SkyWest Airlines

History

Frustrated by the limited extent of existing air service, Ralph Atkin, a St. George, Utah lawyer, purchased Dixie Airlines to shuttle businessmen to Salt Lake City in 1972. After early struggles, SkyWest began a steady expansion across the western U.S.. It became the eleventh largest regional carrier in 1984 when it acquired Sun Aire Lines of Palm Springs, California, and had its initial public offering in 1986.

In 1985, SkyWest began codesharing as Western Express, a feeder service for Western Airlines at its Salt Lake City hub and other mainline Western destinations utilizing Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia and Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner turboprop aircraft. Following the acquisition and merger of Western by Delta Air Lines in 1986, SkyWest then became a Delta Connection air carrier with code share service being flown on behalf of Delta to destinations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. In 1995, SkyWest began operating flights for Continental Airlines out of LAX. The relationship was discontinued two years later when SkyWest began flying for United Airlines. SkyWest's United Express flights out of SFO, LAX and DEN became its largest operation by the late 1990s. A partnership with Continental was revived in 2003 out of George Bush Intercontinental Airport, but was discontinued in June 2005. On August 15, 2005, Delta sold Atlantic Southeast Airlines to the newly incorporated SkyWest, Inc. for $425 million in cash. The acquisition was completed on September 8, 2005.

On August 4, 2010, SkyWest, Inc. announced that it planned to acquire ExpressJet Airlines and merge it with SkyWest subsidiary Atlantic Southeast Airlines in a deal reported to have a value of $133 million. The purchase aligned the largest commuter operations of United Airlines and Continental Airlines, who were in a merger process, and was approved on September 13, 2010, by the Federal Trade Commission.

In May 2011, SkyWest replaced six Horizon Air flights on the West Coast being operated for Alaska Airlines. The flights were based out of Seattle and Portland, and fly to several California cities including Fresno, Burbank, Santa Barbara and Ontario. Alaska Airlines has similar agreements with PenAir for Alaskan flights and Horizon Air for flights in the lower 48.

On September 6, 2011, AirTran Airways ended its codesharing and partnership with SkyWest. Shortly after, SkyWest began a codesharing agreement with US Airways to operate CRJ200 aircraft from US Airways' hub in Phoenix, Arizona.

On November 15, 2012, SkyWest began a capacity purchase agreement with American Airlines for 12 CRJ200 aircraft from American's hub in Los Angeles, California.

Destinations

SkyWest flies to 213 destinations throughout North America including Denver International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Portland International Airport.

Fleet

As of March 2017, the SkyWest Airlines fleet consists of the following regional jet aircraft either in current operation or on order for future delivery:

SkyWest was also a large operator of the Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia turboprop aircraft; the last examples of the type were retired in May 2015. The airline also previously operated Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner turboprops (Metro II and Metro III models). In 1984, SkyWest was operating the largest Metro propjet fleet in the world with 26 aircraft and by 1991 the Metro fleet had grown to 35 aircraft with 15 Brasilia propjets being operated as well. By 1994, the first jet, a Canadair CRJ-100, was added to the fleet and by 1996 all of the Metro propjets had been retired as they were progressively replaced with Brasilia aircraft.

According to the airline's website, at its inception SkyWest was operating all flights in the early 1970s with small propeller driven, piston engine aircraft including:

With the retirement of the Embraer EMB-120, SkyWest is now an all-jet airline.

Future

In July 2012, SkyWest, Inc, agreed to purchase 100 Mitsubishi MRJ90. The aircraft are scheduled to begin service in 2017. In December 2012, SkyWest and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries confirmed a deal reached in July 2012 at the Farnborough Airshow for 100 MRJ90 aircraft, with an additional 100 options. Deliveries of the aircraft to SkyWest are scheduled to start in 2017. Due to Mitsubishi Aircraft development delays on the MRJ90 though, any optioned plane would not be delivered until after 2021.

In May 2013, SkyWest, Inc. came to an agreement with Embraer to purchase 100 E-175 Regional Jets, with an option for up to 100 more. Deliveries are slated to begin in April 2014. The first 40 aircraft will be flown by SkyWest Airlines, under a 12-year capacity purchase agreement with United Airlines, in a 76-seat, dual class configuration. The following month, SkyWest, Inc. came to an agreement with Embraer to purchase 100 Embraer E175-E2 Regional Jets, with an option for up to 100 more. SkyWest Airlines will be the launch customer for these second generation E-Jets, with deliveries slated to begin in 2020. In 2015 the airline signed an order for an additional 18 Embraer 175 aircraft with the first to be delivered in 2016 to fly under the United Express name.

