CommuteAir
IATA ICAO Callsign
C5 UCA COMMUTEAIR
Founded1989 (1989)
Commenced operationsAugust 1, 1989 (1989-08-01)
AOC #JJBA987B[1]
Hubs
Frequent-flyer programMileagePlus
AllianceStar Alliance (affiliate)
Fleet size64
Destinations75+
HeadquartersNorth Olmsted, Ohio
Key people
Employees1,500 +
Websitewww.commuteair.com

CommuteAir is a regional airline of the United States founded in 1989. Today, CommuteAir operates more than 1600 weekly flights, exclusively on behalf of United Express, serving over 75 U.S. destinations and 3 in Mexico. CommuteAir's fleet of Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft fly from its bases at Denver, Washington–Dulles, and Houston–Intercontinental. The company was previously called CommutAir until July 26, 2022, when it legally changed its name to the present-day CommuteAir.[2]

History

United Express Embraer ERJ-145 operated by CommuteAir
United Express Bombardier DHC-8 formerly operated by CommutAir
Facing forward in the passenger cabin of a CommutAir Beechcraft 1900D

The airline was established in 1989, with headquarters at Clinton County Airport in Plattsburgh, New York. Operations began on August 1, 1989, as a marketing affiliate of USAir.[3][4]

The airline changed affiliations to Continental Airlines in January 2000, when US Airways and CommuteAir failed to reach a mutually acceptable extension agreement, and CommuteAir decided not to renew the codeshare agreement. In July 2001, the company announced plans to downsize its fleet and workforce by approximately half and change the route structure of the airline. In early 2002, the company began a "micro-hub" operation based in Albany, New York. At its high point in 2003 and 2004, the hub served 21 cities within the Northeast and Canada with a fleet of Beechcraft 1900s. Service was also provided out of Boston's Logan International Airport to several Northeast cities.

In January 2003, CommuteAir announced an agreement with Continental to feed the latter's Cleveland, Ohio hub. Service commenced on March 16, 2003, serving Kalamazoo, Michigan and Elmira, New York. Two cities were added the following month and by August 2003, CommuteAir served 12 cities from the Cleveland hub.

CommuteAir leased sixteen Bombardier DHC-8-200 aircraft from Horizon Air in 2006. The following year, the Beech 1900s were phased out.

On October 30, 2007, the company moved all remaining operations from Clinton County Airport, due to the closure of the airport. All operations were then conducted out of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.[5]

On October 2, 2008, the company began operations out of Newark Liberty International Airport, following Continental Airlines plan to adjust to the softening industry.[6]

CommuteAir's pilot group voted for union representation by the Air Line Pilots Association in 2008.[7] That same year, Continental Airlines announced that it would cut flights and more than 3,000 jobs.[8] Subsequently, it was announced that some of CommuteAir's Cleveland flights would be eliminated as part of Continental's cutbacks.[9]

In 2011, following the merger of Continental and United, CommuteAir became a United Express carrier and United Airlines asked CommuteAir to obtain five Bombardier Q300s. Two of the aircraft were allocated to Cleveland services and three aircraft were allocated to Newark services.

In 2012, CommuteAir opened a hub at Washington-Dulles International Airport.

In July 2014, CommuteAir closed its pilot base at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, after United Airlines withdrew its Cleveland hub.[10] CommuteAir also closed its Cleveland maintenance base, and replaced it with a new maintenance base in Albany, New York.[11]

On November 9, 2015, CommuteAir announced that it has reached an agreement with United Airlines to significantly increase the number of airplanes flown under the United Express brand by adding Embraer ERJ-145 jet operations to the company's existing fleet of Bombardier turbo-prop aircraft.

In July 2016, CommuteAir began commercial service with its inaugural flight on the ERJ-145XR jet from Washington, D.C. to Columbia, SC.[12]

In September 2017, the Q300 was phased out and in January 2018, the DHC-8-200 was phased out, marking the end of turbo-prop operations.

