What is Big Sky Airlines?

Information about Big Sky Airlines

Big Sky Airlines

IATA GQ	ICAO BSY	Callsign BIG SKY
Founded		1978
Hubs		As Big Sky Airlines: Billings Logan International Airport
Secondary hubs		As Delta Connection: Boston Logan International Airport
Focus cities		As Big Sky Airlines: Boise Airport
Frequent flyer program		MVP Club (Big Sky Airlines) SkyMiles (Delta Connection)
Alliance		SkyTeam (Delta Connection)
Fleet size		13 (8 are as Delta Connection)
Destinations		29 (14 are as Delta Connection)
Parent company		Big Sky Transportation-MAIR Holdings
Headquarters		Billings, Montana
Key people
Website: [1]

Big Sky Airlines is an American commercial airline headquartered in Billings, Montana, USA. Big Sky Airlines is wholly owned by Big Sky Transportation Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MAIR Holdings.

Big Sky operates scheduled commuter passenger services to 21 cities (an additional 6 are served from service as Delta Connection) and maintains a hub at Billings Logan International Airport in Billings, Montana, from which the airline flies more of its non-stop routes than it does from any other airport. The airline is a crucial air link within the state of Montana, serving as the primary (and in some cases, only) commercial air carrier to several small airports in the state.

On December 21, 2006, a press release announced that Big Sky would become a Delta Connection carrier, using eight Beechcraft 1900D turboprops out of Boston's Logan International Airport. ^[1]

History

The airline was established in 1978 and started operations on September 15, 1978. It started to take over Aspen Mountain Air's Essential Air Service routes in October 1998, following Aspen's bankruptcy. Transfer of services was completed in December 1998.

In late 2002 Big Sky Airlines offered service between Idaho Falls, Idaho and Denver, Colorado but canceled it three months afterward, declaring it unprofitable.[2]

In early 2005, Big Sky announced a few changes to its service, planning the termination of service to North Dakota, and replacing its Metro fleet with Beechcraft 1900Ds which will be leased from Mesa Air Group subsidiary Air Midwest.

Previous Big Sky logo

In July 2006, Big Sky announced that the airline would discontinue service to Great Falls, Montana; Kalispell, Montana; and Spokane, Washington. The airline also announced that one of their Beech 1900D's would be leased to an airline in Florida.

As of September 1, 2006 Big Sky discontinued service to Moses Lake, Washington.

On December 21, 2006, Delta Air Lines announced new services from Boston Logan International Airport to be served by Big Sky. Big Sky will provide the service using Beechcraft 1900, specifically 1900D aircraft.

Big Sky will also pick up some Essential Air Service routes originally served by now defunct AmericanConnection carrier RegionsAir out of Cincinnati for Delta. [3] [4]

Destinations

Big Sky Airlines currently flies to 15 destinations throughout the United States (operated as Big Sky Airlines), and 14 destinations throughout the Northeastern United States (operated as Delta Connection); 29 destinations in total.

Big Sky Airlines

United States

Colorado

Denver (Denver International Airport)

Idaho

Boise (Boise Airport) Focus City

Montana

Oregon

Portland (Portland International Airport)

Wyoming

Sheridan (Sheridan County Airport)

Delta Connection

Canada

New Brunswick

Fredericton (Greater Fredericton Airport)

Quebec

Quebec City (Québec/Jean Lesage International Airport)

United States

New York

New Jersey

Trenton (Trenton-Mercer Airport)

Pennsylvania

Allentown/Bethlehem (Lehigh Valley International Airport)

Tennessee

Jackson (McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport) [begins November 18]

Vermont

Burlington (Burlington International Airport)

Codeshare Agreements

Big Sky has codeshare agreements with the following airlines, the airline place their airline code on Big Sky flights and not vice versa. ^[2]

Fleet

As of September 2007, Big Sky Airlines has 11 aircraft in its fleet consisting of: ^[3]

**Big Sky Airlines Fleet**
Aircraft	Total	Passengers (Economy)	Routes	Notes
Beechcraft 1900D	13	19	All	Eight aircraft are set aside for use as Delta Connection

References

1. ^ Delta to Connect Northeast Business Centers with Significant Boston Expansion. Retrieved on 2006-12-21.
2. ^ [5]
3. ^ Big Sky Airlines Fleet

