SkyWest Airlines is founded on April 26th when Ralph Atkin buys Dixie Airlines. The operation includes a Fixed Base Operation (FBO) that offers aircraft maintenance, air ambulance service, air charter service and flight school.
A whopping 256 people utilized SkyWest’s services that year.
The Seneca is replaced with an 8-seat Piper Navajo N76LE and a 9-seat Piper Navajo Chieftain.
Ralph Atkin’s wife Cheri writes the first customer service manual.
Las Vegas is added to the flight schedule.
Jerry Atkin joins SkyWest as Director of Finance.
After the purchase of Page, Ariz.-based Page Aviation Services, business expands to include Bullfrog and Moab, Utah.
Reorganization takes place by cutting overhead costs and personnel, and selling 3 aircraft and the Moab FBO.
Jerry Atkin, at the age of 26, becomes the youngest president of a scheduled airline in the country.
Ron Reber is hired as a ticket agent in Cedar City (CDC). With his burger and fries spread out over the counter he asks a “familiar looking stranger” if he minds waiting while he finishes his lunch. Robert Redford said that he didn’t mind at all.
The first 19 passenger Metro II is delivered; two more are delivered later this year.
SkyWest now serves eight destinations in four states with 150 total employees.
Pocatello, Idaho (PIH) is opened by Ron Reber (it will become the largest SkyWest market by 1984).
SkyWest operates 87 flight segments each day.
Another Metro III is added along with two more Metro IIs.
Grand Junction, Colo. and Twin Falls and Boise, Idaho, are added to SkyWest’s growing list of destinations.
SkyWest acquires Sun Aire. With the acquisition, SkyWest is the eleventh largest regional in the country.
SkyWest executive offices are moved from the SGU airport to downtown St. George.
Capacity increase is slowed to 15%, which is down from the 40% growth in 1987.
SkyWest’s 43rd station is opened in Inyokern, Calif.
A groundbreaking ceremony is held for the new corporate offices in St. George. The building will be 63,000 square feet, occupy 15 acres, cost $3.6 million, and house 250 employees.
New $3.6 million corporate office building opens in St. George
SkyWest's first four 50-passenger Bombardier manufactured Canadair Regional Jets arrive and are put into service.
1,800 employees make up the SkyWest team.
“Working together to be the airline of choice,” is this year’s motto.
Scenic Airlines is sold on December 28.
Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine name SkyWest “Best Managed Regional Airline of the World” for the second year in a row.
SkyWest launches www.skywest.com on July 24.
SkyWest begins pro-rate service for eight of their Delta Connection EMB 120 markets out of the SLC hub.
SkyWest serves over 10 million passengers and has net earnings of $66,787,000.00 for the year.
SkyWest's net earnings are $81,952,000.
SkyWest welcomes a fourth aircraft type into its modern fleet of regional aircraft: the 70-passenger, Bombardier manufactured CRJ900.
April: SkyWest begins service as Midwest Connect.
For the second year in a row, SkyWest receives Bombardier’s Reliability Award for the Americas.
SkyWest, Inc. net income is $112.9 million.
SkyWest’s total planned capacity is reduced by 15% as SkyWest’s partners scale back their operations in response to fuel prices.
SkyWest unveils a new livery in blue and white.
The SkyWest Maintenance Department is awarded the 2010 AMT Employer Gold Award of Excellence from the FAA. More than 550 SkyWest mechanics earn individual AMT awards in 2010.
SkyWest Airlines wins its third Bombardier Airline Reliability Award for having the highest dispatch reliability. SkyWest places first overall in the CRJ200 product category for the North America region.
In conjunction with the opening of the new St. George Municipal Airport, SkyWest introduces the first-ever intrastate jet service to Utah with its SGU-SLC route.
SkyWest announces an agreement with Alaska Airlines to fly six West Coast routes.
SkyWest announces an agreement with US Airways to fly 16 routes in the western U.S. from Phoenix. The agreement includes 15 CRJ200 aircraft, and flying begins in December.
SkyWest begins installing wi-fi connectivity on all dual-class Delta Connection aircraft, bringing even more customer convenience onboard.
As United completes its integration with Continental, SkyWest begins additional flying from the Houston hub.
SkyWest’s InFlight Department celebrates 25 years of in-flight service. The initial new hire flight attendant class in 1986 had just 24 students. By 2011, the department consists of more than 2,200 men and women who provide for the safety and service of SkyWest's millions of passengers each year.
The SkyWest Maintenance Department receives another AMT Employer Gold Award for Excellence.
SkyWest announces an agreement with American Airlines to fly six West Coast routes.
© 2013 SkyWest Airlines
