List of airline bankruptcies in the United States
A number of major airlines have declared bankruptcy and have either ceased operations, or reorganized under bankruptcy protection . Airlines, like any business, are susceptible to market fluctuations and economic difficulties. The economic structure of the airline industry may contribute to airline bankruptcies as well. One major element in almost every airline bankruptcy is the rejection by the debtor of its current collective bargaining agreements with employees. After satisfying certain requirements, bankruptcy law permits courts to approve the rejection of labor contracts by the debtor-employer. With this tool, airline managers reduce costs. Terms of an employee contract negotiated over years can be eliminated in months through Chapter 11 . Terms of the Railway Labor Act , amended in 1936 to cover airlines, prevent most labor union work actions before, during and after an airline bankruptcy.
Continental Airlines declared bankruptcy, Chapter 11, a second time in December 1990.
Timeline
This is a timeline of airlines who have filed for bankruptcy protection. Also see list of defunct airlines for a list of airlines which are no longer operating.
U.S. airlines bankruptcy filings
Chapter 7
This is a list of airlines that have filed for bankruptcy protection via Chapter 7 in the United States.[1] [2]
Airline
Date Bankruptcy filed
National Florida Airlines [3]
December 1, 1983
Excellair
July 7, 1984
Oceanaire Lines
February 10, 1984
Connectaire
October 10, 1984
Princeton Air Link
August 11, 1988
Air Kentucky
July 19, 1989
Eastern Air Lines
January 18, 1991
Northcoast Executive
January 29, 1991
Midway Airlines (1976-1991)
November 27, 1991
L’Express
February 2, 1992
Eastwind Airlines
September 30, 1999
Midway Airlines (1993-2003)
October 30, 2003
Southeast Airlines
December 1, 2004
TransMeridian Airlines
September 29, 2005
Big Sky
January 7, 2008
Aloha Airlines
March 31, 2008
Air Midwest
May 14, 2008
Gemini Air Cargo
August 12, 2008
Independence Air
January 6, 2009
Comair
April 4, 2012
Direct Air
April 12, 2012
Evergreen International Airlines
December 31, 2013
Chapter 11
This is a list of airlines that have filed for bankruptcy protection via Chapter 11 in the United States.[2] [4]
Airline
Date Bankruptcy filed
Date Exited Bankruptcy
Notes
American Trans Air (ATA)
2008-04-02 April 2, 2008
Ceased operations
New York Airways
1979-05-18 May 18, 1979
Ceased operations
Aeroamerica
1979-11-19 November 19, 1979
Ceased operations
Florida Airlines
1980-01-24 January 24, 1980
Ceased operations
Indiana Airlines
1980-03-03 March 3, 1980
Air Bahia
1980-12-15 December 15, 1980
Ceased operations
Tejas Airlines
1980-12-31 December 31, 1980
Ceased Operations[5]
Mountain West Airlines-Idaho
1981-03-06 March 6, 1981
Ceased operations
LANICA
1981-03-16 March 16, 1981
Nicaraguan airline; ceased operations
Coral Air
1981-07-13 July 13, 1981
Pacific Coast Airlines
1981-09-11 September 11, 1981
Swift Aire Lines
1981-09-18 September 18, 1981
Ceased operations (Charter flights)
Golden Gate Airlines
1981-10-09 October 9, 1981
Ceased operations
Pinehurst Airlines
1982-01-26 January 26, 1982
Silver State Airlines
1982-03-03 March 3, 1982
Air Pennsylvania
1982-03-26 March 26, 1982
Ceased operations
Air South
1982-04-02 April 2, 1982
Cochise Airlines
1982-04-16 April 16, 1982
Ceased operations
Braniff International
1982-05-13 May 13, 1982
Ceased operations
Astec Air East
1982-07-08 July 8, 1982
Will's Air
1982-08-19 August 19, 1982
Aero Sun International
1982-10-15 October 15, 1982
Aero Virgin Islands
1982-10-19 October 19, 1982
Ceased operations (in 1990)
Altair Airlines
1982-11-09 November 9, 1982
Ceased operations
Continental Airlines
1983-09-23 September 23, 1983
1986-06-30 June 30, 1986
Emerged after merger with PEOPLExpress , Frontier Airlines , and New York Air
Frontier Airlines
1986-08-26 August 28, 1986
Ceased operations
Eastern Airlines
1989-03-09 March 9, 1989
Ceased operations
Partnair
1989-10-01 October 1, 1989
Norwegian airline; ceased operations
Pan American World Airways
1991-01-08 January 8, 1991
Ceased operations; Most assets purchased by Delta Air Lines
America West Airlines
1991-06-28 June 28, 1991
1994-08-26 August 26, 1994
Merged with US Airways in 2005
Sun Country Airlines
2002-01 January 2002
2003
Involuntary
National Airlines
2000-12-06 December 6, 2000
Ceased operations on November 6, 2002
Trans World Airlines
2001-01-10 January 10, 2001
