AmericanConnection

AmericanConnection was a flight connection service brand name for the spoke-hub of U.S. mainline carrier American Airlines, under which regional airline operator Chautauqua Airlines operated feeder flights for American Airlines at its Chicago hub. Mainline carriers often use regional airlines to operate services in order to increase frequency, serve routes that would not sustain larger aircraft, or for other competitive reasons. American Airlines also uses affiliated companies (corporations under common ownership) operating under the American Eagle brand to provide regional service to its other hubs in addition to the AmericanConnection service that was operated by Chautauqua Airlines.

On April 6, 2010, American moved all existing AmericanConnection operations to Chicago-O'Hare as part of its restructuring plan, eliminating service by AmericanConnection at Lambert-St. Louis.^[1]

At one time AmericanConnection operated over 180 flights a day to 21 destinations. AmericanConnection was an affiiate member of the Oneworld airline alliance.

History

Most of the AmericanConnection carriers previously operated under a marketing agreement with TWA Trans World Airlines as TWE Trans World Express banner carriers and later as TWC Trans World Connection marketing during the merger acquisition transition between TWA and American.

RegionsAir operated as AmericanConnection until March 2007 and Trans States Airlines operated as AmericanConnection until May 2009.

Though not associated with TWA as many of former AmericanConnection airlines were, Business Express Airlines was yet another air carrier which flew under the AmericanConnection marketing banner. Prior to its acquisition by AMR Corporation and its integration into the American Eagle destinations route network, Business Express linked many smaller localities directly to American Airlines's expansive national and worldwide route network.

Discontinuation of the marketing brand

On September 12, 2012 AMR Corporation, announced it was discontinuing the AmericanConnection marketing brand and reverting to using the sole marketing brand of American Eagle for its feeder services to small cities it contracts regional airlines to perform.^[2] However, in 2014 an announcement was made that Chautauqua, the last airline operating under the brand, would not seek renewal of its AmericanConnection contract and all flying would end by August 29, 2014.

AmericanConnection Flight 5329 from Westchester County (NY) to Chicago O'Hare was the final flight.

Accidents and incidents

Corporate Airlines Flight 5966 crashed on October 19, 2004, near Kirksville, Missouri, killing 13 people, with two survivors.

References

↑
↑ Sky Talk: Eagle won't fly American feed out of LAX, closing pilot and flight attendant base. Blogs.star-telegram.com (2012-09-12). Retrieved on 2013-08-16.

AmericanConnection Carriers

Former	Business Express Chautauqua Airlines RegionsAir Trans States Airlines

Members of Oneworld

Members	Air Berlin American Airlines British Airways Cathay Pacific Finnair Iberia Japan Airlines LAN Malaysia Airlines Qantas Qatar Airways Royal Jordanian S7 Airlines SriLankan Airlines TAM Airlines

Affiliate members	Air Nostrum American Eagle BA CityFlyer Comair Dragonair Globus Airlines Iberia Express J-Air JAL Express Japan Transocean Air JetConnect LAN Argentina LAN Colombia LAN Ecuador LAN Express LAN Peru Niki OpenSkies QantasLink Sun-Air US Airways

Inactive member	Mexicana

Former members	Aer Lingus Canadian Airlines Malév

Airlines of the United States

Mainline	Alaska Airlines Allegiant Air American Airlines Delta Air Lines Frontier Airlines Hawaiian Airlines JetBlue Southwest Airlines Spirit Airlines Sun Country Airlines United Airlines US Airways Virgin America

Regional	Air Wisconsin Cape Air CommutAir Compass Airlines Endeavor Air Envoy Air ExpressJet GoJet Airlines Great Lakes Airlines Horizon Air Island Air Mesa Airlines Nantucket Airlines PenAir Piedmont Airlines PSA Airlines Ravn Alaska Republic Airlines Shuttle America Silver Airways SkyWest Airlines Trans States Airlines

Commuter	Air Choice One Air Flamenco Air Sunshine Bering Air Boutique Air Corporate Flight Management Everts Air Frontier Flying Service Gem Air Grant Aviation Griffing Flying Service Hageland Aviation Services Kenmore Air Mokulele Airlines Pacific Wings San Juan Airlines Seaborne Airlines SeaPort Airlines Servant Air Southern Airways Express Sun Air International Surf Air Taquan Air Tradewind Aviation Ultimate Air Shuttle Vieques Air Link Warbelow's Air Ventures Wings of Alaska Wright Air Service

Cargo	ABX Air Air Transport International AirNet Express Aloha Air Cargo Ameriflight Amerijet International Ameristar Jet Charter Asia Pacific Airlines Atlas Air Centurion Air Cargo Empire Airlines FedEx Express Flight Alaska Florida West Freight Runners Express Kalitta Air Kalitta Charters II Lynden Air Cargo Northern Air Cargo Polar Air Cargo Ryan Air Services Sky Lease Cargo Southern Air Tepper Aviation Transair UPS Airlines USA Jet Airlines Wiggins Airways

Charter	Berry Aviation Charter Air Transport Delta Private Jets Dynamic Airways Elite Airways Falcon Air Express Gryphon Airlines IBC Airways Key Lime Air L-3 Flight International Aviation Miami Air International National Airlines NetJets Omni Air International Orange Air Pentastar Aviation Sierra Pacific Airlines Swift Air Vision Airlines World Atlantic Airlines Xtra Airways

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