Formed at Burlingame, California, in 1972 under the name STOL Air, this commuter is given a fleet of Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders and BN-2A Trislanders with which to launch scheduled passenger and cargo flights to San Francisco, San Rafael, Concord, Napa, Eureka, Sacramento, Chico, and Fresno.
The company is transferred to Chico in 1975 and the fleet is expanded by the addition of Cessna 402s. Operations continue apace in 1976-1977.
STOL Air is acquired in 1978 by the investment group Westair, which appoints Timothy Flynn its general manager. On April 1, 1979, the new ownership merges its acquisition with another small carrier, Santa Rosa-based Golden Eagle Airlines, to form Western Airlines (Westair). In 1980, General Manager Flynn’s company undertakes Essential Air Service (EAS) flights to several communities in northern California.
Westair is taken over in 1981 by Chico-based Pacific Express Holding Company, which also controls the commuter carrier Pacific Express. General Manager Flynn is promoted to the post of chairman/CEO, T. R. Ashton is named president, and the company’s 12 Cessna 402s maintain scheduled passenger and cargo destinations to Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Sacramento, Arcata, Crescent City, and Redding. In 1982, three Shorts 330s join the fleet.
In early 1983, Westair is sold to the new holding company, WestCom Holdings, which operates it as a subsidiary. The purchase includes not only the airline and its aircraft but the FBO as well.
Enplanements reach 123,804. These will be the last traffic figures reported for several years.
In 1984, three Cessnas are temporarily replaced by four de Havilland Canada DHC-6-200 Twin Otters as orders are placed for Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirantes and Shorts 360s. Additional destinations now served include Concord, Eureka, Fresno, Modesto, Monterey, San Jose, and Stockton. United Airlines designates Westair as a marketing partner.
Service is expanded in 1985 to Orange County and Burbank airports in southern California. As the Brazilian-manufactured turboprops arrive, the four Twin Otters are withdrawn.
The fleet in 1986 comprises 15 Bandeirantes and 4 Shorts 360s. In early spring, the company moves its headquarters from Chico to Fresno and on July 1 it signs a formal marketing and code-sharing contract with United Airlines, adopting the “United Express” name and aircraft livery.
Flights commence to six additional California cities. Orders are placed for 10 EMB-120 Brasilias, with options taken for 10 more.
Enplanements total 544,936 and the year’s profits reach $3 million (operating) and $1.46 million (net).
Five Brasilias join the fleet in 1987, which also includes 31 EMB-110 Bandeirantes and 5 Shorts 360s. The subsidiary NPA is formed at Seattle to handle feed in the Pacific Northwest while the parent adds new services to Los Angeles (LAX).
Passenger boardings jump 57.3% during the 12 months to 856,947.
The 1,190-employee regional expands rapidly in 1988. Just after New Year’s, the carrier places three British Aerospace BAe 146-200s into service. In January, the company receives the 1979 “Regional Airline of the Year” award from Air Transport World magazine.
Meanwhile, three more EMB-120s arrive during the first quarter and BAe 146-200 service is launched to Reno, Nevada, the company’s first “United Express” destination outside the Golden State. On June 30, all outstanding common stock of FG Holdings is acquired in exchange for 826,050 shares of WestCom Holdings common stock.
During the year’s second half, four additional Brasilias, six Jetstream 31s, and three more BAe 146-200s are delivered. In September, West-Com Holdings is transformed into WestAir Holdings; Timothy Flynn becomes chairman of the parent concern and Maurice J. Gallagher is appointed president of the airline. The following month, the company’s first public offering of 1.6 million shares of common stock is made on the New York Stock Exchange and service is inaugurated to Tucson. Orders are placed in November for 20 optioned Brasilias.
Revenues balloon 127% to $134.5 million and expenses allow an operating profit of $9 million and net gain of $4.8 million.
Airline employment is increased by 29.4% in 1989 to 1,540 as the carrier is now the world’s largest Bandeirante operator after the Brazilian Air Force. NPA inaugurates commuter operations on March 1 to Boise. In early spring, ALPA is elected as the collective-bargaining unit for the company’s 375 pilots.
