MidAtlantic Airways

MidAtlantic Airways was a regional airline based on the grounds of Pittsburgh International Airport in Findlay Township, Pennsylvania, USA.^[1][2] It was a subsidiary of US Airways and operated the Embraer 170 medium-jet aircraft as a US Airways Express carrier. It ceased operations on May 27, 2006.^[3]

Former code data

• IATA Code: BK
• ICAO Code: PDC ^[4]

History

The airline was reformed from the remnants of short-lived Potomac Air, which was created in late 2000 and started flying 37-seat de Havilland Canada Dash 8-200 aircraft in early 2001, based at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia near Washington DC. Potomac ceased operations during the closure of Reagan National after the September 11 terrorist attacks; US Airways then reformed Potomac as MidAtlantic in the spring of 2002.^[3] MidAtlantic officially launched on Sunday April 4, 2004 with service from Pittsburgh.^[5]

Some CRJ flying was done by MidAtlantic as early as 2002 but those airplanes eventually went the US Airways Group subsidiary PSA Airlines.^[3]

MidAtlantic did not actually have an operating certificate, but operated under that of its parent, US Airways. MidAtlantic was started as a "Jets for Jobs" experiment, hiring furloughed mainline pilots to fly the new aircraft. However, the company ceased operations May 28, 2006, having sold most of its assets to Republic Airlines during US Airways latest bankruptcy. Republic continued to operate the craft under the US Airways Express banner.^{[citation needed]}

On February 9, 2006, US Airways announced a firm order for 25 Embraer 190 aircraft, a cousin of the 170. However, unlike the smaller E-Jet, the 190 has an 11-seat First Class cabin and is operated by mainline employees under the US Airways banner.^{[citation needed]} On May 28, 2006, MidAtlantic stopped operating.^[6]

Destinations

As of January 2006 MidAtlantic Airways operated services to the following domestic scheduled destinations ^[4] : Albany, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Burlington, Charleston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Hartford, Houston, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Key West, Manchester, Milwaukee, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Providence, Raleigh/Durham, Rochester, St Louis and Washington.

Fleet

As of January 2005 the MidAtlantic Airways fleet consisted of ^[4] :

• 25 Embraer 170
• On order: 60 Embraer 170

References

1. ^ "World Airline Directory." Flight International. March 30-April 5, 2004. 40.
2. ^ Davis, Christopher. "MidAtlantic has 40 employees here, though carrier's HQ still up in the air." Pittsburgh Business Times. Friday August 15, 2003. Retrieved on January 9, 2010.
3. ^ ^{a b c} Flight International 10 April 2007
4. ^ ^{a b c} Flight International 12–18 April 2005
5. ^ Clabaugh, Jeff. "US Airways launches MidAtlantic Airways." Washington Business Journal. Friday April 2, 2004. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.
6. ^ "US Airways closing express carrier MidAtlantic." Associated Press at USA Today. March 31, 2006. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.

• Press release, US Airways, May 30, 2002, "US AIRWAYS FORMS MIDATLANTIC AIRWAYS TO PREPARE FOR PLANNED REGIONAL JET GROWTH"
• "US Airways regional jet unit closes for good," Dan Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 31, 2006