List of airline bankruptcies in the United States explained

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]

Airlinedata-sort-type=date Date Bankruptcy filed
National Florida Airlines[3] December 1, 1983
ExcellairJuly 7, 1984
Oceanaire LinesFebruary 10, 1984
ConnectaireOctober 10, 1984
Princeton Air LinkAugust 11, 1988
Air KentuckyJuly 19, 1989
Eastern Air LinesJanuary 18, 1991
Northcoast ExecutiveJanuary 29, 1991
Midway Airlines (1976-1991)November 27, 1991
L’ExpressFebruary 2, 1992
Eastwind AirlinesSeptember 30, 1999
Midway Airlines (1993-2003)October 30, 2003
Southeast AirlinesDecember 1, 2004
TransMeridian AirlinesSeptember 29, 2005
Big SkyJanuary 7, 2008
Aloha AirlinesMarch 31, 2008
Air MidwestMay 14, 2008
Gemini Air CargoAugust 12, 2008
January 6, 2009
ComairApril 4, 2012
Direct AirApril 12, 2012
Evergreen International AirlinesDecember 31, 2013

Chapter 11

This is a list of airlines that have filed for bankruptcy protection via Chapter 11 in the United States.[4]

Airlinedata-sort-type=isoDate Date Bankruptcy fileddata-sort-type=isoDate Date Exited BankruptcyNotes
American Trans Air (ATA)2008-04-02April 2, 2008Ceased operations
New York Airways1979-05-18May 18, 1979Ceased operations
Aeroamerica1979-11-19November 19, 1979Ceased operations
Florida Airlines1980-01-24January 24, 1980Ceased operations
Indiana Airlines1980-03-03March 3, 1980
Air Bahia1980-12-15December 15, 1980Ceased operations
Tejas Airlines1980-12-31December 31, 1980Ceased Operations[5] Airliners.net. Retrieved from http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/5130319/
Mountain West Airlines-Idaho1981-03-06March 6, 1981Ceased operations
LANICA1981-03-16March 16, 1981Nicaraguan airline; ceased operations
Coral Air1981-07-13July 13, 1981
Pacific Coast Airlines1981-09-11September 11, 1981
Swift Aire Lines1981-09-18September 18, 1981Ceased operations (Charter flights)
Golden Gate Airlines1981-10-09October 9, 1981Ceased operations
Pinehurst Airlines1982-01-26January 26, 1982
Silver State Airlines1982-03-03March 3, 1982
Air Pennsylvania1982-03-26March 26, 1982Ceased operations
Air South1982-04-02April 2, 1982
Cochise Airlines1982-04-16April 16, 1982Ceased operations
Braniff International1982-05-13May 13, 1982Ceased operations
Astec Air East1982-07-08July 8, 1982
Will's Air1982-08-19August 19, 1982
Aero Sun International1982-10-15October 15, 1982
Aero Virgin Islands1982-10-19October 19, 1982Ceased operations (in 1990)
Altair Airlines1982-11-09November 9, 1982Ceased operations
Continental Airlines1983-09-23September 23, 19831986-06-30June 30, 1986Emerged after merger with PEOPLExpress, Frontier Airlines, and New York Air
Frontier Airlines1986-08-26August 28, 1986Ceased operations
Eastern Airlines1989-03-09March 9, 1989Ceased operations
Partnair1989-10-01October 1, 1989Norwegian airline; ceased operations
Pan American World Airways1991-01-08January 8, 1991Ceased operations; Most assets purchased by Delta Air Lines
America West Airlines1991-06-28June 28, 19911994-08-26August 26, 1994Merged with US Airways in 2005
Sun Country Airlines2002-01January 20022003Involuntary
National Airlines2000-12-06December 6, 2000Ceased operations on November 6, 2002
Trans World Airlines2001-01-10January 10, 2001Filed as part of an acquisition by American Airlines
US Airways2002-08-11August 11, 20022003-03-31March 31, 2003
United Airlines2002-12-09December 9, 20022006-02-01February 1, 2006
Air Canada2003-04-01April 1, 20032004-09-30September 30, 2004Canadian airline
Flash Airlines2004-03-01March 1, 2004Ceased operations
US Airways2004-09-12September 12, 20042005-09-27September 27, 2005
Avianca2004-12-10March 21, 2003