Westair launches “United Express” service in October from San Francisco to Oxnard, California. The same month, Chairman Timothy Flynn enters into discussions concerning a possible purchase of financially distressed Aspen Airways; however, Aspen’s high labor costs and an offer of East Coast services from United Airlines causes Westair to end its interest in Colorado carrier.
A new operating division, Atlantic Coast Airlines, is established at Washington, D. C. (lAD) in late fall. It begins revenue operations in December over routes purchased from the creditors of bankrupt Presidential Airways. Meanwhile, an NPA Jetstream 31, doing business as “United Express,” crashes and bursts into flame 500 feet short of the runway at TriCities Airport in Pasco, Washington, on December 26 (six dead).
Combined enplanements for Westair and its subsidiaries increase 22.4% to 2,361,598 and revenues jump 39.9% to $188.1 million. Costs, however, accelerate by an unwelcome 45.4% to $182.4 million and reduce operating income to $3.92 million. Net gain is cut to $1.4 million.
The employee population for the company’s 3 divisions explodes by 75.3% in 1990 to 2,700 and the fleet now includes 104 aircraft. In March, just after daily roundtrips begin from San Francisco to Fresno, the San Francisco-based Westair Airlines division is combined with the NPA unit, which flies “United Express” services out of Seattle, under the formers name as the West Coast division. Atlantic Coast Airlines remains the East Coast division.
Nonstop flights are now inaugurated from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, to San Francisco. During the summer, WestAir Holding, Inc., now serving a total of 64 cities, is caught up in industry discounting practices. Following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on August 2, fuel prices increase significantly and recessionary factors add to financial difficulties.
Overall passenger boardings jump 21.9% to 2,872,208 and revenues ascend 43.37% to $209.76 million. Expenses jump a further 52.6% to $217.28 million and leave the company with a $7.52-million operating loss. The previous year’s net profit becomes an $10.67-million net loss.
The payroll is cut by 11.1% in 1991 to 2,400 and the fleet includes 59 aircraft. The carrier joins with United Airlines on June 6 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of their “United Express” partnership.
During the summer, the company’s eastern division, Atlantic Coast Airlines, is sold for $14.2 million (plus assumption of $2.8 million in indebtedness) to a group of financiers led by former Pan American World Airways (1) Chairman C. Edward Acker. Operations continue under the Atlantic Coast moniker. In September, the company initiates twice-daily Jetstream 31 roundtrips from San Diego to Fresno while the same schedule is begun in October with SAAB 340Bs from San Jose to Palm Springs.
On December 1, daily roundtrip BAe 146-200 jet service is inaugurated from San Francisco to Monterrey, adding it to the four turboprop daily services already provided. A daily BAe 146-200 flight is also offered from San Francisco to Palm Springs, along with another daily EMB-120 run. Late in the year, the board of directors agrees to the airline’s acquisition by rapidly expanding Mesa Airlines during the following year. A separate all-cargo operation will be retained.
Customer bookings leap ahead by 4.1% to 2,858,779 and revenues increase by 7.54% to $225.58 million. Expenses increase 23.07% to $267.42 million and cause operating income to fall to $41.84 million. The net downturn doubles to minus $20.48 million.
Company employment declines another 56.3% in 1992 to 1,050. It is announced in February that the Mesa Airlines acquisition will be worth $41.4 million, with Westair shareholders receiving $6.37 per share. As Mesa and Westair approach their midsummer marriage, the latter drops a number of unprofitable routes and returns several Jetstream 31s to British Aerospace.
Westair officially becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Mesa Airlines in July. Larry Risley is chairman with Jonathan Ornstein as president. The “United Express” relationship is maintained as the new owners shift the carrier’s emphasis away from local services and toward feeding the major.
The company’s major hubs are Boise, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, Sacramento, Portland, Seattle, and Spokane. Destinations visited include Bakersfield, Bellingham, Chico, Crescent City, Eugene, Fresno, Mammoth Lakes, Medford, Merced, Modesto, Monterey, Ontario, Orange County, Palm Springs, Pasco, Portland, Redding, Redmond, Reno, San Luis Obispo County, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Seattle/Tacoma, Spokane, and Yakima.
A variety of new services are introduced during December. Connecting roundtrip flights between San Jose and San Francisco commence seven times per day on December 1. Seasonal flights begin on December 19 from Fresno and Los Angeles to Telluride, Colorado, and Mammoth Lakes, California. Twice-daily EMB-120 roundtrips are initiated the same day from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe.
