Skyway Airlines

Skyway Airlines was an American ramp and aircraft ground handling services and catering company based in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Until April 5, 2008, it operated as a regional airline and banner carrier (Commercial Aviation) exclusively for Midwest (Express) Airlines under the business name Midwest Connect, feeding Midwest's hub at General Mitchell International Airport with twelve 32-seat Fairchild-Dornier 328JET jet aircraft, and four 19-seat Beechcraft 1900 turboprops. Skyway Airlines, along with its parent corporation, Midwest Air Group, has ceased operations.

History

Skyway Airlines, The Midwest Express Connection, began flight operations on April 17, 1989.

Skyway began operations as a division of Phoenix, Arizona-based Mesa Air Group. Mesa's Skyway Airlines division operated Beechcraft 1900C 19-passenger airliners, providing regional airline feed to Midwest Express Airlines in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Rockford, Illinois.

In 1994, Midwest Express established Astral Aviation, Inc., as a wholly owned subsidiary to take over the operation of Skyway Airlines. The 1900C aircraft were replaced with 15 brand-new Beechcraft 1900D aircraft. The first flight took place from Milwaukee to Flint, Michigan, on February 15, 1994. Skyway grew to connect Milwaukee with communities in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Toronto, Canada.