On July 30, 2020, it was announced that United Airlines had decided to end its contract with fellow United Express affiliate ExpressJet and transferred these operations to CommuteAir. CommuteAir became the sole operator of the United Express ERJ-145 fleet.[13]

On September 30, 2020, CommuteAir started servicing United's Houston hub and on March 28, 2021, it began service out of Denver International Airport. The latter marks the return of the ERJ-145 to the Denver United Express fleet since COVID and the cessation of operations by Trans States Airlines.[14]

On January 19, 2023, hacker maia arson crimew announced it had compromised web servers belonging to CommuteAir and obtained access to flight and personnel scheduling systems, the personal data of airline staff, and a 2019 copy of the US Government No Fly List.[15][16]

Destinations

List of destinations[17] (As of 19 July 2023)
CityCountry (Subdivision)IATAAirportNotes
HuntsvilleUnited States (Alabama)HSVHuntsville International Airport
MobileUnited States (Alabama)MOBMobile Regional Airport
BentonvilleUnited States (Arkansas)XNANorthwest Arkansas National Airport
Little RockUnited States (Arkansas)LITClinton National Airport
DenverUnited States (Colorado)DENDenver International AirportHub
DurangoUnited States (Colorado)DRODurango–La Plata County Airport
Colorado SpringsUnited States (Colorado)COSColorado Springs Airport
Grand JunctionUnited States (Colorado)GJTGrand Junction Regional Airport
HartfordUnited States (Connecticut)BDLBradley International Airport
Panama CityUnited States (Florida)ECPNorthwest Florida Beaches International Airport
PensacolaUnited States (Florida)PNSPensacola International Airport
SavannahUnited States (Georgia)SAVSavannah/Hilton Head International Airport
Idaho FallsUnited States (Idaho)IDAIdaho Falls Regional Airport
LouisvilleUnited States (Kentucky)SDFLouisville International Airport
Cincinnati, Ohio areaUnited States (Kentucky)CVGCincinnati/Northern Kentucky International AirportAirport is in Kentucky
Baton RougeUnited States (Louisiana)BTRBaton Rouge Metropolitan Airport
Lake CharlesUnited States (Louisiana)LCHLake Charles Regional Airport
LafayetteUnited States (Louisiana)LFTLafayette Regional Airport
ShreveportUnited States (Louisiana)SHVShreveport Regional Airport
PortlandUnited States (Maine)PWMPortland International Jetport
DetroitUnited States (Michigan)DTWDetroit Metropolitan Airport
GulfportUnited States (Mississippi)GPTGulfport–Biloxi International Airport
JacksonUnited States (Mississippi)JANJackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport
SpringfieldUnited States (Missouri)SGFSpringfield–Branson National Airport
BillingsUnited States (Montana)BILBillings Logan International Airport
AlbanyUnited States (New York)ALBAlbany International AirportMaintenance base
BuffaloUnited States (New York)BUFBuffalo Niagara International Airport
RochesterUnited States (New York)ROCGreater Rochester International Airport
SyracuseUnited States (New York)SYRSyracuse Hancock International Airport
MinotUnited States (North Dakota)MOTMinot International Airport
HobbsUnited States (New Mexico)HOBLea County Regional Airport
Santa FeUnited States (New Mexico)SAFSanta Fe Regional Airport
Lincoln, NebraskaUnited States (Nebraska)LNKLincoln International AirportMaintenance base
ClevelandUnited States (Ohio)CLECleveland Hopkins International AirportHeadquarters
ColumbusUnited States (Ohio)CMHJohn Glenn Columbus International Airport
DaytonUnited States (Ohio)DAYDayton International AirportOccasional
TulsaUnited States (Oklahoma)TULTulsa International Airport
PittsburghUnited States (Pennsylvania)PITPittsburgh International Airport
ProvidenceUnited States (Rhode Island)PVDTheodore Francis Green State Airport
CharlestonUnited States (South Carolina)CHSCharleston International Airport
ColumbiaUnited States (South Carolina)CAEColumbia Metropolitan AirportOccasional
Rapid CityUnited States (South Dakota)RAPRapid City Regional Airport
KnoxvilleUnited States (Tennessee)TYSMcGhee Tyson Airport
MemphisUnited States (Tennessee)MEMMemphis International Airport
NashvilleUnited States (Tennessee)BNANashville International Airport
AmarilloUnited States (Texas)AMARick Husband Amarillo International Airport
BrownsvilleUnited States (Texas)BROBrownsville/South Padre Island International Airport
Corpus ChristiUnited States (Texas)CRPCorpus Christi International Airport
HarlingenUnited States (Texas)HRLValley International Airport
HoustonUnited States (Texas)IAHGeorge Bush Intercontinental AirportHub
LaredoUnited States (Texas)LRDLaredo International Airport
LubbockUnited States (Texas)LBBLubbock Preston Smith International Airport
McAllenUnited States (Texas)MFEMcAllen Miller International Airport
MidlandUnited States (Texas)MAFMidland International Air and Space Port
BurlingtonUnited States (Vermont)BTVBurlington International Airport
CharlottesvilleUnited States (Virginia)CHOCharlottesville-Albemarle Airport
NorfolkUnited States (Virginia)ORFNorfolk International Airport
RichmondUnited States (Virginia)RICRichmond International Airport
RoanokeUnited States (Virginia)ROARoanoke Regional Airport
Washington, D.C. areaUnited States (Virginia)IADWashington Dulles International AirportHub (airport is in Virginia)
CasperUnited States (Wyoming)CPRCasper–Natrona County International Airport
CodyUnited States (Wyoming)CODYellowstone Regional Airport
TorontoCanada (Ontario)YYZLester Pearson International Airport
OttawaCanada (Ontario)YOWOttawa Macdonald–Cartier International AirportOccasional
MontréalCanada (Quebec)YULMontréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
GuadalajaraJalisco (Mexico)GDLMiguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport
ZihuatanejoGuerrero (Mexico)ZIHAeropuerto Internacional de Zihuatanejo
Mexico CityState of Mexico (Mexico)MEXAeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México
Puebla CityPuebla (Mexico)PBCPuebla International Airport
VeracruzVeracruz (Mexico)VERAeropuerto Internacional de Veracruz
CancunCancun (Mexico)CUNAeropuerto Internacional de Cancun

