Passenger Airline

A passenger airline is an airline dedicated to the transport of passengers. Cf. cargo airline. Passenger airlines usually operate a fleet of passenger aircraft which, rather than being owned outright, are usually leased from commercial aircraft sales and leasing companies such as GECAS and ILFC.

There are several types of passenger airlines, mainly

• Charter airlines, operating outside of regular schedule intervals
• Commuter airlines, servicing smaller communities; sometimes known as feeder airlines (and no longer air taxis due the advent of VLJs)
• Legacy airline, Legacy carrier
• Low-cost airlines, giving a "basic", "no-frills" and perceived inexpensive service
• Mainline airlines, the major "trunk" international airlines
• Pseudo airlines, airline marketing brands such as American Connection or US Airways Express, often mistaken for independent and fully certificated airlines
• Regional airlines, non-"mainline" airlines with aircraft seating up to 100 passengers and operating over shorter non-intercontinental distances
• Network Airlines are usually larger airlines with an international route network which actively markets connecting flights via airline hub airports and provides the respective transfer services for passengers and their baggage. Additionally, network airlines, tend to have larger mainline narrowbody aircraft among their multiple fleet mix types (contrary to a typical low-cost carriers single fleet type), provide services to smaller communities through code-share regional airline affiliates, subsidiaries,or franchise partners.