Freedom Airlines

Freedom Airlines
	File:FreedomsLogo.png
Founded	2002
Hubs	Orlando International Airport; John F. Kennedy International Airport
Fleet size	30
Destinations	165
Parent company	Mesa Air Group, Inc.
Headquarters	Phoenix, Arizona
Key people	Michael Ferverda (President)
Website	http://www.mesa-air.com

Freedom Airlines (IATA: F8, ICAO: FRL, call sign: Freedom Air) is a FAA Part 121 certificated air carrier operating under air carrier certificate number FDKA087K issued on April 1, 2002. It is headquartered in Irving, Texas and is a subsidiary of Mesa Air Group. It operates flights as Delta Connection for Delta Air Lines out of Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida using Embraer-145 aircraft and began serving Delta's hub at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City in July 2006 using De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft.

History

The airline was established in March 2002 and started operations in October 2002. It was the launch customer for the Bombardier CRJ-900. The airline was started so that Mesa Air Group could fulfill its contractual obligations to operate Bombardier CRJ-900 as America West Express for America West Airlines. Establishing Freedom was necessary as Mesa Airlines was also operating as US Airways Express under a code share agreement for US Airways. US Airways' collective bargaining agreement with the Air Line Pilots Association prohibited contract carrier code share arrangements with regional jet carriers, if that carrier operated aircraft with more than 70 seats. Mesa Airlines, therefore, could not operate as US Airways Express and operate the Bombardier CRJ-900.

Initially Freedom operated the Bombardier CRJ-700 and Bombardier CRJ-900 on behalf of America West Airlines. Once US Airways' pilot scope limitation was relaxed, Mesa transferred the operation of all of Freedom's regional jets to Mesa Airlines. Once this transfer was complete Freedom placed a few Beech 1900D turboprops on its certificate and operated these as America West Express under a pro rate code share agreement with America West. In October 2005, Freedom Airlines began operations as Delta Connection.

The company recieved much unwanted attention after a flight attendant kicked a family off a plane for breastfeeding in 2006.

Freedom Airlines operates as:

Delta Connection using Embraer ERJ-145 and De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft under a revenue-guarantee codesharing agreement. Its hubs are in Orlando, Atlanta, and New York John F. Kennedy airport.

As of June 30, 2006 ^{[citation needed]}

¹During 2006 Mesa Air Group acquired 12 used Dash-8-100's for Freedom Airline's Delta Connection service at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport.

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