Falcon Air Express
{{Short description|Defunct airline of the United States (1995–2015)}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = Falcon Air Express
| logo =
| logo_size =
| fleet_size = 7
| IATA = F2
| ICAO = FAO
| callsign = PANTHER
| parent =
| destinations =
| company_slogan =
| founded = {{start date|1995||}}
| commenced = {{start date|1996|03|}}
| ceased = {{end date|2015|06|05}}
| headquarters = Miami, Florida
| key_people =
| hubs =
| secondary_hubs = Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona
| focus_cities =
| frequent_flyer =
| lounge =
| alliance =
| website = {{URL|www.flyfalconair.com}}
}}
Falcon Air Express was a charter airline which was based in Miami, Florida, United States. Falcon Air turned in its certificate to the FAA on June 5, 2015,{{Cite web |last=LEDGER |first=CHRISTOPHER GUINN THE |title=Falcon Air Goes Out of Business |url=https://www.theledger.com/story/news/2015/06/09/falcon-air-goes-out-of-business/27058767007/ |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=The Ledger |language=en-US}} following the loss of a contract with the US Department of Justice and mounting debt. Falcon Air Express also provided scheduled service from Miami to Curaçao under the banner Dutch Antilles Express, which also ceased service abruptly. Their remaining aircraft are currently at the Lakeland Linder International Airport.
History
{{Unreferenced section|date=June 2024}}
File:Falcon Air, McDonnell Douglas MD-83, N120MN (15861037995).jpg]]
The airline was established in 1995 and started operations in March 1996. It was privately owned and was founded by Emilio Dirube (President and Chief Executive). It was certified as a US domestic airline in 1998, operating the Boeing 727-200 to mostly Caribbean destinations.
In May 2006, Falcon Air Express filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and laid off 73 of its 169 employees. However, in 2009, it was bought by the Ramiz Family and after some years of restructuring, as of December 2011, they were once again employing over 150.
In the two months preceding the June 5, 2015, closure, the workforce was reduced to about 50 employees, all working with the promise they would be paid in the near future. When the company was finally closed, many of these employees were left owed the equivalent of over two months' salary.{{Citation needed|date=June 2015}}
In this airline's history there was a repossession on an aircraft. The tail number is unidentified, but the aircraft's wrecked nose section lays in hangar at the Lakeland Linder International Airport.
Fleet
File:155aq - Falcon Air Express Boeing 727-276; N908PG@CCS;19.10.2001 (5573633899).jpg]]
The Falcon Air Express fleet included the following aircraft:{{Cite web |url=http://www.curacaochronicle.com/aviation/dae-breaks-record-in-passenger-transportation-for-2012/ |title=DAE breaks record in passenger transportation for 2012 - Curaçao Chronicle |access-date=2013-02-07 |archive-date=2013-01-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127134052/http://www.curacaochronicle.com/aviation/dae-breaks-record-in-passenger-transportation-for-2012/ |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.planespotters.net/airline/Falcon-Air-Express|title = Login required}}
| class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="margin:1em auto; border-collapse:collapse;text-align:center"
|+ Falcon Air Express Fleet |
| bgcolor=green
|Aircraft |Total |Introduced |Retired |Notes |
| ATR 72-200
|2 |2013 |2013 | |
| Boeing 727-200
|4 |1998 |2007 | |
| Boeing 737-300
|2 |2004 |2006 | |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-82
|1 |2008 |2009 | |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-83
|9 |2009 |2015 | |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{Official website|http://www.flyfalconair.com/}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130401054721/http://falconairpilots.org/ Falcon Air Pilots Association (FAPA)]
- [http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Falcon%20Air%20Express.htm airfleets.net]
{{Portal bar|United States|Florida|Companies|Aviation}}
{{Airlines of the United States|state=collapsed}}
Category:Defunct charter airlines of the United States
Category:Airlines established in 1995
Category:Airlines disestablished in 2015