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Lynx Aviation

{{about|the U.S. airline "SSX" L3"|other uses|Lynx (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox airline

| airline = Lynx Aviation

| logo = LynxAviation.png

| logo_size = 150px

| fleet_size = 9

| destinations = 19

| IATA = L3

| ICAO = SSX

| callsign = SHASTA

| parent = Republic Airways Holdings

| founded = {{Start date and age|2006}}

| ceased = {{End date and age|2011}}

| headquarters = Denver, Colorado, USA

| key_people =

| hubs = Denver International Airport

| focus_cities =

| frequent_flyer = EarlyReturns

| lounge =

| alliance =

| website = {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.lynxaviation.com/ |date=* |title=Archived official website }}

}}

Lynx Aviation, Inc. was a regional airline based in Denver, Colorado, United States. The airline began as a sister company to, and operated feeder service for, Frontier Airlines. The Lynx name played off of the tail pictures of its planes, specifically Larry the Lynx, and the fact that it "linked" smaller airports to the main Denver hub of Frontier Airlines.{{cite news |last=Yamanouchi |first=Kelly |title=Frontier thinking small to go bigger |work=Denver Post|date=2006-09-06 | accessdate=2006-09-07 |url=http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_4297315}} All flights operated by Lynx Aviation were sold and marketed as "Frontier Airlines operated by Lynx Aviation."

On August 13, 2009, Frontier Airlines and Lynx Aviation were purchased by Republic Airways Holdings of Indianapolis, Indiana through an auction held in the US Bankruptcy Court. In the agreement it was accorded that the remaining operation of Lynx Q400 flights for 2011 would be following the air operator's certificate of Frontier Airlines (F9/FFT) to further consolidate in the operation's final phase.

In 2012, the Lynx Aviation operation was folded into Republic Airways Holdings subsidiary Republic Airways. The remaining Q400 aircraft were withdrawn from Frontier service and placed in service for United Airlines.

History

File:Frontier Q400.jpg.]]

Lynx Aviation was formed by Frontier Airlines Holdings on September 6, 2006. It was formed to help reduce costs; Frontier hoped to cut costs on routes 650 miles or shorter by 30%, allowing entry into new markets. The plan was originally to begin service in May 2007.

The carrier received a waiver from the United States Department of Transportation to begin selling seats prior to receipt of their Airline Operating Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration. Plans were delayed when Frontier announced on September 4, 2007 that FAA certification would not be met in time for the initial launch date of Lynx Aviation service. In the interim, these routes were flown with existing aircraft flown by Republic Airlines and Horizon Air, and beginning in November 2007 aircraft flown by ExpressJet Airlines.{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2007-09-05-frontier-lynx-delay_N.htm |title= Frontier Lynx delay |work=USA Today | date=September 5, 2007 | accessdate=May 12, 2010 |first=Sandy |last=Shore}}{{cite news |url=http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_6985208 |title= ExpressJet to begin flying for Frontier while Lynx is resolved |work=Denver Post | first=Kelly |last=Yamanouchi |date=September 24, 2007}}

On December 5, 2007, Lynx Aviation received its Airline Operating Certificate from the FAA. Lynx began passenger operations December 7, 2007.

On April 11, 2008, Frontier Airlines Holdings announced that it and all of its subsidiaries had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection due to its credit card processor withholding payment from ticket sales.{{cite press release |title=Frontier Airlines Files for Chapter 11 Reorganization; Normal Operations Continuing and Unaffected |date=2008-04-11 |url=http://www.frontierairlines.com/frontier/who-we-are/news-media/press-releases.do |accessdate=2008-04-11 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060711201430/http://www.frontierairlines.com/frontier/who-we-are/news-media/press-releases.do |archivedate=2006-07-11 }}

On April 23, 2008, Frontier terminated their service agreement with Republic Airlines. This left Lynx as the only regional providing feeder service for Frontier.http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=131107&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1133796&highlight= {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}

In May 2011, Frontier Airlines got rid of the final 4 Q400s in the fleet that were converted into United Express planes that are still operated by Republic Airlines out of Denver to similar destinations that Lynx served.

