History
Republic Airlines was started as Chautauqua Airlines in 1973 in Jamestown, N.Y., by Joel and Gloria Hall. It changed ownership to GAC, and then to Wexford Capital, LLC of Greenwich.
US Airways' pilots had a "scope clause" prohibiting the airline from operating large regional jets such as the Embraer 170. The airline negotiated around this clause by offering flight deck jobs to laid-off US Airways pilots, in a program known as "Jets for Jobs." This agreement created a subsidiary, MidAtlantic Airways. As part of US Airways' bankruptcy restructuring, the 25 Embraer 170s delivered to MidAtlantic were bought by Republic to help US Airways to come out of bankruptcy, which operates them along with additional newly-delivered aircraft on order under a conventional Express carrier contract.
On January 11, 2007, Frontier Airlines announced it had signed an 11-year service agreement with Republic Airlines. Under the agreement, Republic would operate 17 Embraer 170 aircraft for the Frontier Airlines operations. The first aircraft was placed into service in March 2007, and the last aircraft was expected to be placed into service by December 2008. On April 23, 2008, Republic Airways Holdings (parent of Republic Airlines) announced the termination of its service agreement with Frontier Airlines, which entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in early April 2008. The terminations of services was made moot as soon after it was announced that Republic Airlines would take over Frontier Airlines.
On February 1, 2008, Republic Airlines opened a base at Port Columbus International Airport in Columbus Ohio.
Republic also operates 38 Embraer 175 aircraft for US Airways Express.
On September 3, 2008, Republic announced a new 10 year codeshare agreement with Midwest Airlines. The aircraft will be based at Kansas City International Airport beginning October 1, 2008. Twelve aircraft will be placed in service with Midwest. On June 23, 2009, Republic announced it is acquiring Midwest Airlines for $31 million. The name Midwest will disappear and flights will be rebranded Frontier. Before the removal of the brand, Republic or Frontier crew fly the Midwest brand flights.
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