A group of former US airline executives are planning to launch a new all-business-class carrier with an initial fleet of six Boeing 717s next June.
Former Piedmont Airlines chief William Howard will serve as chairman and chief executive of Dayton, Ohio-based Heartland Airlines. Howard was coaxed out of retirement in 1993 to engineer Trans World Airlines' emergence from bankruptcy two years later.
Heartland will be modelled on the successful business-class oriented Midwest Express. Dennis Crabtree, Heartland's chief operating officer, and chief financial officer Roland Breunig are both former Midwest executives.
Heartland has signed a binding letter of intent with a non-US lessor for four Boeing 717s, and has a second letter of intent with Boeing Capital for the lease of two additional 717s. The aircraft would be configured with 88 business-class seats. Weekday services are planned to 14 cities from Dayton, with weekend flights to leisure destinations.
Some $6 million of the $55 million needed has been raised.
Source: Flight International