May 10, 2020[6]

December 10, 2004[7]

December 1, 2021[8]

Colombian airline
Aloha Airlines2004-12-30December 30, 20042006-02-17February 17, 2006Cargo division continued flying as Aloha Air Cargo
Northwest Airlines2005-09-14September 14, 20052007-05-31May 31, 2007Ceased Operations; Merged with Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines2005-09-14September 14, 20052007-04-30April 30, 2007Included subsidiary Comair
Maxjet Airways2007-12-26December 26, 2007Ceased operations
Aloha Airlines2008-03-31March 31, 2008Second filing; ceased passenger operations
ATA Airlines2008-04-03April 3, 2008Ceased operations
Skybus Airlines2008-04-05April 5, 2008Ceased operations
Frontier Airlines2008-04-10April 10, 20082009-10-01October 1, 2009
Eos Airlines2008-08-26August 26, 2008Ceased operations
Sun Country Airlines2008-10-06October 6, 20082011-02-23February 23, 2011Second bankruptcy
Primaris Airlines2008-10-15October 15, 2008Ceased operations
Mesa Airlines2010-01-05January 5, 20102011-03-11March 11, 2011
Arrow Air2010-07-01July 1, 2010Ceased operations and liquidated
Mexicana2010-08-28August 28, 2010Mexican airline; ceased operations
American Airlines2011-11-29November 29, 20112013-12-08December 8, 2013Emerged from bankruptcy as American Airlines Group; includes parent company AMR Corporation and subsidiary American Eagle Airlines
Ryan International Airlines2012-03-06March 6, 2012Ceased operations
Pinnacle Airlines2012-04-02April 2, 20122013-05-01May 1, 2013Emerged as subsidiary of Delta Air Lines; name changed to Endeavor Air
Southern Air2012-09-28September 28, 2012
SeaPort Airlines2016-02-05February 5, 2016
Republic Airways Holding2016-02-25February 25, 2016
PenAir2017-08-07August 7, 2017Ceases operations in Denver and Portland
Dynamic International Airways2017-07-19July 19, 2017
Island Air (Hawaii)2017-10-16October 16, 2017Ceased operations
Miami Air[9] Aeronewsx. Retrieved from https://www.aeronewsx.com/post/miami-air-international-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy-protection2020-03-25March 25, 2020Ceased operations
Ravn Alaska2020-04-05April 5, 2020
LATAM Airlines Group2020-05-26May 26, 2020[10] 2022-11-03November 3, 2022[11] Chilean airline holding group; included all subsidiaries

Notes and References

  1. News: List of Airline Bankruptcies Since Deregulation. May 23, 2012. Associated Press. November 29, 2011.
  2. Web site: Airlines For America U.S. Bankruptcies and Services Cessations. airlines.org. May 12, 2016. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160528074046/http://airlines.org/data/u-s-bankruptcies-and-services-cessations/. May 28, 2016.
  3. National Florida Airlines - Sunshine Skies. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.sunshineskies.com/nfa.html
  4. News: List of Airline Bankruptcies Since. May 23, 2012. Associated Press. November 29, 2011.
  5. Tejas Airlines: Where Did It Go? — Civil Aviation Forum
  6. Web site: Avianca, one of Latin America's largest airlines, files for bankruptcy. Gallón. Natalie, Maija Ehlinger and Michelle Toh. May 12, 2020. CNN. May 13, 2020.
  7. Web site: The Avianca Miracle. Barab. Ronald. 2005. SGR Law. en-US. May 13, 2020.
  8. Web site: Colombian airline Avianca says has completed bankruptcy process. Symmes Cobb. Julia. December 1, 2021. Reuters. November 10, 2022.
  9. Miami Air International files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
  10. Web site: Latin America's largest airline, LATAM, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy . Ehlinger. Maija. May 26, 2020. CNN. November 10, 2022.
  11. Web site: LATAM Airlines says it will exit bankruptcy on Nov. 3. Ramos. Natalia. October 15, 2022. Reuters. November 10, 2022.

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