. Regional airlines are carriers that generally operate smaller planes in smaller markets to feed traffic to an airline's hub. The aircraft themselves are often painted to look like part of the major carrier's fleet, and are branded with names like American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express. Flights under those brands can be operated by a number of companies, which are usually either wholly-owned by the larger airline or under contract with the carrier. 'In today's environment, it is an airline with generally smaller aircraft up to 76 seats that operates on behalf of a major carrier, or in some cases, several major carriers. And they do so in their livery and with their service standards," Robert W. Mann Jr., a former airline executive officer and current president of R.W. Mann and Co., an independent airline consultancy, told USA TODAY. "From the airline's perspective, they want you to have the same experience on an airplane operated by one of their partners as you do on one of their airplanes.' These are the major regional partnerships of U.S. airlines: American Airlines (American Eagle) Envoy Air (wholly owned by American) Piedmont Airlines (wholly owned by American) PSA Airlines (wholly owned by American) Republic Airways (third-party contractor) SkyWest Airlines (third-party contractor) Alaska Airlines Horizon Air (wholly-owned by Alaska) SkyWest Airlines (third-party contractor) Delta Air Lines (Delta Connection) Endeavor Air (wholly-owned by Delta) Republic Airways (third-party contractor) SkyWest Airlines (third-party contractor) United Airlines (United Express) CommuteAir (third-party contractor) GoJet Airlines (third-party contractor) Mesa Airlines (third-party contractor) Republic Airways (third-party contractor) SkyWest Airlines (third-party contractor) For many travelers, it can be easy to miss whether a flight is operated by the main airline or one of its regional partners. Even for the third-party contractors, the airline that sells the ticket does everything from setting the price to processing the charge and likely, handling your check-in. "The average passenger does not realize that they are flying on Endeavor or SkyWest or what have you," William J. McGee, senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American Economic Liberties Project and former airline dispatcher, told USA TODAY. "You are booking on (the major carrier's) branded website, your credit card is charged to that major carrier, you tell the taxi driver or the Uber driver that you are going to that carrier's terminal, everything in the airport is branded with that major carrier's branding." Regional carriers fill what could otherwise be a gap in the aviation network, especially in smaller markets. Decades ago, under a different regulatory framework in the U.S., independent so-called "commuter" carriers often fed traffic to major airlines from smaller cities. When the airline industry was deregulated in the 1970s and 80s, major airlines shifted their network structure and placed greater value on more direct control over those feeder flights. Many of the commuter carriers folded, but the ones that remained evolved into today's regional airlines, according to Mann. Staff at regional airlines are often compensated at lower rates than their mainline counterparts, meaning those flights are frequently cheaper to operate for the larger company. While pilot wages at regional airlines have increased in recent years, cabin crew and ground staff wages are still usually significantly lower. The short answer is yes. According to Mann, regional airlines are under the same regulations as mainline carriers, so there's "a single level of safety" between the two. "I don't have any concerns about flying a regional airline partner," he said. 'It just happens to be a smaller airplane, and generally flown in a smaller market." McGee agreed that he doesn't get nervous flying on regional airlines but acknowledged that he does try to keep things in context. "We all know statistically how safe the system is, but it's incumbent upon us if we want to continue to have a safe system, that we look where there could be problems," he said. "There is a higher accident rate with regionals ... that is a statistical fact that we've had more problems on the regional side." Is flying safe? Here's what the experts say about the number of accidents. Still, McGee doesn't want travelers to worry the next time they fly on a regional jet. He believes it is important for the industry to be transparent about the operator, ensuring that travelers are fully informed about the context of regional flying. Especially after close together, high-profile incidents that involved regional jets, McGee said now's a good time to take a closer look at this aspect of the industry. "Cumulatively, these events indicate that we need to be more watchful than ever as far as standards: as far as aircraft maintenance, as far as piloting standards, all of this," he said. "My two bullets are: there are more problems at the regionals than the mainlines, that's a statistical fact. The other is, we don't want an erosion of standards," so keeping regionals under the same regulations as mainline carriers going forward is an important way to ensure continued safety, according to McGee. Airlines and third-party booking platforms are required to disclose what carrier is operating a flight when you book, though it may not always be obvious or easy to spot on the booking page. For the most part, because onboard service standards tend to be similar, for many travelers, it may not matter who the operator is. "I think a lot of people don't know until they get there, and it's not a 747 they're boarding," Mann said. "The degree of knowledge, especially of infrequent travelers, is limited." As a consumer advocate, McGee expressed hope that airlines will display their disclosures more prominently and that travelers will become better informed about the distinctions between regional and mainline airlines. "In 2025, we still have a long way to go for complete transparency on when you are flying on one of the three mainlines and when you are flying on one of their partners," he said. Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Are regional airlines safe? What passengers should know
