History

1979

March 12 Incorporated as Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Inc. Company headquarters established in Atlanta, Ga. June 27 Began operations with one 19-passenger Twin Otter aircraft. First market served: Atlanta-Columbus, Ga.

1981

Added 17-passenger Embraer Bandeirante aircraft to fleet

1982

July 21 Completed initial public stock offering   Added 48-passenger deHavilland Dash 7 aircraft to fleet

1983

April 01 Acquired Southeastern Airlines

1984

May 01 Joined Delta Connection program as one of first regional partners June 01 Announced agreement with Embraer to become the world’s first operator of the Embraer Brasilia aircraft   Added 35-passenger Shorts 360 aircraft to fleet Dec. 15 Began operation of Memphis, Tenn. hub to feed Delta Air Lines’ Memphis operation

1985

Aug. 20 Added 30-passenger Embraer Brasilia aircraft to fleet

1986

May 23 Delta Air Lines announced purchase of 2,665,000 shares of ASA common stock to gain 20 percent of the voting securities of ASA July 21 Announced plans to establish hub in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas Sept. 01 Terminated operations from Memphis, Tenn. hub to refocus resources on planned expansion in Dallas/Ft. Worth Dec. 01 Began operations from Dallas/Ft. Worth hub

1987

January Named Regional Airline of the Year by Air Transport World

1993

June 01 Added 66-passenger ATR-72-210 aircraft to fleet with inaugural ATR service from Dallas/Ft. Worth hub

1994

June 01 Inaugurated ATR-72-210 service from Atlanta hub June 19 Named Georgia’s sixth-best-performing publicly held company by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

1995

Dec. 01 Initiated first jet service with introduction of BAe 146 aircraft

1996

May 01 Expanded Atlanta operation with new gates at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport’s C North Concourse

1997

Jan. 07 Placed order for 30 50-passenger Canadair regional jets (CRJ) from Bombardier Aerospace – Bombardier’s largest single CRJ order from any one airline to that date Aug. 26 Received first Canadair regional jet from Bombardier Aerospace Oct. 01 Inaugurated Canadair regional jet service from Atlanta hub

1998

Sept. 04 Announced order for an additional 27 Canadair regional jets – bringing ASA’s total firm order to 57 aircraft Sept. 08 Honored as one of the global aviation and aerospace industry’s best managed companies by Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine

1999

March 22 Acquired by Delta Air Lines, Inc. May 11 Began operation as a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines Nov. 19 Celebrated 20th anniversary with special-edition Canadair regional jet painted in Atlanta-themed livery

2000

March 29 Joined with Delta Connection partner Comair in announcing industry’s largest regional jet order. In total, the order will fleet by 2004. The order also included options for an additional 396 aircraft through 2010. May 01 Inaugurated Canadair regional jet service from Dallas/Ft. Worth hub June 01 Inaugurated first international service with flights to Toronto, Ontario, Canada from Atlanta Oct. 01 Continued expansion of international service with flights to Monterrey, Mexico from Atlanta and Dallas/Ft. Worth Dec. 26 Boarded 6 millionth passenger for calendar-year 2000 – eclipsing all previous one-year boarding records

2001

Feb. 21 Introduced ASA’s second special-livery aircraft, “Bluebonnet,” during an inaugural celebration at the Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport. The aircraft pays tribute to ASA’s DFW hub. March 15 Introduced special-livery aircraft saluting Delta’s sponsorship of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. The livery matched Delta’s “Soaring Spirit,” a Boeing 757 painted to represent the majesty of the Wasatch Mountains and the spirit of the American West. May 01 ASA President Skip Barnette named 2000 Commuter/Regional Airline News Regional Airline Executive of the Year Dec. 09 Carried 2002 Olympic Flame between Miami and Mobile, Ala., as part of Delta’s sponsorship of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. The flame was carried aboard ASA Ship 869, a special-livery 50-passenger Canadair regional jet saluting Delta’s sponsorship of the 2002 Games.

