Aleutian Airways is a joint venture between Sterling Airways and Alaska Seaplanes which offers scheduled flights between Anchorage and Southwest Alaska.[3][6]
| |||||||
| Commenced operations | November 16, 2022[2] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating bases | TSIA Anchorage | ||||||
| Fleet size | 4 Saab 2000 [3] | ||||||
| Destinations | Cold Bay (CDB),[4] Dutch Harbor (DUT), Homer (HOM)[5] King Salmon (AKN),[4] Sand Point (SDP)[4] | ||||||
| Parent company | joint venture between Wexford Capital, Mckinley Alaska Private Investment, and Alaska Seaplanes. [6] | ||||||
History
The routes served by Aleutian Airways were traditionally served by PenAir, which was purchased out of bankruptcy by Ravn air group in 2018.[7] Following a collapse in air travel caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Raven Air filed for bankruptcy, and the operating certificate for PenAir was again put up for sale. Alaska Seaplanes, which had been outbid by Ravn for PenAir in 2018[8] was again outbid for PenAir.[3]
Alaska Seaplanes then entered into a joint venture with Sterling Airways to offer service to Southwest Alaska under the name Aleutian Airways.[3] The airline utilizes ex-PenAir Saab 2000 aircraft,[3] flown by ex-PenAir staff.[9]
Aleutian Airways began scheduled service with a flight from Anchorage to Dutch Harbor on November 16th, 2022.[2]
Corporate Structure
Aleutian Airways is a joint venture between Wexford Capital, Mckinley Alaska Private Investment, and Alaska Seaplanes.[10] Alaska Seaplanes operates the back-office and ticket sales, while Wexford subsidiary Sterling Airways is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the aircraft.[10]
Sterling Airways
Wexford Capital purchased Florida-based ViaAir with the intent of rebranding the airline and serving markets in the Southeast, Midwest, and Alaska.[11] The airline was renamed Sterling, and the Embraer aircraft replaced with 4 leased Saab 2000s. Currently, the only routes they are flying are those flown under the Aleutian Airways brand.
Wexford Capital has a history with airlines, starting with the purchase of the former Alaskan airline MarkAir's assets out of bankruptcy in 1995. Wexford went on to purchase and reorganize Republic Airways. Several of Sterling's current employees formerly worked at Republic, including Wayne Heller, Stirling's CEO.[11]
Destinations
| City | Country (Subdivision) | IATA | Airport | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage | USA (Alaska) | ANC | Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport | Base |
| Cold Bay | USA (Alaska) | CDB | Cold Bay Airport | |
| Dutch Harbor | USA (Alaska) | DUT | Unalaska Airport | |
| Homer | USA (Alaska) | HOM | Homer Airport | Service temporarily discontinued on April 15, 2024 due to airport runway construction [13] |
| King Salmon | USA (Alaska) | AKN | King Salmon Airport | |
| Sand Point | USA (Alaska) | SDP | Sand Point Airport |
Fleet
The Aleutian Airways fleet includes the following aircraft:
| Aircraft | Number | Seats | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saab 2000 | 4 | Former PenAir aircraft [3] |
