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Chicago Air was a regional airline carrier that
operated in 1986 and exchanged passengers with
all-jet Midway Airlines at Chicago Midway
International Airport.
The carrier operated revenue service from May to
November, 1986 between Chicago and Madison,
Green Bay, LaCrosse, Eau Claire, and Wausau, WI;
Traverse City, MI; and, Peoria, Springfield and
Quad Cities, IL.
It operated six Fokker F27 aircraft, and the
call sign was "Wild Onion" in reference to the
Chippewa Indian derivation of the name
"Chicago." The Fokker aircraft were subleased
from Midstate Airlines of Stevens Point,
Wisconsin, which also performed contract
maintenance work on the aircraft.
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Chicago Air had been working closely for two
years with Saab Aircraft of Linköping, Sweden to
acquire initially 10 Saab SF-340 turboprop
commuter aircraft, which would have begun
delivery in 1987 enabling expansion of services
to Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Waterloo, IA;
South Bend, Ft. Wayne, Lafayette, and
Evansville, IN; and Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids,
MI. Chicago Air held a further option for 16 of
the SF-340 aircraft, which would have enabled
the carrier to expand services to additional
markets in Michigan, Ohio, Missouri and
Minnesota.
In addition to its low-fare cachet and
connections at convenient Midway Airport,
Chicago Air introduced several important service
improvements to the regional airline industry,
including quality meal services, premium beer
wine and cocktails, and improved in-flight
amenities.
The introduction of non-refundable fares by all
competitive carriers during the summer season of
1986 made the Chicago Air venture a short-lived
enterprise, and it ceased service in November,
1986. Midstate Airlines discontinued the
subleasing agreement with Chicago Air of the
F-27 aircraft, as well as use of the maintenance
facilities. Soon after, Midway Airlines launched
the successful regional "Midway Connection"
service operated by Fischer Brothers Aviation
with the Fairchild-Dornier 228, proving that a
feeder network to Midway Airport was a viable
idea.
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