DC Air, a start-up carrier to be created as a result of the merger, will be based at capacity-controlled Washington National Airport, and will be run by Robert Johnson, chief executive of Black Entertainment Television and a member of the US Airways board.
DC, which claims to be the first minority-controlled airline in the USA, will operate 10 Boeing 737-200Advs, taken on wet-lease from a United/US Airways pool of the type, eight Dornier 328 turboprops, to be purchased from US Airways' wholly owned subsidiary PSA, and 19 regional jets.
To facilitate the creation of DC, United/US Airways will sell the start-up assets - including 212 slots (119 mainline and 103 commuter) at National - for an undisclosed sum thought to be around $100 million, including the turboprops. About 44 destinations will be served.
DC expects to carry 3 million passengers and have revenues in excess of $500 million in the first year of operation.
Source: Flight International
