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Skywest Airlines

History and Foundation

Skywest Airlines Australia is a regional carrier that is based in Perth. This airline company offers charter flights to various domestic destinations. In fact, this airline carries passengers to 24 destinations in Melbourne, Darwin, and Western Australia. Skywest Airlines operates 22 aircrafts.

Skywest was founded in 1963. This airline company was initially started providing air carrier services and charter flights under the title Carnarvon Air Taxis. During this time, the airline company is based in Carnarvon in Western Australia. It was in 1979 when the airline company changed its name to Skywest Aviation. During this period, the main hub of the airline has moved to Jandakot Airport located in Perth. In 1980, the airline company has successfully acquired Stillwell Airlines and it subsequently changed its name to Skywest Airlines.

Skywest has definitely made its mark in the aviation industry. Some of its airline hubs include Darwin Airport, Melbourne Airport, and Canberra Airport. It has been operating for nearly 50 years. This airline company offers diverse aviation services that cater to mining companies, business travelers, and tourists. This airline services key towns in Western Australia. Skywest services destinations like Darwin, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra. This airline company also services regional destinations like Queensland and New South Wales.

In 1972 Ralph Atkin, a lawyer of St. George, Utah, bought Dixie Airlines and renamed it as Skywest Airlines. Now owned by SkyWest, Inc the company is headquartered in St. George, Utah, USA. Initially this North American airline had to struggle a lot but it became the 11th largest regional airline in US after acquiring Sun Aire Lines of Palm Springs, California in 1984. In 1986 Skywest Airlines had its first public offering. Skywest started codesharing as Western Express in 1985.

In the year 1995 Skywest started flying for Continental Airlines. After two years the liaison was discontinued as Skywest started flight operation for United Airlines. By later part of 1990 Skywest’s United Express flights further than SFO, LAX and DEN turned out to be its largest operation. The joint venture with Continental was rejuvenated in 2003 but again terminated in June 2005. SkyWest, Inc. acquired Atlantic Southeast Airlines of Delta in September 2005.

As per definitions of airlines in America Skywest is a major airline. However, it operates as a regional airline in North America.

Skywest Airline has signed contract with several major airlines and flies as a feeder airline on behalf of them. It operates as:

SkyWest Airlines in a joint venture with Alaska Airlines
United Express in support of United Airlines
US Airways Express for US Airways
Delta Connection in a partnership with Delta Air Lines
American Eagle for American Airlines

Destinations

SkyWest Airlines serves 186 destinations. A member of the Regional Airline Association in North America, Skywest operates flights in 181 cities, in 40 states of Washington, D.C.; 6 provinces of Canada and 7 cities in Mexico and the Bahamas.

Hubs

Hubs of Skywest Airline can be listed as below:

As American Eagle:

Los Angeles International Airport
Chicago-O'Hare International Airport

As Alaska Airlines:

Portland International Airport
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

As Delta Connection:

Memphis Airport
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
Salt Lake City International Airport
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Los Angeles International Airport

As United Express:

Denver International Airport
Dulles International Airport
Houston Intercontinental Airport
Chicago-O'Hare International Airport
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Portland International Airport
San Francisco International Airport

As US Airways Express:

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport