Champion Air

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Champion Air (IATA: MG, ICAO: CCP, and Callsign: Champion Air) ^[1] is an airline based in Bloomington, Minnesota, USA. It operates general charter services, but has added scheduled charter flights to popular vacation destinations operated on behalf of MLT Vacations and Trans Global Vacations. Its main base is Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.

1 History
2 Fleet
3 External links
4 References

[edit] History

In 1987, MGM Grand Air (IATA: MG, ICAO: MGM, and Callsign: Grand Air), a charter airline owned by the casino, with a focus on operating VIP charters with luxurious aircraft, was established, starting operations in September 1987. Operating Douglas DC-8 and Boeing 727 aircraft in lavish configurations, MGM Grand Air was one of the most comfortable and expensive flights money could buy. However, by 1994, with business jets being the latest fad for celebrities and business leaders, MGM Grand Air was no longer profitable, and the company sought to sell it off. The buyer was Front Page Tours, a small tour operator based in Edina, MN dedicated to providing airlift to sports teams and their fans to major sporting events. The air operator's certificate was purchased from MGM Grand Air in July 1995. The name was changed to Champion Air and the fleet was standardized on the Boeing 727.

In March 1997, Minnesota Twins owner Carl Pohlad and Northwest Airlines acquired the company from Richard Page. The airline packed up and moved to Minneapolis, where it shared facilities and resources with Northwest, and replaced Sun Country Airlines as the leading charter operator for Northwest-owned MLT Vacations. In 2003, five Champion Air executives completed a management buy-out to take control of the airline. The airline continues to operate both VIP and general charters for MLT and other operators to this day.

The airline is wholly owned by Champion Air Management and has 737 employees (at January 2005).