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AirTran JetConnect

{{Short description|Defunct regional airline of the United States (2002–2004)}}

{{Infobox airline

| airline = AirTran JetConnect

| logo = AirTranJetConnect.png

| logo_size = 150

| fleet_size = 26

| destinations = 18

| IATA = ZW

| ICAO = AWI

| callsign = WISCONSIN

| founded = {{start date|2002|09|26}}
{{small|(as Air Wisconsin)}}

| commenced = {{start date|2002|11|15}}

| ceased = {{end date|2004|08|}}

| parent = AirTran Airways

| traded_as = {{nyse2|AAI}}

| headquarters = Appleton, Wisconsin, U.S.

| key_people = Bob Fornaro (Chairman, President & CEO)

| bases = {{ubl|class=nowrap

| Atlanta

| Baltimore

| Milwaukee

| Tampa}}

| hubs =

| focus_cities =

}}

AirTran JetConnect was the brand name for AirTran Airways' regional airline service, which flew regional jet aircraft from AirTran's hub in Atlanta. Service was to short-haul markets where AirTran felt their Boeing 717 or Airbus A320 (with the latter type being operated by Ryan International for AirTran via contract) mainline jet aircraft were too large to economically operate.

The JetConnect service was provided by regional carrier Air Wisconsin, which operated ten Bombardier CRJ200 jets painted in full banner carrier AirTran livery with the subtle title branding JetConnect added next to the AirTran logo.{{Cite web |title=Aviation Photo #0296402: Bombardier CRJ-200LR (CL-600-2B19) - AirTran Jet Connect (Air Wisconsin) |url=https://www.airliners.net/photo/AirTran-Jet-Connect-Air-Wisconsin/Bombardier-CRJ-200LR-CL-600-2B19/296402 |access-date=2023-06-05 |website=Airliners.net}}

The last regional jet flight operated in August 2004.

History

The agreement was officially announced on September 26, 2002,{{cite news|title=AirTran Airways Announces New JetConnect Product; New Regional Jet Service Launches November 15th |url=http://pressroom.airtran.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=201565&p=irol-newsArticle_Print&ID=886460&highlight= |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714053142/http://pressroom.airtran.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=201565&p=irol-newsArticle_Print&ID=886460&highlight= |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-14 |agency=Business Wire |publisher=AirTran Airways |date=2002-09-26 }} with service beginning on November 15, 2002.{{cite news|title=AirTran JetConnect Launches Inaugural Flight; New Regional Jet Service Begins Today |url=http://www2.prnewswire.com/airtran/20021115a.shtml |agency=PR Newswire |publisher=AirTran Airways |date=2002-11-15 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314142231/http://www2.prnewswire.com/airtran/20021115a.shtml |archivedate=2012-03-14 }} Initially, JetConnect flew to Greensboro, Pensacola, and Savannah, later expanding to a total of 18 cities across the eastern United States.

On March 5, 2004, AirTran announced that it would be ending its JetConnect service. The airline performed an economic analysis and determined it could operate the Boeing 717 more efficiently than the Canadair regional jets in short-haul markets.{{cite news|title=AirTran Airways Returns to All Full-Size Boeing Jets with Business Class |url=http://pressroom.airtran.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=201565&p=irol-newsArticle_print&ID=886265&highlight= |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905215503/http://pressroom.airtran.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=201565&p=irol-newsArticle_print&ID=886265&highlight= |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-09-05 |agency=Business Wire |date=2004-03-15 }}

During the phasing-out process, Air Wisconsin returned all of its regional jets to the United Express fleet, repainting them in United Express livery. All aircraft were subsequently repainted in US Airways colors as Air Wisconsin then began operating entirely under the US Airways Express banner. US Airways then merged with American Airlines which resulted in Air Wisconsin currently operating as an American Eagle regional air carrier.

AirTran would again launch regional service from its then-hub in Milwaukee in December 2009 operated by SkyWest Airlines, but was not branded in the same way as the earlier service.http://pressroom.airtran.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=201565&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1350983&highlight {{Dead link|date=June 2023}}{{Cite web |title=AirTran and SkyWest form partnership in Milwaukee |url=http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/AirTran-and-SkyWest-form-partnership-in-Milwaukee}} Aircraft retained a generic SkyWest livery, and the operation was discontinued in September 2011.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dallasnews.com/business/airlines/2011/06/13/southwest-to-end-airtrans-code|title = Southwest to end AirTran's codesharing with SkyWest on Sept. 6|date = 13 June 2011}}

Destinations

=United States=

See also

References

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Portal bar|United States|Georgia (U.S. state)|Companies|Aviation}}

{{Airlines of the United States|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Airtran Jetconnect}}

Category:Airlines established in 2002

Category:Airlines disestablished in 2004

Category:AirTran Airways

Category:Defunct regional airline brands

Category:Defunct regional airlines of the United States

Category:2002 establishments in Wisconsin

Category:Airlines based in Wisconsin

Category:Airlines based in Georgia (U.S. state)