Enplanements for the year decline 27.2% to 2,107,503.
Airline employment is 1,050 in 1993 and the fleet comprises 3 British Aerospace BAe 146-200s, 31 BAe Jetstream 31s, and 15 Embraer EMB-120 Brasilias. Orders remain outstanding for 23 Brasilias and the Mesa subsidiary reverts to its previous classification of large regional.
Service is started from Los Angeles (LAX) to Telluride; Los Angeles (LAX) to Mammoth Lakes via Fresno, San Francisco to San Jose, and Orange County to Denver.
Passenger boardings slide another 1% to 2,086,922.
Contract talks with leaders of the company’s 75-member chapter of ALPA drag on during the first months of 1994. In April, former Superior Airlines President Rolly Bergeson is appointed Westair’s CEO and Lawrence O. Olson becomes president of the WCA subsidiary.
When the United Airlines Shuttle by United division takes on Southwest Airlines in the California corridor during the fall, Westair suffers from the competition. The BAes are now withdrawn and the fleet at year’s end includes 18 Brasilias and 34 Jetstream 31s.
Customer bookings slide 3% during the 12 months to 2,023,411.
“United Express” services are provided to four California cities during 1995 as the Mesa Air Group division continues to be caught in the contest between Shuttle by United and Southwest Airlines.
Two additional EMB-120s join the fleet in December.
This unit reports its traffic statistics, which show enplanements down 5.5% to 1,911,489.
In 1996, Westair exchanges a number of routes with fellow Mesa Air Group division Mountain West Airlines (4).
Passenger bookings still fall, however, plunging 13.6% to 1,651,532.
Early in 1997, Mesa Air Group reorganizes its four main divisions into “America West Express,” Independent, “United Express,” and “US-Airways Express.” To these units are added the marketing and customer-service departments of both Air Midwest and WCA.
A dispute between Mesa Air Group and its WestAir Commuter Airlines unit, doing business as United Express (Mesa Air Group), versus United Airlines and SkyWest Airlines concerning access to certain West Coast markets results in a July lawsuit. UAL files suit in the U. S. District Court in Chicago seeking a determination as to the rights of all parties to the routes before any of the companies suffer economically. Mesa does not countersue.
On October 1, the company increases services from its Los Angeles hub by 73% to 175 daily flights; at the same time, 12 new California destinations are now initially visited, including San Jose.
CCAir board member Peter Murname, a principal in Barlow Partners, and former Mesa executive Jonathan Ornstein, president of Virgin Express Airlines, S. A., make a $50-million offer in October for Mesa’s “United Express” operation at Denver, along with WCA. The tender is rejected.
Passenger boardings climb 11.4% to 1,840,264.
In January 1998, United Airlines announces that, effective May 31 and September 30, it has cancelled its contract with Westair for “United Express” services from San Francisco and for the Pacific Northwest. The markets will be turned over to SkyWest Airlines.
Meanwhile, hoping to help revitalize their carrier, company pilots offer Mesa Air Group $20 million for a 20% stake. Mesa turns down their tender.
In March, President Bergeson memos company employees the bad news that 1,100 of their number will be laid off by mid-June, directly as a result of the loss of the United contract. It is anticipated that the company will stop flying at that time.
In May, parent Mesa Air Group retains the International Airline Support Group to assist Westair with the disposition of its leased fleet of Brasilias and Jetstream 31s. On May 31, Westair becomes the latest commuter enterprise casualty in California.
WESTAIR DE MEXICO, S. A. de C. V.: Hangar 5, Fila 8, Aerop-uerto International de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Mexico; Phone (013) 688-5251; Fax (013) 688-5017; Http://www. westairdemexico. com; Year Founded 1997. Westair de Mexico is established at Guadalajara in the fall of 1997 to offer ad hoc freight charters throughout Mexico and into the U. S. Upon receipt of its air operator’s certificate, the new concern launches revenue flights on December 11 employing a small fleet of Fairchild SA227 Metro IIIs.
Flights continue without headline or incident during the remainder of the decade. On June 23, 2000, the company begins operating charters to Miami for Federal Express (FedEx).
