This article needs additional citations for verification .(May 2020) |
| |||||||
Commenced operations | 1996 [1] | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ceased operations | 2000 | ||||||
Hubs | Rafael Hernandez International Airport | ||||||
Secondary hubs | Cibao International Airport | ||||||
Focus cities | Providenciales International Airport | ||||||
Fleet size | 13 | ||||||
Destinations | 6 | ||||||
Parent company | Corporate Air | ||||||
Headquarters | Aguadilla, Puerto Rico | ||||||
Website | corporateair.net |
Merlin Express was a Part 135/121 cargo and passenger airline operating at its peak throughout the United States, North and South Caribbean, South America, Alaska, and Mexico. The airline began operations in 1983 as Sat-Air, a subsidiary of Fairchild Aircraft. UPS purchased 14 Merlin IV-C dedicated cargo aircraft from Fairchild and as part of the agreement, Fairchild agreed to provide crew and maintenance services for the aircraft. Similar contracts were signed with the United States Air Force for C-26 sales, though only maintenance add on services were included. Initially, all Merlin Express aircraft provided feeder service to United Parcel Service and were painted in UPS livery. In the ensuing years, the airline began to acquire additional aircraft from its parent Fairchild, and from the open market, incorporating freight service contracts for Federal Express, DHL, and Airborne Express. By 1998, Merlin Express was operating a fleet of approximately 30 Metro III, Merlin IV-C, and Metro II aircraft. In 1996, Merlin successfully gained certification as a passenger Part 121 carrier and operated passenger service routes in Alaska under contract for Yute Air. In 1997, Fairchild Aircraft acquired Dornier Aircraft of Germany and Merlin began preparations for the addition of D-328 aircraft to its fleet. As the airline's parent company began to confront cash problems, Merlin Express, Gen-Aero FBO Services, and other subsidiary companies of Fairchild Dornier Aerospace were sold-off in order to generate needed cash. Merlin Express was purchased by Corporate Air of Billings, Montana in 2000 and renamed "Merlin Airways". Fairchild Dornier Aerospace declared bankruptcy in 2002. Under new owners, Merlin Express' original route network was shrunk and was eventually centered on the airline's remaining hubs in Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico. [2] Currently based at Rafael Hernández International Airport in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The airline still flies to some Caribbean islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Dominican Republic.
The Merlin Express fleet consists of:[ citation needed ]
Regular destinations included Santiago, Dominican Republic, Providenciales, Aruba and Port of Spain.
North American Airlines, Inc., was an American airline with its headquarters at the HLH Building in Peachtree City, Georgia in Greater Atlanta, United States. Prior to May 2008, it operated scheduled international services from the U.S. to Africa and Guyana. Later it operated domestic and international charter services and wet lease services. Its main aircraft and maintenance base was Tampa International Airport.
Rafael Hernández International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. It is named after the Puerto Rican composer Rafael Hernández Marín. It is Puerto Rico's second largest international airport in terms of passenger movement. It is located in Porta del Sol tourist region, in Puerto Rico's west coast. It is also home to Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen and to the Caribbean Branch of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations. The airport has the longest runway in the Caribbean region.
Air Wisconsin Airlines is a regional airline based at Appleton International Airport in the town of Greenville, Wisconsin near Appleton. Air Wisconsin originally operated as one of the original United Express partners in 1985, and subsequently operated as US Airways Express on behalf of US Airways prior to becoming an American Eagle regional air carrier. Between March 2018 and April 2023, Air Wisconsin operated exclusively as a United Express regional air carrier once again with primary hubs located at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). This came to an end in April 2023 as the carrier switched to conducting solely American Eagle branded flights, under a new contract with American Airlines.
Empire Airlines is a cargo and former passenger airline based in Hayden, Idaho, near Coeur d'Alene. It operates over 120 scheduled cargo flights a day in 18 US states and Canada. Empire also operated passenger service within Hawaii, under the name "Ohana by Hawaiian", between 2014 and 2021 in partnership with Hawaiian Airlines. Its main base is Coeur d'Alene Airport with a hub at Spokane International Airport. The company slogan is We Can Do That.
Skyway Airlines was an American ramp and aircraft ground handling services and catering company based in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Until April 5, 2008, it operated as a regional airline and banner carrier exclusively for Midwest Express Airlines under the business name Midwest Connect, feeding Midwest's hub at General Mitchell International Airport with twelve 32-seat Fairchild-Dornier 328JET regional jet aircraft, and four 19-seat Beechcraft 1900 commuter turboprops. Skyway Airlines, along with its parent corporation, Midwest Air Group, has since ceased operations.
PAL Airlines is a Canadian regional airline with headquarters at St. John's International Airport in St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. PAL operates scheduled passenger, cargo, air ambulance and charter services. PAL is the commercial airline arm of the PAL Group of Companies. In addition to its head office, it also has bases in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and Montreal, Quebec. PAL is the second largest regional airline operator in Eastern Canada next to Jazz Aviation.
