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
Sun Country Airlines January 2, 2002
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) 2008-04-02April 2, 2008 Ceased operations
New York Airways 1979-05-18May 18, 1979 Ceased operations
Aeroamerica 1979-11-19November 19, 1979 Ceased operations
Florida Airlines 1980-01-24January 24, 1980 Ceased operations
Indiana Airlines 1980-03-03March 3, 1980
Air Bahia 1980-12-15December 15, 1980 Ceased operations
Tejas Airlines 1980-12-31December 31, 1980 Ceased Operations[5]
Mountain West Airlines-Idaho 1981-03-06March 6, 1981 Ceased operations
LANICA 1981-03-16March 16, 1981 Nicaraguan airline; ceased operations
Coral Air 1981-07-13July 13, 1981
Pacific Coast Airlines 1981-09-11September 11, 1981
Swift Aire Lines 1981-09-18September 18, 1981 Ceased operations (Charter flights)
Golden Gate Airlines 1981-10-09October 9, 1981 Ceased operations
Pinehurst Airlines 1982-01-26January 26, 1982
Silver State Airlines 1982-03-03March 3, 1982
Air Pennsylvania 1982-03-26March 26, 1982 Ceased operations
Air South 1982-04-02April 2, 1982
Cochise Airlines 1982-04-16April 16, 1982 Ceased operations
Braniff International 1982-05-13May 13, 1982 Ceased operations
Astec Air East 1982-07-08July 8, 1982
Will's Air 1982-08-19August 19, 1982
Aero Sun International 1982-10-15October 15, 1982
Aero Virgin Islands 1982-10-19October 19, 1982 Ceased operations (in 1990)
Altair Airlines 1982-11-09November 9, 1982 Ceased operations
Continental Airlines 1983-09-23September 23, 1983 1986-06-30June 30, 1986 Emerged after merger with PEOPLExpress, Frontier Airlines, and New York Air
Frontier Airlines 1986-08-26August 28, 1986 Ceased operations
Eastern Airlines 1989-03-09March 9, 1989 Ceased operations
Partnair 1989-10-01October 1, 1989 Norwegian airline; ceased operations
Pan American World Airways 1991-01-08January 8, 1991 Ceased operations; Most assets purchased by Delta Air Lines
America West Airlines 1991-06-28June 28, 1991 1994-08-26August 26, 1994 Merged with US Airways in 2005
Sun Country Airlines 2002-01January, 2002 2003 Involuntary
National Airlines 2000-12-06December 6, 2000 Ceased operations on November 6, 2002
Trans World Airlines 2001-01-10January 10, 2001 Filed as part of an acquisition by American Airlines
US Airways 2002-08-11August 11, 2002 2003-03-31March 31, 2003
United Airlines 2002-12-09December 9, 2002 2006-02-01February 1, 2006
Air Canada 2003-04-01April 1, 2003 2004-09-30September 30, 2004 Canadian airline
Flash Airlines 2004-03-01March 1, 2004 Ceased operations
US Airways 2004-09-12September 12, 2004 2005-09-27September 27, 2005 Second filing, emerges in conjunction with its acquisition by America West
Avianca 2004-12-10March 21, 2003

May 10, 2020[6]

December 10, 2004[7]

December 1, 2021[8]

Colombian airline
Aloha Airlines 2004-12-30December 30, 2004 2006-02-17February 17, 2006 Cargo division continued flying as Aloha Air Cargo
Northwest Airlines 2005-09-14September 14, 2005 2007-05-31May 31, 2007 Ceased Operations; Merged with Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines 2005-09-14September 14, 2005 2007-04-30April 30, 2007 Included subsidiary Comair
Maxjet Airways 2007-12-26December 26, 2007 Ceased operations
Aloha Airlines 2008-03-31March 31, 2008 Second filing; ceased passenger operations
ATA Airlines 2008-04-03April 3, 2008 Ceased operations
Skybus Airlines 2008-04-05April 5, 2008 Ceased operations
Frontier Airlines 2008-04-10April 10, 2008 2009-10-01October 1, 2009
Eos Airlines 2008-08-26August 26, 2008 Ceased operations
Sun Country Airlines 2008-10-06October 6, 2008 2011-02-23February 23, 2011 Second bankruptcy
Primaris Airlines 2008-10-15October 15, 2008 Ceased operations
Mesa Airlines 2010-01-05January 5, 2010 2011-03-11March 11, 2011
Arrow Air 2010-07-01July 1, 2010 Ceased operations and liquidated
Mexicana 2010-08-28August 28, 2010 Mexican airline; ceased operations
American Airlines 2011-11-29November 29, 2011 2013-12-08December 8, 2013 Emerged from bankruptcy as American Airlines Group; includes parent company AMR Corporation and subsidiary American Eagle Airlines
Ryan International Airlines 2012-03-06March 6, 2012 Ceased operations
Pinnacle Airlines 2012-04-02April 2, 2012 2013-05-01May 1, 2013 Emerged as subsidiary of Delta Air Lines; name changed to Endeavor Air
Southern Air 2012-09-28September 28, 2012
SeaPort Airlines 2016-02-05February 5, 2016
Republic Airways Holding 2016-02-25February 25, 2016
PenAir 2017-08-07August 7, 2017 Ceases operations in Denver and Portland
Dynamic International Airways 2017-07-19July 19, 2017
Island Air (Hawaii) 2017-10-16October 16, 2017 Ceased operations
Miami Air[9] 2020-03-25March 25, 2020 Ceased operations
Ravn Alaska 2020-04-05April 5, 2020
LATAM Airlines Group 2020-05-26May 26, 2020[10] 2022-11-03November 3, 2022[11] Chilean airline holding group; included all subsidiaries

References

  1. ^ "List of Airline Bankruptcies Since Deregulation". Associated Press. November 29, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ National Florida Airlines - Sunshine Skies. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.sunshineskies.com/nfa.html
  4. ^ "List of Airline Bankruptcies Since". Associated Press. November 29, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  5. ^ Tejas Airlines: Where Did It Go? — Civil Aviation Forum | Airliners.net. Retrieved from http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/5130319/
  6. ^ 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)
  7. ^ Barab, Ronald (2005). "The Avianca Miracle". SGR Law. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  8. ^ Symmes Cobb, Julia (December 1, 2021). "Colombian airline Avianca says has completed bankruptcy process". Reuters. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  9. ^ 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
  10. ^ Ehlinger, Maija (May 26, 2020). "Latin America's largest airline, LATAM, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy". CNN. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  11. ^ Ramos, Natalia (October 15, 2022). "LATAM Airlines says it will exit bankruptcy on Nov. 3". Reuters. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
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