American Airlines has reached an agreement with a regional airline that will fly regional routes out of its Chicago hub starting in March, offering hope that daily flights will return to Toledo.
“That could be an opportunity for Toledo,” said Joe Cappel, vice president of business development for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, which operates Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport on behalf of the city, which owns it. “We’re having ongoing talks with American. ... This could potentially change things, but we have not confirmed anything with American one way or another.”
The airline has made no statement about what routes Air Wisconsin will fly when its five-year agreement with American begins. A filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission published on Friday states Air Wisconsin will initially provide up to 40 aircraft, all 50-seat regional jets, for American Eagle-branded service, primarily from the hub at O’Hare International Airport.
“American will gradually add Air Wisconsin flights to its schedule over the coming months,” Gianna Urgo, an American spokesman, said on Tuesday. “At this time, we do not have more to share about destinations.”
Tickets for Air Wisconsin flights operating for American Eagle “are expected to be available for sale in the next few months,” she said.
American announced in June that it was ending American Eagle service to Toledo Express and three other cities — Islip, N.Y., Ithaca, N.Y., and Dubuque, Iowa — next month because of a commercial pilot shortage that has particularly affected regional airlines including its Envoy Air affiliate, which flew the Toledo route. American had previously eliminated service to several other cities, and last year dropped a route between Toledo and Charlotte, N.C., also citing staffing.
The last daily flight from Toledo is planned for Sept. 7
The current flights’ discontinuance will leave the Toledo airport with no daily service, although Allegiant Air will continue to fly less-than-daily routes between Toledo and four cities — three in Florida plus Mesa, Ariz., near Phoenix.
Local officials hope that with Toledo being among the last cities American is dropping, it will be among the first where flights are restored.
“This is an exciting opportunity for Toledo, and as soon as I heard the news last night, I reached out to leaders at the Port Authority to make sure that our efforts are coordinated,” Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said on Tuesday through a spokesman. “More than anything else, this announcement shows how fluid things in the airline industry are right now. Being able to restore service to O’Hare by March would be a positive step for the airport and for Toledo in general.”
The SEC filing states that 20 more CRJ-200, 50-seat regional jets could be added to the “capacity purchase agreement.”
Under that, American will pay Air Wisconsin set amounts per day, per departure, and per hour flown, along with the potential for incentives or deductions depending on Air Wisconsin’s performance. American will set fares, provide ground handling and baggage services at airports, and collect revenue from food and beverage sales.
The filing also states that Air Wisconsin and American “may discuss the possibility” of adding larger CRJ-700 regional jets, which seat between 63 and 78 passengers depending on their configuration — to Air Wisconsin’s American Eagle-branded fleet, but that neither airline is obligated to that option.
Up until 1992, Air Wisconsin flew between Toledo and O’Hare under the United Express banner.
First Published August 23, 2022, 4:24 p.m.