Crew bases

Maintenance bases

Fleet

As of June 2023, the CommuteAir fleet includes the following aircraft:[18][19]

Aircraft Active Orders Passengers Notes
Embraer ERJ-145XR 63 50 United Express
Embraer 170LR 1 76 CommuteAir[20]
Total 64  


As of January 2020, CommuteAir average fleet age was 15.2 years old.[21]

Historical fleet

The CommuteAir fleet was once composed entirely of Beechcraft 1900D aircraft, operated for US Airways Express and later for Continental Connection.

CommuteAir operated the final turboprop flight for United Express on Sunday, January 7, 2018.[22]

This flight, UCA4909/C54909 between Syracuse Airport and Dulles Airport was operated by tail number N363PH.[23][24] It marked the end of an era for both CommuteAir and United Express. The Bombardier DHC-8-200 was subsequently ferried to Roswell International Air Center for retirement.[25][26]

Incidents and accidents

CommutAir Flight 4821

On January 3, 1992, CommutAir Flight 4821, a Beechcraft 1900C operating for USAir Express was flying from Plattsburgh, New York to Newark, New Jersey, with stops in Saranac Lake and Albany in New York, crashed into a wooded mountaintop as it was landing at Adirondack Regional Airport.[27] Of the four people on board (two passengers and two crew), two were killed while the other two sustained serious injuries.[28]

The cause of the crash was determined to be pilot error in establishing a stabilized approach and cross-checking instruments. Factors related to the accident were: weather conditions and possible precipitation static interference, caused by inadequate grounding between the radome and fuselage that could have resulted in unreliable glide slope indications."[28]