USA Today
07-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Smaller planes, big questions: Why regional airlines are under the spotlight
Smaller planes, big questions: Why regional airlines are under the spotlight Show Caption Hide Caption Common flight maneuvers that might feel unsettling but are normal Here are three surprising flight maneuvers that feel dangerous but are completely safe. Regional airlines are smaller carriers that typically operate shorter flights and connect to a larger airline's hub. These airlines are subject to the same safety regulations as major carriers, but statistically have a higher incident rate. Passengers may not always be aware they are booked on a regional airline, as flights are often marketed under the main carrier's brand. Regional airlines are in the public consciousness lately in a way that usually only avgeeks think about them. This year, three high-profile aviation safety incidents involved regional jets: a fatal collision between an American Airlines/PSA Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C.; a Delta Air Lines/Endeavor Air regional jet that flipped over just after touching down at Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport, and another Delta/Endeavor Air regional jet that clipped its wing against the runway at LaGuardia International Airport in New York. As a result, many travelers are taking a closer look at their airline tickets and wondering what, exactly, these regional carriers are. At the end of the day, they are regulated the same way as the mainline airlines (American, Alaska, Delta and United) that they're affiliated with, but that doesn't mean they're exactly the same. Here's what you need to know if your next trip involves a regional airline. What is a regional airline? Regional airlines are carriers that generally operate smaller planes in smaller markets to feed traffic to an airline's hub. The aircraft themselves are often painted to look like part of the major carrier's fleet, and are branded with names like American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express. Flights under those brands can be operated by a number of companies, which are usually either wholly-owned by the larger airline or under contract with the carrier. 'In today's environment, it is an airline with generally smaller aircraft up to 76 seats that operates on behalf of a major carrier, or in some cases, several major carriers. And they do so in their livery and with their service standards," Robert W. Mann Jr., a former airline executive officer and current president of R.W. Mann and Co., an independent airline consultancy, told USA TODAY. "From the airline's perspective, they want you to have the same experience on an airplane operated by one of their partners as you do on one of their airplanes.' These are the major regional partnerships of U.S. airlines: American Airlines (American Eagle) Envoy Air (wholly owned by American) Piedmont Airlines (wholly owned by American) PSA Airlines (wholly owned by American) Republic Airways (third-party contractor) SkyWest Airlines (third-party contractor) Alaska Airlines Horizon Air (wholly-owned by Alaska) SkyWest Airlines (third-party contractor) Delta Air Lines (Delta Connection) Endeavor Air (wholly-owned by Delta) Republic Airways (third-party contractor) SkyWest Airlines (third-party contractor) United Airlines (United Express) CommuteAir (third-party contractor) GoJet Airlines (third-party contractor) Mesa Airlines (third-party contractor) Republic Airways (third-party contractor) SkyWest Airlines (third-party contractor) For many travelers, it can be easy to miss whether a flight is operated by the main airline or one of its regional partners. Even for the third-party contractors, the airline that sells the ticket does everything from setting the price to processing the charge and likely, handling your check-in. "The average passenger does not realize that they are flying on Endeavor or SkyWest or what have you," William J. McGee, senior fellow for aviation and travel at the American Economic Liberties Project and former airline dispatcher, told USA TODAY. "You are booking on (the major carrier's) branded website, your credit card is charged to that major carrier, you tell the taxi driver or the Uber driver that you are going to that carrier's terminal, everything in the airport is branded with that major carrier's branding." Regional carriers fill what could otherwise be a gap in the aviation network, especially in smaller markets. Decades ago, under a different regulatory framework in the U.S., independent so-called "commuter" carriers often fed traffic to major airlines from smaller cities. When the airline industry was deregulated in the 1970s and 80s, major airlines shifted their network structure and placed greater value on more direct control over those feeder flights. Many of the commuter carriers folded, but the ones that remained evolved into today's regional airlines, according to Mann. Staff at regional airlines are often compensated at lower rates than their mainline counterparts, meaning those flights are frequently cheaper to operate for the larger company. While pilot wages at regional airlines have increased in recent years, cabin crew and ground staff wages are still usually significantly lower. Are regional airlines safe? The short answer is yes. According to Mann, regional airlines are under the same regulations as mainline carriers, so there's "a single level of safety" between the two. "I don't have any concerns about flying a regional airline partner," he said. 