Consolidated U.S. Regional Carriers See Small Community Revival

RAA panel discusses US small-community air service. From left: RAA SVP government affairs Drew Jacoby Lewis; Rapid City Regional Airport executive director Patrick Dame; US DOT associate director aviation analysis Albert Muldoon; Volaire Aviation Consulting managing partner Tim Sieber and SkyWest Airlines president and COO Wade Steel.

RAA panel discusses U.S. small-community air service. From left: RAA SVP government affairs Drew Jacoby Lewis; Rapid City Regional Airport executive director Patrick Dame; U.S. DOT associate director aviation analysis Albert Muldoon; Volaire Aviation Consulting managing partner Tim Sieber and SkyWest Airlines president and COO Wade Steel.

Credit: Karen Walker
WASHINGTON—After years of challenges and constraints, the U.S. regional airline sector has stabilized and is returning to growth, although hurdles remain to fully restoring air connectivity across America’s small communities. The Regional Airline Association’s (RAA) 2026 annual report, released Sept...
Karen Walker

Karen Walker is Air Transport World Editor-in-Chief and Aviation Week Group Air Transport Editor-in-Chief. She joined ATW in 2011 and oversees the editorial content and direction of ATW, Routes and Aviation Week Group air transport content.

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