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Eastwind Airlines

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For other uses, see East wind (disambiguation).
Eastwind Airlines
IATA ICAO Call sign
W9 SGR STINGER
FoundedAugust 1995; 29 years ago (1995-08)
Ceased operations1999; 25 years ago (1999)
Hubs
Fleet size5
Destinations11
Headquarters
WebsiteEastwind Airlines (defunct)

Eastwind Airlines was a start-up airline formed in mid-1995 and headquartered in Trenton, New Jersey, United States,[1] and later in Greensboro, North Carolina.[2][3]

History

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The airline began in August 1995.[3] Jim McNally, a former Price Waterhouse analyst who had headed that firm's recovery teams when several other airlines sought management and investment help, founded the airline. McNally's paper airline found a benefactor in UM Holdings, a Haddonfield, New Jersey–based investment company, which provided investment capital.[4]

Eastwind chose Trenton as no major airlines served Trenton and the airline believed that it could attract passengers from Philadelphia and New York City.[5] The headquarters moved to Greensboro in 1996 after Continental Airlines ended the Continental Lite operations in Greensboro.[4]

Due to the short runway at Trenton-Mercer Airport, the airline served Philadelphia for a short time, but consolidated its flights back to Trenton, New Jersey, in early 1999 when Delta Air Lines terminated their contract to handle ground services.

By 1999, the airline was in dire straits, facing some performance concerns as well as severe financial trouble. In July 1999, the airline terminated several senior managers including its CEO.[6]

The airline's financial situation deteriorated when two new Boeing 737-700 aircraft were purchased in 1997. Service issues created tension with its customers, resulting in large numbers of complaints filed with the FAA.[2] In 1999, two passengers in Greensboro who feared being stranded in Greensboro refused to get off an airplane forcing the captain to call authorities.[7]

While the airline's management refused to file for bankruptcy, in October 1999, three creditors filed a petition for involuntary bankruptcy in an effort to force the airline to liquidate. The airline ceased all operations shortly afterwards. The two 737-700s were acquired by Southwest Airlines and Shanghai Airlines, while the last three 737-200s were withdrawn from the fleet and permanently retired (one remains in use as a fire trainer, and the rest were scrapped in 2000).[8]

Destinations

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An Eastwind Airlines Boeing 737-700 at Greater Rochester, NY in 1998

The airline served the following destinations in the eastern U.S. at various times during its existence:

Florida
Georgia
Massachusetts
New Jersey

New York

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North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Virginia

Fleet

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At the height of the airline's operation in 1998, it operated a fleet of three Boeing 737-200 and two Boeing 737-700 aircraft. Throughout its history, Eastwind owned a total of five first-generation 737-200, two were already sold for scrap in 1997.[8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "IN BRIEF; Trenton-Based Airline To Add Florida Flights," The New York Times
  2. ^ a b c d "Eastwind struggles in turbulent times," The Business Journal
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "The fledgling: tiny Eastwind Airlines fights for flights, spreading its wings at Piedmont Triad International Airport." Business North Carolina. 2.
  4. ^ a b c "The fledgling: tiny Eastwind Airlines fights for flights, spreading its wings at Piedmont Triad International Airport." Business North Carolina. 3.
  5. ^ The fledgling: tiny Eastwind Airlines fights for flights, spreading its wings at Piedmont Triad International Airport." Business North Carolina. 4.
  6. ^ Eastwind ousts execs – Orlando Business Journal:
  7. ^ a b c d e "Eastwind ousts execs," Orlando Business Journal
  8. ^ a b "Eastwind Airlines Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h "NEW JERSEY DAILY BRIEFING;New Flights to Atlanta," The New York Times
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