ViaAir

Via Airlines was a US domestic regional airline offering scheduled service across the United States. The airline originally focused on scheduled Essential Air Service from Raleigh County Memorial Airport in Beckley, West Virginia, Parkersburg/Marietta in Parkersburg, West Virginia to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina,[1] but had since withdrawn from servicing any areas and maintained only their charter services. In October 2019, the airline declared bankruptcy and ceased all operations.

Not to be confused with Air VIA, Viva Air, or Viva Air Dominicana.
Via Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
VC SRY STINGRAY
FoundedMarch 27, 1997
Ceased operationsOctober 2019
AOC #4VAA
Operating basesOrlando, Florida
Fleet size6
Destinations2
HeadquartersMaitland, Florida
Key people
  • Irit Vizer (President & COO)
  • Part 121 Director of Operations - Open
  • Rick Stanger (Director of QCQA)
  • Part 135 Director of Operations - Open
  • Pablo Ratti (Chief Pilot)
  • Keri Edwards (Director of Safety)
Employees270
Websitewww.flyviaair.com

History

Via Airlines was established on March 27, 1997, and operated public and private charter flights for corporations, sports teams, casinos, and air travel functions before expanding to scheduled passenger flight services with ViaAir.[2]

Via Airlines began its EAS scheduled flights in December 2014, with the inaugural flight to Beckley, WV taking place on December 3. Prior to ViaAir beginning flights, air service was operated by United Express.[3] The same day as the inaugural Beckley flight, ViaAir announced it would be operating seasonal unsubsidized nonstop service from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Northeast Florida Regional Airport in St. Augustine, Florida, with its inaugural flight taking place on December 19, 2014.[4]

After a seasonal trial, an agreement was reached to continue service to St. Augustine from Charlotte and Beckley.[5] In early November 2015, ViaAir announced it would extend its St. Augustine service into 2016.[6]

ViaAir, with flights operated by the Charter Air Transport fleet, offers additional air travel options with its AirCruise and Air Tours products. ViaAir's aviation products began in 2009 with its Air Tours, and introduced AirCruise in 2011.[7] AirCruise introduced a concept similar to naval cruises, but that transports passengers by plane instead of by boat.[8] While naval cruising is limited to ports, AirCruise is able to reach landlocked destinations.

On November 15, 2017, ViaAir announced two new destinations from Austin (Oklahoma City and Tucson), taking its total destinations from Austin up to four. Coinciding with this information was the announcement that "ViaAir plans to base crews and maintenance at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, positioning its Austin based operations to expand. We will roll out additional cities throughout next year as we hope to be known as Austin’s hometown airline."[9] On February 9, 2018, Via announced two new destinations from Austin (Little Rock and Tulsa), bringing the total of destinations served from Austin up to six.

On May 23, 2019, ViaAir announced that it was suspending the majority of its commercial operations, citing a pilot shortage, with the only operating flights being between Orlando-Sanford International Airport and Jackson, MS.[10]

On May 26, 2019, Austin Bergstrom International Airport announced that it would stop doing business with the airline after it failed to make payments to the airport and that its last day of service to Austin would be May 30, 2019.[11]

On October 8, 2019, the airline announced it would be filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Florida Middle Bankruptcy Court.[12] The airline has since ceased all operations.[13] In July 2020, Wexford Capital, a Florida-based investment firm, acquired Via Airlines and announced it will relaunch the Airline with a new name.[14]

Destinations
StateCityAirport servedNotes
AlabamaMontgomeryMontgomery Regional Airport[15]
ArizonaTucsonTucson International Airport
ArkansasLittle RockClinton National Airport
FloridaOrlando/SanfordOrlando Sanford International AirportBase[16]
FloridaTallahasseeTallahassee International Airport
LouisianaBaton RougeBaton Rouge Metropolitan Airport
MississippiJacksonJackson-Evers International Airport
MissouriBransonBranson AirportSeasonal service
North CarolinaRaleigh/DurhamRaleigh–Durham International Airport[17]
OklahomaTulsaTulsa International Airport
PennsylvaniaPittsburghPittsburgh International Airport[17]
South CarolinaColumbiaColumbia Metropolitan Airport
TexasAmarilloRick Husband Amarillo International Airport

