ExpressJet Airlines

Infobox Airline
airline = ExpressJet Airlines

logo_size = 250
fleet_size = 274
destinations = 151
IATA = XE
ICAO = BTA
callsign = JET LINK
parent = ExpressJet Holdings, Inc.
company_slogan = Ready.Set.Jet.
founded = 1986
headquarters = Houston, Texas
key_people = Adam Rossow (President and CEO)
hubs =

*Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
*George Bush Intercontinental Airport
*Newark Liberty International Airport

frequent_flyer = OnePass
lounge =
alliance =
website = http://www.expressjet.com

ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. (NYSE|XJT) is a regional airline based in Houston, Texas, USA. Although an autonomous business entity since its divestiture from Continental Airlines, Inc., it continues to operate as Continental Express for Continental Airlines from hubs at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston, Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark, New Jersey and Hopkins International Airport, Cleveland, Ohio.cite news | title= Directory: World Airlines | work= Flight International | page= 80 | date= 2007-04-03]

ExpressJet operated its own point-to-point service with its main hub at LA/Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California. This service ended on September 2, 2008.

ExpressJet Airlines is the 14th-largest airline in terms of fleet size, operating 274 aircraft.

In April 2008, SkyWest, Inc. proposed an acquisition of ExpressJet at a price of $3.50/share. ExpressJet Holdings Inc. said its special committee unanimously rejected the proposal. SkyWest rescinded the offer in early June after ExpressJet Holdings and Continental signed a new 7-year Capacity Purchase Agreement.

History

The airline was established in 1986 and started operations in 1987. Its origins were in a group of small commuter airlines acquired by Continental Airlines. These included Bar Harbor Airlines in Maine, Provincetown-Boston Airlines in New England, Rocky Mountain Air in Denver, Colorado and Britt Airways in Terre Haute, Indiana. ExpressJet operates under the original Federal Aviation Administration Part 121 certificate issued to Britt, which began operations as Continental Express in April 1987 and was later acquired by Continental Airlines.

It became ExpressJet and subsequently the operating subsidiary of ExpressJet Holdings, Inc following an initial public offering in April 2002. ExpressJet has over 8,000 employees. ExpressJet Holdings also owns American Composites LLC, Saltillo Jet Center, and InTech Aerospace Services. Together with other facilities throughout the U.S. they make up ExpressJet Services which provides third-party maintenance, repair and overhaul services for a variety of aircraft types. ExpressJet Holdings also has non-controlling interests in Wings Holdings LLC 49% and Flight Services and Systems Inc 44%.

Following a December 2005 decision by Continental to reduce ExpressJet's Continental Express flying by 69 aircraft, the airline elected to operate the aircraft independently. On December 31, 2006, the airline began its charter operation. It currently operates 6 aircraft for charter services under the Corporate Aviation Division. On February 5, 2007, the airline announced service to 24 cities in the west coast, southwest, and midwest regions of the United States beginning in April 2007. [cite press release | url=http://www.expressjet.com/press/2007/CORP_EXJ.pdf | title=ExpressJet Airlines Begins Flying Under Its Own Banner | format=PDF | publisher=ExpressJet Airlines | date=2007-02-05 | accessdate=2007-02-05]

On April 2, 2007, the airline began point-to-point services under its own name from locations throughout the USA. The airline will have a total of 42 aircraft in their branded operation. According to ExpressJet CEO James Ream, LA/Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California (alternate airport to nearby Los Angeles International Airport) will become the airline's "biggest center of operation". [cite news| title=ONT unveils expansion | url=http://www.dailybulletin.com/business/ci_5164939 | work=Inland Valley Daily Bulletin | first=Jason | last=Newell | date=2007-02-06 | accessdate=2007-02-03 ]

JetBlue Airways announced on March 7, 2007 that ExpressJet will operate four of its Embraer 145 jets on JetBlue routes while JetBlue's Embraer 190 jets are being serviced. [cite news | url=http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=000d1c5b-74ff-4968-a388-861c730a160f | title=ExpressJet JetBlue to pull E-Jets to repair software glitch| accessdate=2008-07-08 | date=2007-03-07 | work=Aero-News Network]