Crew Bases

Pilots and Flight Attendants are based in the following cities:

SkyWest Airlines partnerships

SkyWest Airlines has code sharing agreements with Delta, United, Alaska, and American Airlines. These code sharing agreements allow SkyWest Airlines to operate as United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle, and Alaska Airlines brands. Delta, United, Alaska Airlines, and American Airlines provide reservations, ticket sales, ground support services, and gate access while SkyWest Airlines handles the flight operations. Under all of SkyWest agreements, passengers are allowed to participate in the other airlines’ frequent flyer program.

Delta Air Lines

On April 1, 1987, SkyWest and Delta Air Lines entered a code sharing agreement with SkyWest operating as the Delta Connection. SkyWest had previously operated a code sharing agreement with Western Airlines as Western Express since 1985. Western Airlines was merged into Delta Airlines on April 1, 1987. As of December 31, 2012, SkyWest Airlines operated 21 CRJ900s,13 CRJ700s, and 52 CRJ200s for Delta Connection. SkyWest Airlines operates these aircraft to provide feeder service between Delta hubs and other destinations chosen by Delta. As of December 31, 2012, SkyWest Airlines was operating approximately 519 Delta Connection flights per day.

Under the SkyWest - Delta Connection agreement, SkyWest Airlines receives from Delta reimbursement for all of the direct costs related to the flight; including fuel, ground handling, and maintenance, and aircraft ownership cost. SkyWest also receives a fixed payment for each completed flight hour.

SkyWest initially flew as a Delta Connection air carrier in the western U.S. beginning in 1986 operating Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia and Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner turboprops with service to destinations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Utah and Wyoming via a code sharing agreement with Delta.

United Airlines

On July 31, 2003, SkyWest and United Express entered into a code sharing agreement. As of December 31, 2010, SkyWest Airlines operated 70 CRJ700s, 83 CRJ200s, and 44 Embraer 120 turboprops under the SkyWest United agreement. The airline has since retired all of its Brasilia propjet aircraft. By 2017 Skywest will also operate 65 E175's for United Express. SkyWest flights are used provide feeder service between United hubs and smaller destinations.

Under the agreement, United retains all air fares, cargo rates, mail charges and other revenues associated with each flight. SkyWest then receives from United a fixed fee for each flight hour, departure, passenger, and a fixed-fee for overhead and aircraft costs. [4] SkyWest also receives one time startup cost for each aircraft delivered. The code-sharing agreement also provides certain incentives based upon SkyWest performance. These incentives include on-time arrival performance and completion percentage rates. Direct operating costs are also reimbursed by United. These cost include fuel, aircraft ownership, and maintenance costs.

Alaska Airlines

On February 25, 2011, SkyWest Airlines entered an agreement with Alaska Airlines. The SkyWest Alaska Airlines agreement means that SkyWest operates and maintains its aircraft, while Alaska Airlines is responsible for scheduling, pricing and marketing the flights. As of 2015, SkyWest operated eight Bombardier CRJ-700s for Alaska Airlines. On November 25, 2014, Alaska Airlines announced SkyWest will operate seven two-class Embraer E-175 aircraft for Alaska Airlines from July 2015. On June 1, 2015, Alaska Airlines announced that it would exercise its eight options on E-175s to replace the eight CRJ-700s SkyWest Airlines operated for a total of 20 E-175s.

SkyWest Airlines currently flies to 25 destinations throughout the United States and Canada for Alaska Airlines. Those cities include Austin, Boise, Burbank, Colorado Springs, Dallas-Forth Worth, Edmonton, Fresno, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Oakland, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Ontario (CA), Orange County, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, Santa Barbara, San Diego, San Jose (CA), Seattle, St. Louis, Steamboat Springs/Hayden and Tucson.

Alaska Airlines passengers flying on SkyWest flights qualify for Alaska Airlines’ MileagePlan frequent flier program.

American Airlines

On September 12, 2012, SkyWest Airlines and American Airlines entered agreement. The agreement is a four-year contract that allows SkyWest to handle some of its regional flying as a way to save money while American was in bankruptcy protection. SkyWest flys to a number of American Eagle destinations, mostly operating out of the Chicago O'Hare, Los Angeles, and Phoenix Sky Harbor hubs.

Accidents and incidents

SkyWest Airlines has never been cited or found at fault in a fatal accident or incident. Incidents include:

Awards and recognition