Former destinations
StateCityAirport servedNotes
AlabamaBirminghamBirmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport[18]
AlabamaMobileMobile Regional Airport[18]
ColoradoDenverDenver International Airport[19]
ColoradoHaydenYampa Valley AirportSeasonal service[20]
FloridaSt. AugustineNortheast Florida Regional AirportSeasonal Service[21]
IllinoisChicagoMidway International Airport[19]
MarylandBaltimoreBaltimore–Washington International Airport[22][23]
MissouriKansas CityKansas City International Airport
New YorkFarmingdaleRepublic Airport
New YorkNiagara FallsNiagara Falls International Airport
North CarolinaCharlotteCharlotte Douglas International Airport
South CarolinaMyrtle BeachMyrtle Beach International Airport
TexasAustinAustin–Bergstrom International Airport
TexasDallas/Ft. WorthDallas/Fort Worth International Airport[19]
TexasHoustonWilliam P. Hobby Airport[19]
VirginiaStauntonShenandoah Valley Regional AirportEssential Air Service[24]
West VirginiaBeckleyRaleigh County Memorial AirportEssential Air Service
West VirginiaClarksburgNorth Central West Virginia AirportEssential Air Service[22][23]
West VirginiaLewisburgGreenbrier Valley AirportEssential Air Service
West VirginiaParkersburgMid-Ohio Valley Regional AirportEssential Air Service[25]

Fleet
Via Airlines previously operated Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia turboprop aircraft

All regional jet aircraft used for ViaAir public charters are operated by its subsidiary, Via Airlines.

Via Air Fleet
Aircraft In Service Orders Passengers Notes
Total
Embraer ERJ-145 6 — 50

See also

References
  1. "Subsidized EAS report for non-Alaska communities-Nov 2016" (PDF). Cms.dot.gov. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 December 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  2. "Private Air Charter Company | Charter Air Transport". Charterairtransport.com. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  3. Pritt, Pamela (3 December 2014). "ViaAir takes off from Raleigh Memorial (W/ VIDEO)". Beckley Register-Herald. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  4. "First ViaAir flight lands in St. Augustine". StAugustine.com. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  5. "ViaAir says it will continue its service between St. Augustine and Charlotte through 2015". StAugustine.com. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  6. "ViaAir Extends Flight Service to/from St. Augustine, FL into 2016". Blog.flyviaair.com.
  7. "ViaAir Tours | A Flight Above the Rest". Mauivaairtours.com. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  8. "ViaAircruise". Mauivaaircruise.com. Retrieved 2016-06-20.
  9. "Austin Announcements". Blog.flyviaair.com. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  10. Beahm, Anna (May 23, 2019). "Via Airlines leaving all Alabama airports effective immediately". al.com. Retrieved Jun 7, 2019.
  11. "After nonpayment, Via Airlines will no longer be operating out of ABIA". KXAN. May 26, 2019. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  12. "Via Airlines filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy". al.com. 16 October 2019. Retrieved 2019-10-16.
  13. "Via Airlines". ch-aviation.com. Retrieved 2019-10-16.
  14. "Wexford Capital Acquires Bankrupt Via Airlines, Set To Launch New Carrier". 2020-07-26. Retrieved 2020-07-27.
  15. "Montgomery airport gets direct service to Orlando". The Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  16. "ViaAir Announces New Flight Service and Special $99* Introductory Fares". Blog.flyviaair.com. 31 October 2016.
  17. Kontoravdis, Mateen (10 January 2019). "Via Airlines Adds 7 New Routes in Largest Expansion Yet". Airlinegeeks.com. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  18. "Via Airlines leaving all Alabama airports effective immediately". Al.com. May 23, 2019. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  19. "ViaAir schedules May 2017 Branson debut". Routesonline.com.
  20. Davis, Mark. KCI to gain ViaAir flights to Steamboat Springs, Colo., this winter, Kansas City Star, July 26, 2017, Retrieved 2017-08-03
  21. Korfhage, Stuart. "Via drops service to Charlotte, hints at adding new routes". The St. Augustine Record. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  22. Swiger, Darlene J. Via Air to begin flying to Baltimore and Charlotte from NCWV Airport on Oct. 1, The Exponent Telegraph, September 16, 2016, Retrieved 2017-08-03
  23. Young, Charles. Official: May 7 last day for Via Air service at North Central West Virginia Airport, The Exponent Telegraph, April 19, 2017, Retrieved 2017-08-03
  24. "ORDER SELECTING CARRIER AND ESTABLISHING SUBSIDY RATES" (PDF). Regulations.gov. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  25. "Via cancels remaining flights at MOV airport". Newsandsentinel.com. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
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