'It just happens to be a smaller airplane, and generally flown in a smaller market." McGee agreed that he doesn't get nervous flying on regional airlines but acknowledged that he does try to keep things in context. "We all know statistically how safe the system is, but it's incumbent upon us if we want to continue to have a safe system, that we look where there could be problems," he said. "There is a higher accident rate with regionals ... that is a statistical fact that we've had more problems on the regional side." Is flying safe? Here's what the experts say about the number of accidents. Still, McGee doesn't want travelers to worry the next time they fly on a regional jet. He believes it is important for the industry to be transparent about the operator, ensuring that travelers are fully informed about the context of regional flying. Especially after close together, high-profile incidents that involved regional jets, McGee said now's a good time to take a closer look at this aspect of the industry. "Cumulatively, these events indicate that we need to be more watchful than ever as far as standards: as far as aircraft maintenance, as far as piloting standards, all of this," he said. "My two bullets are: there are more problems at the regionals than the mainlines, that's a statistical fact. The other is, we don't want an erosion of standards," so keeping regionals under the same regulations as mainline carriers going forward is an important way to ensure continued safety, according to McGee. How do I know if my flight is operated by a regional airline? Airlines and third-party booking platforms are required to disclose what carrier is operating a flight when you book, though it may not always be obvious or easy to spot on the booking page. For the most part, because onboard service standards tend to be similar, for many travelers, it may not matter who the operator is. "I think a lot of people don't know until they get there, and it's not a 747 they're boarding," Mann said. "The degree of knowledge, especially of infrequent travelers, is limited." As a consumer advocate, McGee expressed hope that airlines will display their disclosures more prominently and that travelers will become better informed about the distinctions between regional and mainline airlines. "In 2025, we still have a long way to go for complete transparency on when you are flying on one of the three mainlines and when you are flying on one of their partners," he said. Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@
USA Today
05-02-2025
- General
- USA Today
Last pieces of doomed jet being removed from Potomac River: Updates
Last pieces of doomed jet being removed from Potomac River: Updates Show Caption Hide Caption DC plane crash debris recovered from Potomac River Authorities have begun to pull the aircrafts out of the Potomac River from the plane crash that killed 67 in D.C. ARLINGTON, Va. − Crews were working to complete the removal of wreckage of a commercial jet and military helicopter from the Potomac River on Wednesday, one week after the horrifying midair crash that killed all 67 people aboard the two aircrafts. The National Transportation Safety Board officials said in a Tuesday afternoon update that all the bodies had been recovered from the river, along with much of the Bombardier CRJ700 plane. The rest of the plane and the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter will be extracted and brought to Hangar 7 at nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport for examination as part of the probe into the collision. The air traffic control tower display showed the Black Hawk was flying at about 300 feet at the time of the collision, the NTSB said. That would exceed the 200-foot maximum altitude assigned to the flight path. The Federal Aviation Administration has restricted helicopter flights around the airport and shut down Runway 33, the runway American Eagle Flight 5342 was approaching for its landing when the collision took place on Jan. 29. Remembering the victims: Students, Olympic skaters, families and more. A tribute to lives lost. The primary approaches to the airport's main runway provide jets with hundreds of feet of clearance over the helicopter corridors, but Runway 33 is not as accessible, the Washington Post reported. The approach to Runway 33 can take jets within 15 feet of the top of the Route 4 helicopter corridor that the Black Hawk was using, the Post said, citing FAA documents. The helicopter route and landing path for the runway almost put aircraft 'in the same place,' Scott Dunham, who has worked as a National Transportation Safety Board investigator and an air traffic control instructor, told the Post. 'You have to move one of them.' DC plane crash updates: Officials recover all 67 people killed in devastating collision Collision renews urgent questions: Near collisions, air safety issues under scrutiny There have been several near collisions and other close calls around the country in recent years that concerned experts and officials. Robert W. Mann Jr., a former airline executive officer and current president of R. W. Mann and Co. consulting, told USA TODAY that the growth in air travel demands have put more planes and helicopters are in the sky. "It creates a more congested and more complex control environment, especially near major hubs but also en route, and that just creates greater challenges,' Mann said. 'The complexity of traffic and the density of traffic in terminal areas of large airports – that's what's driving an increasing number of incursions, runway incursions, taxiways incursions, incidents of aircraft damage on the ground, and in some cases, real tragedies.' Read more here. − Zach Wichter and Nathan Diller Friends remember Brian Ellis: DC plane crash passenger 'one of the best' Brian Ellis and his teammates won the Georgia state high school football championship in 1987. By the fall of his senior year in 1988, he was their starting quarterback. 'It was an early sign of his leadership and commitment to team values,' stated a tribute to him this week by the public school district in his hometown in Clayton County, Georgia. Those virtues would follow him through a football career at the U.S. Naval Academy, almost 22 years as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, and in the enduring friendships he maintained until he perished with 66 others in the crash over Washington, D.C., last week. Ellis, 53, served as a helicopter pilot and instructor for 12 years of his Marine career, including stints overseas while deployed. For his friends, the irony of his death in a collision with an Army helicopter was tough to handle. Read more here. − Dinah Voyles Pulver