External links

Big Sky Airlines

• • [ e] Delta Connection Carriers
Current	Atlantic Southeast Airlines • Big Sky Airlines • Chautauqua Airlines • Comair • ExpressJet Airlines • Freedom Airlines • Shuttle America • SkyWest
Former	Air Midwest • Atlantic Coast Airlines • Business Express Airlines • Ransome Airlines • Rio Airways • Trans States Airlines
Future	Pinnacle Airlines

• • [ e]

Airlines of the United States

AirTran Airways Alaska Airlines Allegiant Air Aloha Airlines American Airlines ATA Airlines Big Sky Airlines Boston-Maine Airways Cape Air Continental Airlines Delta Air Lines Frontier Airlines Great Lakes Airlines Hawaiian Airlines JetBlue Airways MAXjet Airways Mesa Airlines Midwest Airlines Northwest Airlines Southwest Airlines Spirit Airlines Sun Country Airlines United Airlines US Airways USA 3000 Airlines Virgin America

A list of all Airline codes. The table lists the IATA airline designators, the ICAO airline designators and the airline call signs (telephony designator). Historical assignments are also included for completeness.
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An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations.
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Billings Logan International Airport (Class C Airspace)(IATA: BIL, ICAO: KBIL) is a commercial airport in the city of Billings, Montana USA. The airport serves residents of the greater Billings Metro area as well as residents throughout South Central Montana,
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Logan International Airport (IATA: BOS, ICAO: KBOS, FAA LID: BOS) in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States (and partly in the Town of Winthrop, Massachusetts), is one of the 20 busiest airports in the U.S.
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In the airline industry, a focus city is a location that is not a hub, but from which the airline has non-stop flights to several destinations other than its hubs. For example, Northwest Airlines had focus city operations at Indianapolis, serving 17 non-hub destinations
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Boise Airport (IATA: BOI, ICAO: KBOI), also known as Boise Air Terminal^[1] or Gowen Field,^[1] is a commercial^[2] and general aviation^[3]
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frequent flyer program (FFP) is a service offered by many airlines to reward customer loyalty. Typically, airline customers enrolled in the program accrue points corresponding to the distance flown on that airline.
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An airline alliance is an agreement between two or more airlines to cooperate for the foreseeable future on a substantial level. The degree of cooperation differs between alliances. The three largest alliances are the Star Alliance, SkyTeam and OneWorld.
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SkyTeam is the second largest airline alliance in the world — behind Star Alliance — partnering thirteen carriers from four continents, with three pending members.
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worldwide view.

A holding company is a company that owns part, all, or a majority of other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself, rather its only
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Billings, Montana
Billings skyline and Sacrifice Cliff, 2005

Flag
Motto: Star of the Big Sky Country
Location in Montana
Coordinates:
Country United States
State
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State of Montana

Flag of Montana Seal
Nickname(s): Treasure State, Big Sky Country
Motto(s): Oro y plata (Gold and silver)

Official language(s) English

Capital Helena
Largest city
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Motto
"In God We Trust" (since 1956)
"E Pluribus Unum" ("From Many, One"; Latin, traditional)
Anthem
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airline provides air transport services for passengers or freight, generally with a recognized operating certificate or license. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit.
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Billings, Montana
Billings skyline and Sacrifice Cliff, 2005

Flag
Motto: Star of the Big Sky Country
Location in Montana
Coordinates:
Country United States
State
..... Read more.

Motto
"In God We Trust" (since 1956)
"E Pluribus Unum" ("From Many, One"; Latin, traditional)
Anthem
..... Read more.

MAIR Holdings NASDAQ: MAIR is an airline holding company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Big Sky Airlines, has not been profitable since it was purchased by MAIR.

History

Started in 1993 as Mesaba Holdings, Inc., holding company for Mesaba Aviation, Inc.
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Delta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and Comair operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc.
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Billings, Montana
Billings skyline and Sacrifice Cliff, 2005

Flag
Motto: Star of the Big Sky Country
Location in Montana
Coordinates:
Country United States
State
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Type Regional airliner, cargo, and corporate aircraft
Manufacturer Beechcraft
Maiden flight September 3, 1982^[1]
Introduced February 1983
Produced 1982-2002
Number built 695
Unit cost US$ 4.
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September 15 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.

Events

668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse, Italy.

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19th century - 20th century - 21st century
1940s 1950s 1960s - 1970s - 1980s 1990s 2000s
1975 1976 1977 - 1978 - 1979 1980 1981

Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII
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Essential Air Service (EAS) is a U.S. government program enacted to guarantee that small communities in the United States, which, prior to deregulation, were served by certificated airlines, maintained commercial service.
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