2002

Jan. 29 Received first 70-seat CRJ-700 aircraft from Bombardier Aerospace. April 07 Inaugurated first 70-seat CRJ-700 service from Atlanta hub. First cities served: Augusta, Ga.; Ft. Wayne, Ind.; Huntsville, Ala.; Sarasota, Fla.; Tallahassee, Fla.; and Toledo, Ohio. Sept. 01 Began service to 100th airport – Cincinnati, Ohio Nov. 14 ASA President Skip Barnette elected Chairman of the Regional Airline Association (RAA) for 2003 Dec. 19 Boarded 8 millionth passenger for calendar-year 2002 – a 21 percent increase in passenger enplanements over the previous year

2003

April 06 Completed single-largest expansion in company history with 47 new ASA flights in one day at Dallas/Ft. Worth, including first-ever service to West Coast with new CRJ700 flights to Ontario, Calif., and Salt Lake City. May 04 Retired Embraer Brasilia aircraft from scheduled service at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport. July 02 Received ASA’s 100th CRJ from Bombardier Aerospace July 31 Retired Embraer Brasilia aircraft from scheduled service at Dallas/Ft. Worth International airport. Aug. 14 Retired Embraer Brasilia aircraft from ASA fleet after 18 years of service and more than 2 million flight hours. Dec. 22 Surpassed previous passenger enplanement records, boarding more than 9 million passengers in 2003.

2004

March 02 Exercised options for 32 additional 50-seat CRJ200 aircraft to be delivered during 2005. June 17 Celebrated 25th anniversary of passenger service with delivery of a special-edition CRJ700 from Bombardier Aerospace. Dec. 16 Exceeded previous passenger boarding records, carrying more than 10 million passengers in 2004.

2005

Jan. 31 Completed largest schedule change in company history by closing Dallas/Ft. Worth hub and opening hubs at Salt Lake City and Cincinnati. June 29 ASA’s Macon Maintenance facility receives OSHA Voluntary Protection Program certification. ASA becomes first regional airline certified at VPP “Star” status and first U.S. carrier to receive initial certification at “Star” level. Aug. 15 Delta reaches definitive agreement to sell ASA to SkyWest, Inc.; signs agreement for ASA to continue serving as Delta Connection regional carrier Sept. 08 ASA begins operations as a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyWest, Inc., continues serving as Delta Connection carrier Sept. 19 Bryan LaBrecque named president and chief operating officer of ASA Dec. 30 Exceeded all previous passenger boarding records, carrying more than 12 million passengers in 2005, a 20 percent increase from 2004.

2006

Jan. 01 Launched Atlantic Southeast Airlines Magazine – a publication onboard ASA aircraft May 18 Launched www.flyasa.com – a web site that is uniquely ASA and is provided for the employees, passengers and media. July 01 Started Extended Over Water exemption operations, which allows ASA to fly up to 162 miles away from the nearest shoreline, expanding ASA’s routes throughout the Caribbean Oct. 01 Completed transition of ASA crew domicile out of Salt Lake City. Dec. 01 Secured space in the former Delta North hangar and launched the new Ground Equipment Maintenance (GEM) shop for preventative and scheduled maintenance of ASA ground equipment Sept.-Dec. Invested millions of capital dollars in staffing, new equipment, updated technology and processes to improve companywide customer service and reliability. Dec. 01 Los Angeles, CA (LAX) opened as a crew domicile to prepare for expansion of Mexican destinations. Dec. 15 Opened crew domicile and began west coast expansion at LAX. Jan.-Dec. More than 25 new destinations added in 2006.

2007

Mar. 29 Anthony DiNota appointed COO of ASA. June 01 Delta Air Lines takes over 100 percent of ASA’s ground handling responsibilities in Atlanta including baggage, ramp operations and gate operations. 1,337 ASA employees transition to Delta as Delta employees to complete the shift in responsibility. June 07 Fort Smith, Ark. (FSM) began operations as an ASA staffed station.