Freedom Airlines

Freedom Airlines

IATA F8	ICAO FRL	Callsign Freedom Air
Founded		2002
Hubs		Orlando International Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Fleet size		30
Destinations		165
Parent company		Mesa Air Group, Inc.
Headquarters		Phoenix, Arizona
Key people		Michael Ferverda (President)
Website: http://www.mesa-air.com

Freedom Airlines (IATA: F8, ICAO: FRL, and Callsign: Freedom Air) is a FAA Part 121 certificated air carrier operating under air carrier certificate number FDKA087K^[1] issued on April 1, 2002. It is headquartered in Irving, Texas and is a subsidiary of Mesa Air Group. It operates flights as Delta Connection for Delta Air Lines out of Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida using Embraer-145 aircraft and began serving Delta's hub at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City in July 2006 using De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft.

[edit] History

The airline was established in March 2002 and started operations in October 2002. It was the launch customer for the Bombardier CRJ-900. The airline was started so that Mesa Air Group could fulfill its contractual obligations to operate Bombardier CRJ-900 as America West Express for America West Airlines. Establishing Freedom was necessary as Mesa Airlines was also operating as US Airways Express under a code share agreement for US Airways. US Airways' collective bargaining agreement with the Air Line Pilots Association prohibited contract carrier code share arrangements with regional jet carriers, if that carrier operated aircraft with more than 70 seats. Mesa Airlines, therefore, could not operate as US Airways Express and operate the Bombardier CRJ-900.

Initially Freedom operated the Bombardier CRJ-700 and Bombardier CRJ-900 on behalf of America West Airlines. Once US Airways' pilot scope limitation was relaxed, Mesa transferred the operation of all of Freedom's regional jets to Mesa Airlines. Once this transfer was complete Freedom placed a few Beech 1900D turboprops on its certificate and operated these as America West Express under a pro rate code share agreement with America West. In October 2005, Freedom Airlines began operations as Delta Connection.

Freedom Airlines operates as:

Delta Connection using Embraer ERJ-145 and De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft under a revenue-guarantee codesharing agreement. Its hubs are in Orlando, Atlanta, and New York John F. Kennedy airport.