Elite Airways

Elite Airways is an airline based in the United States operating charter and scheduled passenger flights. The airline adjusts destinations as demand increases or decreases. The airline is headquartered in Portland, Maine.[2]

Elite Airways
IATA ICAO Callsign
7Q MNU MAINER
Founded2006
Commenced operationsJuly 28, 2014
AOC #19EA891L[1]
Operating basesPortland International Jetport
Fleet size5
Destinations3
HeadquartersPortland, Maine, U.S.
Websiteres.eliteairways.net

History

Elite Airways LLC was founded in 2006 and received FAA Part 121 scheduled certification in 2012.[3] When the airline obtained its scheduled authority it announced it would begin scheduled passenger flights to and from Orlando Melbourne International Airport, the airline's operating base; the first scheduled passenger route was announced on July 28, 2014 when the airline said it would begin twice-weekly services between Melbourne and Washington Dulles International Airport on September 8 that year.[4] Flights went on sale August 25, 2014 utilizing Branson Air Express as the ticketing airline.[5] In November the airline began operating the Branson Air Express flights from Branson Airport to Chicago Midway Airport and Houston Hobby Airport.

The airline announced that service from Northern Colorado's Fort Collins-Loveland Airport to both Newark Liberty International Airport and Chicago Rockford International Airport would begin on August 27, 2015.[6] The airline subsequently announced flights starting December 10, 2015 from Vero Beach Municipal Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport,[7] representing the first-ever commercial scheduled jet service at Vero Beach airport.

In early 2016, Elite Airways introduced scheduled service from Naples Municipal Airport in southwest Florida to Newark Liberty, Orlando Melbourne, Vero Beach and Portland International Jetport in Maine, representing the first commercial services at Naples Municipal Airport since 2006.[8] In March 2016, the airline announced the restart of twice-weekly service between Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport and Chicago Rockford International Airport starting May 23, 2016.[9] On April 15, 2016, the airline announced that it would begin regular flight operations at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip, New York. The airline announced service to three destinations: Orlando-Melbourne, FL; Myrtle Beach, SC; and Portland, ME.[10] Flight service began at Long Island MacArthur Airport the morning of June 17, 2016[11] On December 7, 2016, the airline announced it would begin non-stop service from Long Island to Newport News, VA beginning in March 2017,[12] and on December 13, 2016, the airline announced plans to further expand service from Long Island MacArthur Airport to Vero Beach, FL.[13]

Beginning April 27, 2017, Elite Airways begins its first international service, flying between Orlando Melbourne International Airport and South Bimini Airport in The Bahamas.

Beginning September 28, 2017, Elite Airways began doing business as Cal Jet Elite,[14] and flew between McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, CA and McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, NV. Cal Jet and Elite provided irregular service, frequently cancelling flights and stranding travelers.[15][16] The service was quietly ceased by the airline in April 2018, and Elite Airways has not made an announcement on whether or not to maintain the Cal Jet route. As of June 20, it is not possible to book flights on the official website.[17]

In 2018 the airline refocused its scheduled operations on the core Newark & Portland to Florida flights and has since added flights from Florida to Asheville, North Carolina and Traverse City, Michigan.

On August 6, 2019 it was announced that Elite Airways signed an operating agreement to provide the initial aircraft, flight crews, and maintenance service for revival of the Midwest Express brand.[18] In 2019, Elite Airways opened a dedicated maintenance facility at Auburn/Lewiston Municipal Airport.[19] In 2019 Elite Airways also ceased scheduled service to Orlando-Melbourne, which it had served since it began scheduled passenger service.

In 2020, Vero Beach, Florida city council recommended terminating Elite's lease at Vero Beach Regional Airport due to a funding gap from Florida Department of Transportation as Elite's passengers numbers had exceeded 10,000 but less than 200,000.[20] The city council ultimately extended the lease while trying to work out a longer-term solution [21]

Fleet

The Elite Airways fleet comprises the following aircraft:[22][23]

Elite Airways CRJ 200ER
Elite Airways Fleet
Aircraft In Service Orders Notes
Bombardier CRJ100ER 1 0
Bombardier CRJ200ER 2 0
1 In a Corporate 16 seat configuration
Bombardier CRJ200LR 1 0
Bombardier CRJ701ER 1 0 All CRJ700 were previously owned by Lufthansa CityLine, one aircraft stored
Total 5 0

Destinations

Elite Airways operates both charter and scheduled operations. Charter operations are primarily NCAA charters, music tours, and other ACMI operations flying throughout North & Central America, and the Caribbean.