Ameriflight LLC is an American cargo airline with headquarters at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. It is the largest United States FAA Part 135 cargo carrier, operating scheduled and contract cargo services from 19 bases to destinations in 250 cities across 43 US states as well as in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America. Ameriflight serves major financial institutions, freight forwarders, laboratories, and overnight couriers in the US, and provides feeder services for overnight express carriers nationwide and internationally. Ameriflight averages 525 daily departures with over 100,000 combined flight hours annually and a 99.5% on-time performance. Ameriflight employs over 700 people.
The Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner is a 19-seat, pressurized, twin-turboprop airliner first produced by Swearingen Aircraft and later by Fairchild Aircraft at a plant in San Antonio, Texas.
The Dornier 328 is a turboprop-powered commuter airliner. Initially produced by Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH, the firm was acquired in 1996 by Fairchild Aircraft. The resulting firm, named Fairchild-Dornier, manufactured the 328 family in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, conducted sales from San Antonio, Texas, United States, and supported the product line from both locations. A jet-powered version of the aircraft, the Fairchild Dornier 328JET, was also produced.
The Fairchild-Dornier 328JET is a commuter airliner, based upon the turboprop-powered Dornier 328, developed by the German aircraft manufacturer Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH. It would be the last Dornier-designed aircraft to reach production before the company's collapse during the early 2000s.
M7 Aerospace LP is an aerospace company with its headquarters on the property of San Antonio International Airport in Uptown San Antonio, Texas, United States.
Northern Air Cargo, LLC (NAC) is an American cargo airline based in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. NAC operates a small fleet of Boeing 737-300, Boeing 737-400 and Boeing 737-800 freighter aircraft within the state of Alaska as well as widebody Boeing 767-300 freighter services throughout the Caribbean and South America. Other services include aircraft maintenance services through its subsidiary, Northern Air Maintenance Services, on demand charters and consolidation of cargo. With a main base at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, NAC also operates out of a hub at Miami International Airport. NAC is a division of Saltchuk which is the corporate parent of a number of transportation and distribution companies including Aloha Air Cargo, a cargo airline based in Hawaii.
Merlin Airways is an American airline based in Billings, Montana, United States. It operates freight services under contract to FedEx Express and UPS Airlines. The airline previously conducted FAR Part 121 passenger operations in Alaska and Texas as well as providing charter service for gambling junkets. As of 1999 the company has ceased passenger operations to focus on the main aspect of its business, which is providing freight services to FedEx and UPS. Its headquarters is Billings, Montana, with hubs at Miami International Airport and at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
UPS Airlines is a major American cargo airline based in Louisville, Kentucky, US. One of the largest cargo airlines worldwide, UPS Airlines flies to 815 destinations worldwide. It has been a wholly owned subsidiary of United Parcel Service since its launch in 1988.
Air Flamenco is a commuter airline operated by Air Charter, Inc., based in Puerto Rico.
ACSA - Air Century, S.A. is a Dominican airline that operates charter and regularly scheduled services from the Santo Domingo La Isabela International Airport. The company was founded by Captain and Pilot Omar Chahin. Air Century commenced operations in March 1992 and is currently the longest-running still active Dominican airline.
Lone Star Airlines was an American regional airline that operated both domestic and international flights. For much of the airline's life its headquarters were located in the Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas. The airline's largest hub was located at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The airline filed for bankruptcy in August, 1998 and was liquidated in October, 1998.
Lufthansa Technik AG provides worldwide maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for aircraft, engines, and components. It is a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group.
Air Transport Services Group Inc. (ATSG) is an American aviation holding company which provides air cargo transportation and related services to domestic and foreign air carriers and other companies that outsource their air cargo lift requirements. ATSG, is the world's largest lessor of converted Boeing 767 freighter aircraft through its leasing division, Cargo Aircraft Management. Through its principal subsidiaries, including three airlines with separate and distinct U.S. FAA Part 121 Air Carrier certificates, ATSG provides aircraft leasing, air cargo lift, passenger ACMI and charter services, aircraft maintenance services and airport ground services. ATSG's subsidiaries include Cargo Aircraft Management; ABX Air; Air Transport International; Omni Air International, Airborne Global Solutions; Airborne Maintenance & Engineering Services, including its subsidiary, Pemco Conversions dba Pemco World Air Services; and LGSTX Services.
American Eagle is a brand name for the regional branch of American Airlines, under which six individual regional airlines operate short- and medium-haul feeder flights. Three of these airlines, Envoy Air, Piedmont Airlines, and PSA Airlines, are wholly owned subsidiaries of the American Airlines Group. American Eagle's largest hub is Charlotte Douglas International's Concourse E, which operates over 340 flights per day, making it the largest regional jet operation in the world.