In June 2007, the airline began service at Los Angeles International Airport to western ski markets and Mexico on behalf of Delta Air Lines under the Delta Connection banner using 10 EMB 145XR aircraft. [cite press release | url=http://www.secinfo.com/d12Tg4.uu.d.htm | title=ExpressJet Announces Capacity Purchase Agreement with Delta Air Lines | publisher=ExpressJet Airlines | date=2007-03-01 | accessdate=2008-07-08] In July 2007, the agreement was increased to 18 aircraft. In July 2008, the airlines announced that their agreement had been terminated and ExpressJet would end all Delta Connection flying by September 1. [cite news | title=Delta, ExpressJet ditch regional pact | url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUKN0326316020080703 | work=Reuters | first=Bill | last=Rigby | date=2008-07-03 | accessdate=2008-07-03]

In September 2007, the airline agreed to provide feeder service for Frontier Airlines from Denver International Airport while federal certification for Frontier's Lynx Aviation turboprop subsidiary is underway. ExpressJet flew to 5 cities from Frontier's Denver hub using 50-seat ERJ 145 regional jets until Frontier's subsidiary, Lynx Aviation, received DOT approval in December 2007. As of December 7, ExpressJet has discontinued providing feeder service for Frontier Airlines. [cite news | url=http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_6985208 | title=Frontier to use alternative jet service | work=The Denver Post | date=2007-09-27 | accessdate=2008-07-08 | first=Kelly | last=Yamanouchi]

On June 30th, 2008, Caroline "Chuck" Kulik was named CEO of the company.

A few days after announcing the end of its agreement with Delta, ExpressJet announced on July 8, 2008, that it would also end its independent ExpressJet-branded flying on September 2 due to the oil price increases since 2003.cite news | title=ExpressJet suspends commercial operations | url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUKN0832534520080709?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0 | work=Reuters | first=Dane | last=Hamilton | coauthors=Michael Erman | date=2008-07-09 | accessdate=2008-07-08] Currently, Quattro Global [http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080910/expressjet_quattro.html?.v=1] and Swiss banking concern Credit Suisse [http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080909/expressjet_credit_suisse.html?.v=1] own 11.8% and 13.8% of ExpressJet Holdings Inc. respectively.

Destinations

ExpressJet Airlines, as an independent carrier, flew to 20 destinations throughout the United States until the airline ended independent flying on September 2, 2008.

Discontinued routes

Effective September 1, 2008
*ExpressJet Airlines ended all service as Delta Connection; XJet closed its Delta Connection hubs at Los Angeles International Airport, as well as Salt Lake City International Airport.

Effective September 2, 2008
*ExpressJet Airlines ended all remaining service on its branded operations, ending the airline's run as an independent carrier.

Fleet

As of September 2008, ExpressJet Airlines has 274 aircraft in its fleet consisting of: [ [http://airfleets.net/flottecie/Expressjet%20Airlines.htm ExpressJet Airlines Fleet Detail] ]

As of September 2008, the average fleet age of ExpressJet Airlines was 6.6 years old [ [http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/Expressjet%20Airlines.htm ExpressJet Airlines Fleet Age] ]

Note: Until September 2, 2008, ExpressJet Airlines' fleet was broken down as: [ [http://corporate.expressjet.com/expressjet/fleet.htm Planes in XJet's Fleet] ]
* 205 planes operate as Continental Express
* 23 planes operate as ExpressJet Airlines branded commercial flights
* 23 planes operate as Delta Connection
* 23 planes operate for ExpressJet Airlines' Corporate Aviation division as corporate charters

Of the above, only the Continental Express aircraft remain in service, and some of those have been removed from service. Most of the withdrawn aircraft will be placed in long-term storage.

External links

* [http://www.expressjet.com/ ExpressJet Holdings]
* [http://www.xjet.com/ ExpressJet Airlines]
* [http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/?file=calcop&opp=Expressjet%20 ExpressJet Airlines Fleet Age]
* [http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/ExpressJet-Airlines ExpressJet Airlines Fleet Detail]

References