WESTAIR FLYING SERVICES, LTD.: Blackpool Airport, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom; Phone 44 (0) 1253 404925; Fax 44 (0) 1253 401121; Http://www. westair. demon. co. uk; Year Founded 1994. Denis Westoby establishes a flying service at Blackpool Airport in Lancashire in 1994 to provide both scheduled air taxi and charter flights to regional destinations. Revenue services commence with 1 Beech King Air 90 and 2 Cessna 401s. Over the next five years, aircraft sales, engineering, and a flying school are also operated.
WESTAIR TRANSPORT: United States (1948-1964). The Aviation Corporation of Seattle is formed in 1947 to begin nonscheduled air service in and to Alaska under the marketing name Westair Transport. Revenue flights commence with a Douglas DC-3.
A Curtiss C-46 Commando is acquired in 1948 under charter from the USAF. Both passenger and cargo charters are operated over the next decade, with the carrier branching out to provide irregular flights into the Caribbean as well. Although not all operated simultaneously, seven C-46s are operated during these years.
The company is listed by the U. S. government as an interim supplemental carrier in 1959, but is out of business by 1964.
WESTATES AIRLINES (1): United States (1985). Westates is established at Burlingame, California, in the spring of 1985. President John Lowe’s new entrant obtains two Convair CV-580s, which are employed, beginning on July 8, to inaugurate thrice-daily scheduled services in the tough Golden State commuter market between Santa Rosa and Los Angeles. An application is made for permission to launch flights to South Lake Tahoe, but the request is denied.
Unable to maintain or grow its vitality, the small regional, after having transported 18,000 passengers during the year’s second half, declares Chapter XI bankruptcy and ceases operation in December.
WESTATES AIRLINES (2): United States (1990-1995). Terrence Dennison, acting on behalf of the Finnish concern A. Ahlstrom Corporation, reforms WA at Columbia County Airport in Hudson, New York, in 1990. Although scheduled commuter authority is held, it remains dormant as nonscheduled operations commence with 4 Convair CV-580s between several Virginia destinations and Atlantic City. Operations continue apace in 1991-1993, during which time 3 Mohawk 298s are acquired for the fleet and a code-sharing agreement is briefly operated with Trans World Airlines (TWA).
The company continues to fly charter and scheduled air taxi services in 1994 between Niagara Falls and Newark and between Miami and Cap Haitien. The carrier will be grounded by the FAA during the first quarter of 1995 for maintenance and record-keeping problems with three CV-580s.
In April, an agreement is reached between the FAA and the carrier under which the latter, without admitting to any regulatory violations, will be permitted to resume flights. Westates agrees to properly maintain and report on the three Convairs, to establish a safety and compliance program, and to retrain flight crews and mechanics on approved ways of handling maintenance discrepancies.
Efforts to find additional capital are undertaken, but before an infusion can be made, the carrier’s operating rights are revoked because its Finnish owners are have been found ineligible to hold them.
WESTCHESTER AIR: 6 Hangar Road, Box 5, Westchester County Airport, White Plains, New York 10604, United States; Phone (914) 761-3000; Fax (914) 761-3291; Year Founded 1982.
Established at its namesake airport in 1982, WA undertakes executive and small group passenger charters over the next 15 years throughout the U. S., Canada, and Caribbean. Millie Becker is president in 2000 and she employs 5 pilots, who operate 1 each Cessna 500 Citation I, Beech King Air 100, and Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain.
WESTCHESTER AIRWAYS: United States (1934-1942). Westchester Airways is established at Auburn, New York, in the summer of 1934 to offer passenger sight-seeing and charter flights to local destinations and during the winter vacation season to Miami, Florida. The Ford Tri-Motor 4-AT-67, which has been employed by the manufacturer as a test vehicle over the past five years, is acquired on September 26 and is employed to inaugurate revenue flights.
Operations continue without fanfare until August 2, 1940. While on a sight-seeing flight over Liberty, New York, the Ford suffers engine loss and crashes; although no injuries are reported, the left wing and landing gear are damaged. The aircraft is repaired and returned to service.
Following U. S. entry into World War II on December 7, 1941, wartime restrictions and the leisure market conspire against the company. On November 21, 1942, the company closes its doors and sells its aircraft to the Cuban airline Expreso Aereo Inter-Americano, S. A.
World History
