Compass Airlines An American Eagle Embraer E175 regional aircraft. Philip Pilosian / Shutterstock.com
Compass Airlines was a regional airline that shut down in April 2020 after ending operations with American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, according to FlightGlobal. The Minneapolis-based carrier primarily flew the Embraer E175 aircraft with bases on the West Coast in its last years.
ExpressJet Airlines A United Express Embraer ERJ145 operated by ExpressJet Airlines. Marc Seguin/Shutterstock.com
ExpressJet Airlines was a regional airline that ceased operations on September 30, 2020, after United Airlines chose rival CommutAir to fly regional services. Major airlines like American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and most recently, United Airlines had contracted the airline to fly its regional hubs to smaller cities.
The pandemic devastated airlines in 2020 and forced many out of business here s the most notable that didn t make it to 2021 Thomas Pallini An aircraft sits in a boneyard in Arizona. Last year saw an influx of airlines close up shop as the pandemic forced travellers to stay home. All 11 major US airlines remained intact but smaller regional carriers were forced to close or merge due to the drop in travel demand. Not all were due to the pandemic, however, as the first two months of the year saw high-profile closures due to mounting losses.
Each year sees a small number of airlines close up shop for any number of reasons, but last year had the pandemic to speed some along.
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A plane lands in Miami. The airport is now hosting low-cost carrier Southwest and, starting next month, JetBlue. Photo Credit: Ernesto Juan Castellanos/Shutterstock.com
Low-cost U.S. airlines have used the Covid-19 pandemic to spread their wings in major metropolitan areas.
On Feb. 11, JetBlue, long a leading operator at Fort Lauderdale Airport, will launch its first four routes from nearby Miami.
The move will follow the November Miami debut of Southwest, also a longtime Fort Lauderdale operator.
South Florida isn t the only metroplex where Southwest has diversified its footprint. The carrier is also rolling out service at Chicago O Hare in February, giving it a presence in the north Chicagoland market to go along with its network-leading operation at Chicago Midway.