SkyWest Airlines is founded on April 26th when Ralph Atkin buys Dixie Airlines. The operation includes a Fixed Base Operation (FBO) that offers aircraft maintenance, air ambulance service, air charter service and flight school.
SkyWest holds an open house on June 17th to celebrate the launch of their passenger service. The festivities included “penny-a-pound” airplane rides along with parachutists and aerobatic flight stunts.
The first Interline agreement is made with American Airlines, followed by one with United Airlines, Texas International and Hughes, allowing passengers interline check-in and baggage transfers.
SkyWest becomes the third “commuter” airline in the U.S. to be certified, operating with the same regulations as the major airlines including increased costs and responsibilities.
Ron Reber is hired as a ticket agent in Cedar City (CDC). With his burger and fries spread out over the counter he asks a “familiar looking stranger” if he minds waiting while he finishes his lunch. Robert Redford said that he didn’t mind at all.
A new $500,000 general office and maintenance facility is built at SGU. Maintenance is allotted 15,000 square feet, and 9,000 square feet go toward office and shop support space.
There are also five smaller points: Flagstaff, Ariz. (FLG), Page, Ariz. (PGA), St. George, Utah (SGU), Cedar City, Utah (CDC) and Pocatello, Idaho (PIH).
New destinations added by the acquisition are Yuma, Ariz., San Diego, Imperial, Ontario, Bakersfield, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Burbank and Borrego Springs, Calif. as well as service between Las Vegas and Carson City, Nev.
SkyWest becomes the twenty-fourth regional airline to offer its stock publicly. The shares are traded on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol SKYW. The initial purchase offer was 1 to 1.25 million shares at $10 a share.
The money raised by the stock offering is also used for the acquisition of five new EMB 120 Brasilia turboprop aircraft, delivered from Brazil on December 24. Klen Brooks and Earl Snow fly the Brasilia 25 hours to SGU.
Delta Air Lines announces the purchase of Western, allowing SkyWest to become a Delta Connection carrier and to better compete with other regionals, namely American Eagle and United Express.
A new deal is arranged for six Metro IIIs to be delivered this year with five more coming next year. The fleet now consists of 44 aircraft. All Metro IIs are scheduled to be phased out by 1991.
SkyWest is the first U.S. airline to order the Bombardier manufactured Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ). Orders are made for 10 CRJs to be delivered, though they won’t be available until 1993.
A 70,000 square foot maintenance hangar in SLC is announced and will be operational in July of 1991. With the ability to house 10-12 aircraft, it will be the largest of three SkyWest maintenance bases.
A groundbreaking ceremony is held for the new corporate offices in St. George. The building will be 63,000 square feet, occupy 15 acres, cost $3.6 million, and house 250 employees.
SkyWest begins operating as United Express on October 1, in St. George, Utah, Yuma, Ariz., Las Vegas, Nev. and Los Angeles, Burbank, Fresno, Imperial, Monterey, Ontario, Palm Springs, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria, Calif.
On January 19, SkyWest announces San Francisco expansion as United Express. It adds 12 new California markets and 84 daily departures. The service begins on June 1.
The People Department is created by combining Human Resources, Marketing and Recruitment, Corporate Development, Internal and External Communications, and Community Service and Culture.
May 19: a new code-share agreement with Continental Airlines is signed. SkyWest provides regional service for Continental in Houston, Texas as Continental Connection.
A new 11-year rate and growth agreement is reached with United Airlines, making SkyWest the largest United Express carrier. The agreement calls for SkyWest to operate a fleet of 140 aircraft, including 55 turbo-prop and 50-seat regional jets.
Board member Henry J. Eyring leaves SkyWest to serve as a mission president in Japan for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is replaced by W. Steve Albrecht.
SkyWest adds a third aircraft type to its fleet; the 70-passenger Bombardier manufactured Canadair Regional Jet 700 (CRJ700). Service begins February 15 between Salt Lake City, Utah, Denver, Colo. and Wichita, Kan.
SkyWest Airlines receives the FAA’s Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Gold Award for outstanding attendance in initial and recurrent maintenance training.
SkyWest employees donate $40,000 to tsunami relief with a company match, and more than $202,000 for ASA employee Hurricane Katrina relief with company match.
SkyWest receives the FAA’s Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Gold Award 2005 for outstanding attendance in initial and recurrent maintenance training.
After ALPA’s third attempt to organize a union at SkyWest, SkyWest Airlines’ Pilots vote to remain union-free, maintaining the airlines’ open door culture for more than 35 years.
A new state-of-the-art maintenance facility in Colorado Springs is opened. It’s the second largest hangar in the system, housing up to nine aircraft overnight.
SkyWest Airlines and AirTran Airways forge a new partnership to operate five 50-seat CRJ200 aircraft between Milwaukee and six destinations. The first flights begin from Milwaukee to Pittsburgh and St. Louis in Dec.
