Regional 

Airlines –

America’s 

Connection 

to the 

World

Aviation Consumer 

Protection Advisory 

Committee June 28,

2012
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

Regional Airlines – Then 

1980
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

RAA Member Airlines

• Fly 50% of the scheduled passenger flights 

in the United States

• Serve 162 million passengers

• Employ 52,000 airline professionals

• Nearly 500 communities have scheduled 

service exclusively from regionals! 73% of 

U.S. 
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

Regional Airline Industry Growth 1980-2011

Revenue Passenger Miles
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

Regional Airline Industry Growth 1980-2011

Revenue Passenger Miles
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

Regional Airline Industry Growth 1980-2011

Revenue Passenger Miles Passengers
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

Regional Airline Industry Growth 1980-2011

Revenue Passenger Miles Passengers
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

Regional Airline Industry Growth 1980-2011

Average Seating Capacity

Revenue Passenger Miles Passengers
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

Regional Airline Industry Growth 1980-2011

Average Seating Capacity

Revenue Passenger Miles Passengers
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

Regional Airline Industry Growth 1980-2011

Average Seating Capacity Average Passenger Trip Length

Revenue Passenger Miles Passengers
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

Regional Airline Industry Growth 1980-2011

Average Seating Capacity Average Passenger Trip Length

Revenue Passenger Miles Passengers
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

Regional Partnerships – Now

2012

Source: RAA June 2012
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

US Airports Served Exclusively by 

Regional Airlines
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

The System we have developed:

one ticket to take passengers anywhere in the world
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

The System we have developed:

one ticket to take passengers anywhere in the world

Dallas

Buenos Aires

Santa Fe

Santa Fe – Dallas

American Eagle

Flight 2850 – ERJ140...connecting

Dallas–Buenos Aires

American Airlines Flight 997 – Boeing 777
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

The System we have developed:

one ticket to take passengers anywhere in the world

Chicago

Appleton

Dallas

Buenos Aires

Beijing

Appleton–Chicago O’Hare

United Express ExpressJet

Flight 5877 – ERJ145...connecting

Chicago O’Hare–Beijing

American Airlines

Flight 187 – Boeing 777

Santa Fe

Santa Fe – Dallas

American Eagle

Flight 2850 – ERJ140...connecting

Dallas–Buenos Aires

American Airlines Flight 997 – Boeing 777
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

The System we have developed:

one ticket to take passengers anywhere in the world

Chicago

Appleton

Dallas

Buenos Aires

Beijing Madrid

Prague

Montgomery

Atlanta Montgomery–Atlanta

Delta Connection Atlantic Southeast Airlines

Flight 5506 – CRJ900...connecting

Atlanta–Madrid

Delta Airlines

Flight 108 – Boeing 767...connecting

Madrid–Prague

Czech Airlines Flight 701 – Airbus 319

Appleton–Chicago O’Hare

United Express ExpressJet

Flight 5877 – ERJ145...connecting

Chicago O’Hare–Beijing

American Airlines

Flight 187 – Boeing 777

Santa Fe

Santa Fe – Dallas

American Eagle

Flight 2850 – ERJ140...connecting

Dallas–Buenos Aires

American Airlines Flight 997 – Boeing 777
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

Major/Regional Share of Scheduled Service 

1980-2011

Revenue Passenger Miles Available Seat Miles

Average Seating Capacity Average Passenger Trip Length
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

Major/Regional Share of Scheduled Service 

1980-2011

Revenue Passenger Miles Available Seat Miles

Average Seating Capacity Average Passenger Trip Length
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

• Consumer enjoys single point of contact

• Reservation

• Itinerary

• Ticketing

• Check-in

– Online

– Airport

• Baggage check & claim

• Inflight experience

– Customer feedback loop with airline that sold the ticket

Seamless Service....
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

That is transparent ...

• Operating airline identified end-to-end of journey

• Making reservation

• Electronic & printed

» Itinerary & ticket

» Boarding pass 

• Aircraft entryway

• Inflight

» Announcements

» Seatback card

• Results

– Mishandled bags at all time low

– On time performance record highs 

• Regionals = Mainline performance
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

1980 2010

One level of Safety NO YES

Baggage check NO YES

NO YES Coordinated 

schedules

NO YES Seamless service 

with majors

Modern aircraft NO YES

The traveling experience for the passenger...
Safe. Professional. Reliable.

Regional-dependent Communities don’t 

fit “One Size Fits All” 

• 600+ unique airports

– Global/National hubs > 50% regional 

• ORD/IAH/DET/MEM

– “Size -challenged” facilities

– Geography

» Sun Valley, Aspen, Monterrey

– Terminal facilities

» 130+ Alaskan airports

• Aircraft sized to market

• 9-90 seats

• Multiple code-sharing partnerships

• Focus on “ownership” of consumer process