note
Midwest Airlines can trace its roots back to 1984, when Kimberly-Clark Corporation inaugurated corporate air transport service for executives traveling between it headquarters in Appleton, Wisconsin and its outlying businesses and company mills. In 1969, the company formed K-C Aviation, specializing in corporate aircraft maintenance. As this new division began to grow and demand for commercial air service in the local area increased, Kimberly-Clark executives, including Chief Pilot Timothy E. Hoeksema who managed K-C Aviation, won corporate approval to establish a small airline. A wholly owned subsidiary of Kimberly-Clark, Midwest Express commenced operations on June 11, 1984 with one Convair 580 and a Douglas DC-9-14 aircraft operating routes from Appleton and Milwaukee to Dallas and Boston. The selection of cities was based on the fact that no other airline offered nonstop service in these specific markets. In 1989 Midwest Express opened a 65,000-square-foot maintenance facility at Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport and made the city its corporate headquarters. It also formed a commuter airline called Skyway Airlines. Mesa Airlines won a contract to operate the new airline until 1994, when Midwest Express took it in-house. With an initial public offering (IPO) in September 1995, Midwest Express was spun off Kimberly-Clark Corporation to become a stand-alone company, under holding company Midwest Air Group. The mainline operation was steadily expanded. In addition to its fleet of DC-9-14/15 and DC-9-32 aircraft, 13 MD-80s were acquired for increased capacity in higher-density markets. In 2002, a decision was made to simplify the corporation's image by re-branding its companies' names as Midwest Airlines and Midwest Connect. "We know that some potential customers associate 'Express' with small regional airlines and also that the word doesn't really say anything about our exceptional service," said Hoeksema, by then the company's chairman and CEO. Financial troubles began following the events of 2001. The stimulate new traffic, a new coach product was offered in some markets, while gourmet meal services offered with its traditional product was discontinued. A new corporate symbol was developed using two stylized wings. The solid gold wing evokes Midwest's strength as a company, with the second wing's curved lines symbolizing flight toward the future. The M cradled in the gold wing symbolizes the care and comfort provided to the airlines customers. Finally, a single arc passing through the solid gold wing and touching the M is a reminder of the attention paid to customers and employees alike. Midwest's new livery incorporates the symbol on the aircraft tail while retaining the traditional blue color used by the airline. The change over became effective March 1, 2003, following the delivery of the the first new Boeing 717 a day earlier. The 717s were used to retire classic DC-9s and and later some MD-80s. The coach ("Saver") product was expanded to all flights in 2007. In 2007 a bidding war for Midwest Air Group took place, between AirTran Holdings, and a bid financed by Texas Pacific Group and Northwest Airlines. The latter bid was successful and the sale closed on January 31, 2008. Northwest and Midwest began code-sharing in select markets in 2007. The new management shut down Skyway and contracted Midwest Connect services to Skywest. By the end of 2008, it had agreed to a capacity purchase agreement with Republic Airlines for the operation of 12 ERJ 170s, which would replace 16 of 25 Boeing 717s.. In 2009, Republic Airlines Holdings agreed to acquire Midwest from TPG/Northwest, and the deal closed on July 30. Under new management the remaining Boeing 717s would be returned and Midwest flights would eventually be operated by Republic subsidiaries. The last Midwest operated flight was November 2, 2009. The following year its was decided to merge Midwest into Frontier, which took place on November 1.
founded - demised (age)
April 29 1983 - November 2 2009 (26)
headquarters
6744 South Howell Avenue, 53154, Oak Creek WI
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base airports
related operators
current /stored fleet (0)