Russell “Chip” Childs, President and COO of SkyWest Airlines, is elected Chair of the Board of Directors of the Regional Airline Association (RAA) for the 2009/2010 term.
The SkyWest Maintenance Department is awarded the 2010 AMT Employer Gold Award of Excellence from the FAA. More than 550 SkyWest mechanics earn individual AMT awards in 2010.
SkyWest Airlines wins its third Bombardier Airline Reliability Award for having the highest dispatch reliability. SkyWest places first overall in the CRJ200 product category for the North America region.
In conjunction with the opening of the new St. George Municipal Airport, SkyWest introduces the first-ever intrastate jet service to Utah with its SGU-SLC route.
SkyWest announces an agreement with US Airways to fly 16 routes in the western U.S. from Phoenix. The agreement includes 15 CRJ200 aircraft, and flying begins in December.
SkyWest’s InFlight Department celebrates 25 years of in-flight service. The initial new hire flight attendant class in 1986 had just 24 students. By 2011, the department consists of more than 2,200 men and women who provide for the safety and service of SkyWest's millions of passengers each year.
SkyWest announces a new Capacity Purchase Agreement (“CPA”) with American Airlines to operate 23 Bombardier CRJ200 regional jet aircraft under the American Eagle designation. The flights, operated primarily out of LAX, commence on Nov. 15.
SkyWest Airlines receives Bombardier’s Airline Reliability Performance Award for the third year running for the CRJ200, and is newly awarded for the CRJ700 and CRJ900 this year, sweeping all product categories.
SkyWest, Inc. announces an agreement with Embraer for the purchase of 100 new E175 dual-class jet aircraft, with 40 firm deliveries anticipated in 2014-15. The agreement also includes options for an additional 100 E175 aircraft and would be valued at $8.3 billion if all 200 aircraft are ordered. SkyWest Airlines will operate the 40 firm E175 deliveries under a new Capacity Purchase Agreement (“CPA”) with United Airlines.
SkyWest Airlines receives its first dual-class 76-passenger E175. The aircraft begins operations on May 17 between Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Washington Reagan National Airport.
Jerry Atkin celebrated 40 years with SkyWest on Sept. 1. Jerry has led the way for SkyWest to become a worldwide airline leader and is the longest-tenured CEO in the industry.
Mike Thompson was named COO of SkyWest Airlines in May 2014 and is responsible to oversee the airline’s operations. He previously served as Vice President of Market Development where he managed SkyWest’s pro-rate operations and helped adapt to rapidly changing network needs across the industry.
SkyWest’s premier charity race, Mini Indy, raced into its 15th anniversary in 2015 and continues to bring together businesses from around the world to support those in need in Southern Utah.
The addition of a new hangar in Fort Wayne, Indiana allows SkyWest to better support aircraft that are flying across the United States. The hangar is capable of housing four overnight aircraft.
SkyWest built a new 130,000 square-foot maintenance hangar in Boise, Idaho to help support large, dual-class aircraft. The facility is also geographically positioned to ensure the fleet receives regular touch time by mechanics.
On Jan. 1, 2016, Chip Childs succeeded Jerry Atkin as the President and CEO of SkyWest, Inc. Chip was also elected to the SkyWest, Inc. Board of Directors. Jerry continues actively serving the company as SkyWest, Inc. Chairman of the Board.
The SkyWest team achieves multiple operating milestones, including 30 consecutive days with zero controllable cancellations and 191 total such days in 2016.
The first, SkyWest-operated E175s for Delta Air Lines begin flying from Seattle to San Diego. The 19 new Delta E175s bring the total number of the aircraft type at SkyWest to 63 with 41 more scheduled for delivery in 2017 for a total 104.
SkyWest, Inc. announces additional aircraft orders for Delta Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Under the agreements, SkyWest Airlines will take delivery of 30 E175 SCs for Delta and 15 E175s for Alaska. The new aircraft are all expected to be in service by the third quarter of 2018.
As the SkyWest operation grows and expands across the country, new crew domiciles are opened in Boise, San Diego and Atlanta, bringing the total number of SkyWest crew domiciles to 18.
A new 90,000 foot maintenance hangar opens in Nashville and an additional hangar is opened in Milwaukee. Additionally, SkyWest announces a new maintenance base and hangar in Oklahoma City and a new maintenance line station in Chattanooga, Tennessee to be opened in 2018.
As part of SkyWest’s celebration of 45 years of flying, SkyWest team members across the country participate in Habitat for Humanity builds in Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City to give back to the communities in which employees live and work.
SkyWest people donate more than $50,000 through the Spirit of SkyWest: Crisis Fund to aid SkyWest team members who suffered catastrophic loss due to record flooding as a result of Hurricane Flooding in Houston.
Brad Blake is named VP of SkyWest’s OCC, overseeing the SkyWest Operations Control Center as it plays an increasingly important role in SkyWest’s operation performance.