Hello.
The number of commercial airlines based in America depends somewhat on
how you define "commercial airlines."
For the year 2001, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics indicated
that there were 97 commercial airlines (not including small regionals)
based in the USA. The 97 airlines included:
15 major airlines (annual revenues more than $1 billion)
39 nationals (annual revenues from $100 million to $1 billion)
20 large regionals (annual revenues from $20 million to $100 million)
23 medium regionals (annual revenues less than $20 million)
Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics data, on the web site of
the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees:
http://www.bmwe.org/nw/2002/05MAY/71.htm
Citing: Office of Airline Information (OAI)
http://www.bts.gov/oai/
Exact data on the number of smaller airlines (e.g., charters, small
commuters, etc.) is rather difficult to come by. Part of the problem
comes down to the definition of an airline. In some areas such as
Alaska, there are numerous mom-and-pop taxi-type operations that have
only a few flights per week or even per month. I haven't been able to
find a reliable estimate of the number of those small "airlines," but
there are probably hundreds of such operators.
A web page called "Airlines of the USA" lists 50 such "other" airlines
(below the size of medium regional). Undoubtedly, though, there are
more than 50 small airlines operating, but the lists is interesting
nonetheless. These 50 "other" airlines include such carriers as
Chicago Express and Great Plains Air, but do not include many
ultra-small carriers.
See "Airlines of the USA"
http://wb-air.narod.ru/us.htm
I hope this helps. If you need more information, please use the
"request clarification" feature. Thanks. |
