Air Midwest Inc. has announced it will cease all of its operations. The news comes after the Jan. 15 announcement by its parent company, Mesa Air Group Inc., that all operations will be discontinued.
Among the services that will be stopped are those provided under the Essential Air Service program. The airline alerted the Department of Transportation more than a year ago that it will terminate the program.
“Although we are unable to continue to provide service, Air Midwest plans to cooperate with the DOT and any replacement carriers in the interest of lessening the impact on the communities affected,” says Greg Stephens, Air Midwest’s president.
The decision to cease operations came about because of record-high fuel costs, low demand and a tough operating environment.
Air Midwest, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mesa Air Group, currently operates 20 Beech 1900D 19-seat airliners serving 27 domestic cities. The airline will shut down its East Coast operations May 23; its West Coast operations May 31; and its central operations June 30.
