- Pro Air
Infobox Airline|airline=ProAir
logo=
logo_size=176
fleet_size=4
destinations=13
IATA=P9
ICAO=PRH
callsign=Prohawk
founded=1997
ceased=2000
headquarters=Seattle, WA
Fleet Type=Boeing 737-400,300
key_people=Kevin Stamper
Craig Belmondo
hubs=Detroit City Airport
website=www.proair.com (defunct)Pro Air was an airline founded by Kevin Stamper in July
1997 to serve the centrally locatedDetroit City Airport inDetroit, Michigan .Former Code Data
*IATA Code: XL (P9 was also used)
*ICAO Code: PRH
*Callsign: ProhawkHistory
Pro Air charged extremely low fares and saw high load factors on most of its flights, but many of its flights were delayed with mechanical and crew problems resulting in very poor customer satisfaction. At one point, Pro Air's reliability reputation was so bad, that the company booked Executives and Managers on a Northwest Airlines flight to Baltimore for a Managers meeting,Fact|date=August 2008 when a comparable flight was available on Pro Air at realativley no cost. A Pro Air captain denied
Ol' Dirty Bastard , an American Rapper, boarding on a Newark to Detroit flight for not having a valid I.D. He was eventually allowed boarding after the lead flight attendant confirmed his identity.Fact|date=August 2008When Pro Air 737's went under C Maintenance Check, Spirit Airlines, Pan Am Clipper Connection, and Casino Express flew their flights for them. A Pan Am 727 collapsed the fence at the end of runway 33 in DET, due to having to "rev" the engines to meet the short runway takeoff length of 5000 ft.Fact|date=August 2008
Pro Air required its beginning groups of employees to go "door to door" in the Metro Detroit Area and pass out flyers promoting the airline. The airlines first hub/flight crew base was in Indianapolis. Most employees moved to the Metro Detroit Area when the Detroit City Airport hub was started in 1998.Fact|date=August 2008
Pro Air was in direct competition with Northwest Airlines on all of their routes. They originally started with one fare for everybody, but about 18 months afterwards they went to tiered fares with advance purchase requirements. They also had originally served full meals in coach (in addition to first class) but scrapped the program after realizing that the cost of the meal accounted for, on average, 10% of the fare that the customer paid.Fact|date=August 2008 They were known for their signature "hot meal" service (even on the 35 minute DET-MDW route) in First Class along with premium alcoholic beverage service, and were the only airline to charge a mere $2 for beer and wine in Economy class (mixed drinks were $3).Fact|date=August 2008
Pro Air pioneered one of the lowest fares on the DET-LGA-DET route at $59 each way (which has been topped by Spirit Airlines $0.01 fares). Founders Fares were released for those who already flew them as a 'thanks'. GM & Chrysler also had programs to put their travelers on Pro Air on routes they flew at a mere $30 each way fare for employees and family. After slightly more than 3 years in the air Pro Air was grounded by the
Federal Aviation Administration onSeptember 18 ,2000 for numerous regulatory violations and its aircraft were quickly repossessed by the lessor.Services
Pro Air operated services from Detroit City to several destinations including
Baltimore-Washington International Airport ,Chicago Midway Airport , New YorkLaGuardia Airport ,Orlando International Airport , Fort Myers, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, Seattle, Atlanta and Tampa.Fleet
It operated a small fleet, starting with two Boeing 737-400s, and expanding to three Boeing 737-400 and one 737-300 aircraft. The 737-400 had a configuration of 138 coach and 8 first class, with slightly increased pitch in both classes compared to other major airlines. They had
MD-90 airplanes on order, but they shut down before they acquired the first one, but not before it was [http://airliners.net/open.file/0992765/M/| painted] . Just before their demise, GM had been in talks to offer their 3 Saab 2000 aicraft to Pro Air, indicating that they would choose which routes and frequencies the aircraft would fly on, but this never happened due to the shut down.Fact|date=August 2008The planes had special flaps in order to facilitate takeoff from Detroit City Airport on the short runways.Fact|date=August 2008
External links
* [http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/Pro_Air?show=all Pro Air Former Fleet Detail]
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