The scheduled operations served are listed below:

Current destinations
City Airport IATA Code Destinations Notes
Florida
Sarasota/Bradenton Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport SRQ Portland (ME) (temporarily suspended)
Vero Beach (temporarily suspended)		 [24]
Vero Beach Vero Beach Regional Airport VRB Newark
Portland (ME)
Sarasota
Maine
Portland Portland International Jetport PWM Sarasota
Vero Beach
New Jersey
Newark Newark Liberty International Airport EWR Vero Beach

Terminated destinations
City Airport IATA Code Destinations Notes
United States
Arizona
Bullhead City/Laughlin (NV) Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport IFP Phoenix
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport PHX Bullhead City
Rochester
California
Carlsbad McClellan–Palomar Airport CRQ Las Vegas Branded as CalJet | Ceased operations April 18, 2018.
Colorado
Denver Denver International Airport DEN Branson (Seasonal) Branded as Great Lakes Airlines
Fort Collins Fort Collins–Loveland Municipal Airport FNL Chicago-Rockford
Florida
Key West Key West International Airport EYW Melbourne (FL)
Melbourne Orlando Melbourne International Airport MLB Bimini
Key West
Long Island/Islip
Portland (ME)
Washington-Dulles
Naples Naples Municipal Airport APF Newark
Orlando-Melbourne
Portland (ME)
Illinois
Chicago Midway International Airport MDW Branson
Rockford Chicago Rockford International Airport RFD Fort Collins
Louisiana
New Orleans Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport MSY Branson
Cancun (Seasonal)
Maine
Bar Harbor Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport BHB Newark
Portland (ME)		 EAS Community
Massachusetts
New Bedford New Bedford Regional Airport EWB Vero Beach
Michigan
Traverse City Cherry Capital Airport TVC Sarasota
Minnesota
Rochester Rochester International Airport RST Phoenix-Sky Harbor
St. Augustine		 Never began service
Missouri
Branson Branson Airport BKG Cancun (Seasonal)
Cincinnati
Denver
Houston-Intercontinental
New Orleans		 Branded as Branson Air Express and Great Lakes Airlines
Nevada
Las Vegas McCarran International Airport LAS Carlsbad Branded as CalJet
New York
Albany Albany International Airport ALB Myrtle Beach
Long Island/Islip Long Island MacArthur Airport ISP Orlando-Melbourne
White Plains Westchester County Airport HPN Sarasota
North Carolina
Asheville Asheville Regional Airport AVL Vero Beach (Seasonal)
Ohio
Cinciniati Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport CVG Branson
Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh International Airport PIT Sarasota
South Carolina
Myrtle Beach Myrtle Beach International Airport MYR Albany
Newport News
Texas
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport IAH Branson Branded as Branson Air Express and Great Lakes Airlines
Virginia
Washington, D.C. Washington Dulles International Airport IAD Orlando-Melbourne
Newport News Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport PHF Myrtle Beach Never began service
Bahamas
Bimini South Bimini Airport BIM Melbourne
Newark (Seasonal)
Canada
Halifax Halifax Stanfield International Airport YHZ Portland (ME)
Mexico
Cancún Cancún International Airport CUN Branson (Seasonal)
New Orleans (Seasonal)

References
  1. "Federal Aviation Administration - Airline Certificate Information - Detail View". av-info.faa.gov. Retrieved 2019-05-14.
  2. "Contact Us Archived 2016-05-08 at the Wayback Machine." Elite Airways. Retrieved on May 13, 2016. "50 Portland Pier, Suite 300 Portland, ME 04101"
  3. ELITE AIRWAYS, AMERICA’S NEWEST AIRLINE, PREPARES FOR TAKE-OFF, Elite Airways PR via EAS Flights blog, November 6, 2012, retrieved 2014-04-24
  4. Anderson, J. Craig. Maine-based Elite Airways takes flight path to expansion, Portland Press Herald, July 28, 2014, Retrieved 2014-07-31
  5. Price, Wayne T., Fares on sale for new Elite Airways flights at Melbourne airport, Florida Today, August 25, 2014, Retrieved 2014-08-25
  6. Muserallo, Sean. "Rockford airport to serve Denver, New York City areas". www.wrex.com. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  7. "Elite Airways flights from Vero Beach to Newark begin Dec. 10". www.tcpalm.com. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  8. Elite Airways cleared for landing in Naples, Naples Florida Weekly, February 11, 2016, Retrieved 2016-05-03
  9. Young, Craig. Loveland flights to Rockford resume May 23, Reporter Herald, March 8, 2016, Retrieved 2016-05-03
  10. Ruud, Candice. "Newsday" April 15, 2016
  11. Chang, Sophia. "Newsday" June 17, 2016
  12. Pascale, Jordan. "The Virginian-Pilot" December 7, 2016
  13. Caddell, Catherine. "TC Palm/USA Today" December 13, 2016
  14. "Federal Aviation Administration - Airline Certificate Information - Detail View".
  15. <http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/tourism/sd-fi-caljet-vegas-20180222-story.html
  16. "Cal Jet abruptly cancels more flights". 2018-04-20.
  17. https://www.caljetelite.com/find-flights
  18. Taschler, Joe. Midwest Express enters into agreement with carrier as process continues to begin service in Milwaukee, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, August 6, 2019, retrieved 2019-10-1
  19. Elite Airways Opens New Maintenance Facility at Auburn-Lewiston Airport in Maine, Aviation Pros, January 18, 2019, retrieved 2019-10-1
  20. http://veronews.com/2020/01/10/vero-beach-airport-commission-recommends-ending-elite-airways-commercial-flights/
  21. http://veronews.com/2020/02/03/veros-airport-funding-extended-for-three-years-while-city-searches-for-permanent-solution/
  22. "Global Airline Guide 2016 (Part Two)". Airliner World (November 2016): 38.
  23. "Federal Aviation Administration - Airline Certificate Information - Aircraft Detail". av-info.faa.gov. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  24. "Nonstop Destinations". srq-airport.com. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
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