CommutAir Flight 4933

On March 4, 2019, CommutAir Flight 4933, operating for United Express, landed off the runway during its second attempt at landing in Presque Isle International Airport.[29] The left main landing gear was torn from the aircraft and embedded in one of the two rear engines. The accident resulted in a loss of the airframe. Passengers and crew were evacuated, with three passengers and one crew member requiring treatment for minor injuries.[30]

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) attributed the accident to confirmation bias which prompted the pilots to continue descending even though they could not see the runway due to snow. Contributing factors were poor decision-making by the captain, fatigue of the first officer, and misalignment of the localizer caused by snow. The NTSB criticized the airline's training practices, as the captain had been promoted to that status despite a history of training failures and disciplinary action. The NTSB also noted that at least six CommutAir flight crews had noticed the localizer misalignment prior to the accident but none had reported it under the airline's safety program until after the event; one CommuteAir crew had reported the problem to the Federal Aviation Administration beforehand, but the agency did not issue a NOTAM because protocol dictated that more than one report was required.[31]

See also

References

  1. "Federal Aviation Administration - Airline Certificate Information - Detail View". av-info.faa.gov. Retrieved 2019-06-27.
  2. "US's CommutAir to change legal, brand names". ch-aviation. Retrieved 2022-09-17.
  3. "CommutAir.com History". Retrieved October 12, 2009.
  4. "Plattsburgh West CDP". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved May 24, 2009.
  5. "Delta announces Big Sky flight schedules; Press-Republican.com, October 02, 2007".
  6. "CommutAir Dodges Bullet". Regional Aviation News. June 16, 2008.
  7. "CommutAir Pilots Vote ALPA:NMB Election Results Show Overwhelming Support for Union".
  8. "Continental joins trend by cutting flights, workers". USA Today.
  9. "Cleveland Hopkins takes hits in Continental cuts". 13 June 2008.
  10. "More jobs lost with CommutAir pulling pilot base out of Cleveland". May 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  11. "CommutAir to Relocate its Cleveland Crew and Maintenance Base - Airways Magazine". Airways Magazine. 2014-04-29. Archived from the original on 2018-03-20. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  12. "CommutAir Begins Commercial Service with ERJ-145XR Aircraft for United Express®". PR Newswire. July 1, 2016.
  13. "United to drop contract with ExpressJet, dealing fatal blow". Reuters. 2020-07-30. Retrieved 2020-07-31.
  14. Twitter https://twitter.com/flycommutair/status/1373684771906334722. Retrieved 2021-03-27. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. Thalen, Mikael; Covucci, David (2023-01-19). "EXCLUSIVE: U.S. airline accidentally exposes 'No Fly List' on unsecured server". The Daily Dot. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  16. "how to completely own an airline in 3 easy steps". maia blog. 2023-01-19. Retrieved 2023-01-19.
  17. "Where We Fly". www.FlyCommutAir.com. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  18. "CommutAir Fleet". aviation.ch. Retrieved 5 July 2015.
  19. "CommutAir Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  20. "Wow, what an amazing evening as we welcome the E170 to the fleet". instagram. 2023-10-24.
  21. "CommutAir Fleet Details and History". planespotters.net. 2017-12-22. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
  22. "United Express say Farewell Dash 8". IGN Travel. Archived from the original on 2018-01-10. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  23. "Flight history for United Airlines flight UA4909". FlightRadar24. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  24. "Commutair C5 Flight 4909 07-Jan-2018 KSYR - KIAD". Flightaware. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  25. "Commutair Official Twitter Feed - @C5Recruiting". Twitter. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  26. "Flightaware - N363PH flight KOKC-KROW". Flightaware. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  27. "In reply refer to: A-94-74 through -76" (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board. March 28, 1994. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  28. 1 2 Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Beechcraft 1900C-1 N55000 Saranac Lake-Adirondack Airport, NY (SLK)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved July 5, 2009.
  29. "Incident at Presque Isle International Airport". WAGM-TV. March 4, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  30. "United flight lands off the runway at Presque Isle International Airport". WABI. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  31. National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Accident Final Report (Report). National Transportation Safety Board. July 12, 2022. DCA19FA089. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
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