Filed as part of an acquisition by American Airlines
US Airways
2002-08-11 August 11, 2002
2003-03-31 March 31, 2003
United Airlines
2002-12-09 December 9, 2002
2006-02-01 February 1, 2006
Air Canada
2003-04-01 April 1, 2003
2004-09-30 September 30, 2004
Canadian airline
Flash Airlines
2004-03-01 March 1, 2004
Ceased operations
US Airways
2004-09-12 September 12, 2004
2005-09-27 September 27, 2005
Second filing, emerges in conjunction with its acquisition by America West
Avianca
2004-12-10 March 21, 2003
May 10, 2020[6]
December 10, 2004[7]
December 1, 2021[8]
Colombian airline
Aloha Airlines
2004-12-30 December 30, 2004
2006-02-17 February 17, 2006
Cargo division continued flying as Aloha Air Cargo
Northwest Airlines
2005-09-14 September 14, 2005
2007-05-31 May 31, 2007
Ceased Operations; Merged with Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
2005-09-14 September 14, 2005
2007-04-30 April 30, 2007
Included subsidiary Comair
Maxjet Airways
2007-12-26 December 26, 2007
Ceased operations
Aloha Airlines
2008-03-31 March 31, 2008
Second filing; ceased passenger operations
ATA Airlines
2008-04-03 April 3, 2008
Ceased operations
Skybus Airlines
2008-04-05 April 5, 2008
Ceased operations
Frontier Airlines
2008-04-10 April 10, 2008
2009-10-01 October 1, 2009
Eos Airlines
2008-08-26 August 26, 2008
Ceased operations
Sun Country Airlines
2008-10-06 October 6, 2008
2011-02-23 February 23, 2011
Second bankruptcy
Primaris Airlines
2008-10-15 October 15, 2008
Ceased operations
Mesa Airlines
2010-01-05 January 5, 2010
2011-03-11 March 11, 2011
Arrow Air
2010-07-01 July 1, 2010
Ceased operations and liquidated
Mexicana
2010-08-28 August 28, 2010
Mexican airline; ceased operations
American Airlines
2011-11-29 November 29, 2011
2013-12-08 December 8, 2013
Emerged from bankruptcy as American Airlines Group ; includes parent company AMR Corporation and subsidiary American Eagle Airlines
Ryan International Airlines
2012-03-06 March 6, 2012
Ceased operations
Pinnacle Airlines
2012-04-02 April 2, 2012
2013-05-01 May 1, 2013
Emerged as subsidiary of Delta Air Lines; name changed to Endeavor Air
Southern Air
2012-09-28 September 28, 2012
SeaPort Airlines
2016-02-05 February 5, 2016
Republic Airways Holding
2016-02-25 February 25, 2016
PenAir
2017-08-07 August 7, 2017
Ceases operations in Denver and Portland
Dynamic International Airways
2017-07-19 July 19, 2017
Island Air (Hawaii)
2017-10-16 October 16, 2017
Ceased operations
Miami Air [9]
2020-03-25 March 25, 2020
Ceased operations
Ravn Alaska
2020-04-05 April 5, 2020
LATAM Airlines Group
2020-05-26 May 26, 2020[10]
2022-11-03 November 3, 2022[11]
Chilean airline holding group; included all subsidiaries
References
^ "List of Airline Bankruptcies Since Deregulation" . Associated Press . November 29, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2012 .
^ a b "Airlines For America | U.S. Bankruptcies and Services Cessations" . airlines.org . Archived from the original on May 28, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2016 .
^ National Florida Airlines - Sunshine Skies. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.sunshineskies.com/nfa.html
^ "List of Airline Bankruptcies Since" . Associated Press . November 29, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2012 .
^ Tejas Airlines: Where Did It Go? — Civil Aviation Forum | Airliners.net. Retrieved from http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/5130319/
^ Gallón, Natalie, Maija Ehlinger and Michelle Toh (May 12, 2020). "Avianca, one of Latin America's largest airlines, files for bankruptcy" . CNN . Retrieved May 13, 2020 . {{cite web }}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link )
^ Barab, Ronald (2005). "The Avianca Miracle" . SGR Law . Retrieved May 13, 2020 .
^ Symmes Cobb, Julia (December 1, 2021). "Colombian airline Avianca says has completed bankruptcy process" . Reuters . Retrieved November 10, 2022 .
^ Miami Air International files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection| Aeronewsx. Retrieved from https://www.aeronewsx.com/post/miami-air-international-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy-protection
^ Ehlinger, Maija (May 26, 2020). "Latin America's largest airline, LATAM, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy" . CNN . Retrieved November 10, 2022 .
^ Ramos, Natalia (October 15, 2022). "LATAM Airlines says it will exit bankruptcy on Nov. 3" . Reuters . Retrieved November 10, 2022 .