Planned closure

On February 4, 2010, Republic Airways announced their intent to close Lynx by September 2010, and transitioning the routes operated by Lynx to Republic Embraer 170/190 regional jets, after determining the turboprop aircraft operated by Lynx placed the company at a competitive disadvantage carrying the same number of passengers. The closure would result in the loss of about 175 jobs, although those laid off would be offered new jobs at Republic or Frontier. To this end, Republic said that it would remove three aircraft from Lynx's fleet on April 6, with a further three scheduled to leave the fleet on April 19. Additionally, service to Tulsa and Fargo would be terminated on April 5.{{cite web|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/02/04/338074/republic-plans-phase-out-of-q400-operator-lynx.html |website=Flightglobal.com |title=Republic plans closure of Q400 operator Lynx |publisher=Flightglobal |date=4 February 2010 |accessdate=18 March 2017 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824113650/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/02/04/338074/republic-plans-phase-out-of-q400-operator-lynx.html |archivedate=24 August 2010 }}

On 19 August 2010, Frontier announced that Lynx would continue operations between Denver and three Colorado cities—Aspen, Durango and Colorado Springs—using three Bombardier Q400 aircraft,{{cite web|title=Lynx Aviation gets a reprieve, will keep three Q400s to serve Aspen|url=http://blog.seattlepi.com/worldairlinenews/archives/218645.asp?source=rss|publisher=Seattle Post-Intelligencer|accessdate=19 August 2010|date=19 August 2010}} though this service was expected to end in April 2011.{{cite web|title=E-190 may be certified for Aspen |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/09/28/347905/e-190-may-be-certified-for-aspen.html |accessdate=18 March 2017 |date=28 September 2010 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101003100720/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/09/28/347905/e-190-may-be-certified-for-aspen.html |archivedate=3 October 2010 }} In January 2011, it was announced that four Lynx Q400s would continue to operate indefinitely.{{cite web |url=http://blog.seattlepi.com/worldairlinenews/2011/01/20/frontier-airlines-to-serve-the-aspen-market-year-round-with-lynxs-q400s/ |title=Frontier Airlines to serve the Aspen market year round with Lynx's Q400s |publisher=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |date=20 January 2011 |accessdate=22 April 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010161120/http://blog.seattlepi.com/worldairlinenews/2011/01/20/frontier-airlines-to-serve-the-aspen-market-year-round-with-lynxs-q400s/ |archivedate=10 October 2012 |url-status=dead }}

Lynx Aviation was eventually merged into Republic Airways with 4 remaining Q400's. After Pinnacle holdings closed Colgan, Republic began to take on the ex-Colgan Q-400s and began operating for United. Competing against Republic Airways' own Frontier airlines.

Fly Smart

Former Western Airlines pilot and chief operating officer of ATA Airlines Inc., Bill Beal; former Sun Country Airlines and Great Lakes Airlines executive Nick Wangler, and, Steven Westberg, former chief financial officer of Midway Airlines and a former vice president of Continental Airlines are trying to raise $40 million to buy Lynx Aviation and rename it Fly Smart. It would connect Sheridan, Cody, Riverton, Laramie, and Casper with Denver.{{cite web |url=http://www.wyomingbusinessreport.com/article.asp?id=51744 |title=Execs propose new airline | Wyoming Business Report |accessdate=2011-09-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130209225708/http://www.wyomingbusinessreport.com/article.asp?id=51744 |archivedate=2013-02-09 }}

Destinations

Lynx Aviation operated to the following destinations within the United States:

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Fleet

File:Lynx Aviation De Havilland DHC-8-402Q (N510LX) (5409581395).jpg

The first Q400 was delivered on July 20, 2007, and featured a baby lynx named Luke on the tail. The remaining nine aircraft were delivered by year's end. 1 option was exercised. The remaining 9 options on the aircraft were then declined with the exception of one that was delivered in August 2009.{{cite web |url=http://www.vcall.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=108827 |title=conference call among Frontier management and investors}}

During 2010, the fleet was reduced to four aircraft, and Republic committed to flying them through April 2011. The aircraft were then sold to Air Canada for their Air Canada Express service (operated by Jazz Air).

class="wikitable" style="margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto"

|+ Frontier Airlines operated by Lynx Aviation Fleet

Aircraft

! Total

! Passengers

! Notes

Bombardier Q400

| align="center" | 9

| align="center"| 74

| Transferred to Republic Airways and Jazz Aviation

See also

References

{{Reflist|33em}}

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{{Portal bar|United States|Companies|Aviation}}

{{Republic Airways Holdings}}

{{Airlines of the United States}}

Category:Companies based in Denver

Category:Republic Airways

Category:Airlines established in 2006

Category:Defunct regional airlines of the United States