SkyWest Files for Part 135 Charter Certificate

Michael Wildes

Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 04:35 PM ET

Verified

A SkyWest Bombardier CRJ-200 airplane at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport (PHX) in Arizona. [File photo: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

SkyWest Inc. has petitioned the Department of Transportation for a Part 135 public air charter certificate to launch "SkyWest Charter," aiming to operate scheduled passenger services with 30-seat CRJ 200 aircraft.
The primary goal of this new venture is to maintain air service to small and underserved communities that other carriers, including SkyWest's main Part 121 operations, have reduced or exited due to pilot shortages.
Operating under Part 135 would allow SkyWest Charter to hire first officers with fewer required flight hours (500 vs. 1,500) and benefit from more flexible work rules, potentially easing the impact of the industry-wide pilot shortage.

See a mistake? Contact us.

SkyWest Inc. (NASDAQ: SKYW), the parent company of SkyWest Airlines, the largest regional airline, has filed a petition to the Department of Transportation for a Part 135 public air charter certificate. Dubbed “SkyWest Charter,” the upstart would allow the company to “conduct scheduled passenger operations as a commuter air carrier” using its 30-seat CRJ 200 aircraft.

Presently, SkyWest operates more than 2,400 flights daily to more than 250 cities across North America for Alaska Airlines (NYSE: ALK), American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL), Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL), and United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL). With more than 500 airplanes, it is the largest regional airline in the U.S. by several metrics.