PEOPLExpress, the airline that is trying to begin operations at Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport, has a firm purchase agreement in place to acquire an existing certified airline, according to a post from PEOPLExpress’ Facebook page.
“We expect to finalize that acquisition over the coming weeks and will make an announcement as soon as we can,” the statement said. “This is a very complex process that has significant financial and regulatory implications as you can imagine. We are very excited to let you know our plans and will as soon as we can give you some concrete information.”
It is unknown which airline PEOPLExpress is looking at acquiring. A Monday afternoon call to PEOPLExpress President Mike Morisi was not returned.
The airline is looking to start operations, but first needs a fleet of aircraft. PEOPLExpress had in the past explored buying planes and getting an air operator’s certificate, though that process could have taken up to 18 months. By purchasing an existing airline, PEOPLExpress can bypass that part of the long regulatory journey to becoming certified as an airline.
The PEOPLExpress website’s front page currently reads “People Express Airlines, Inc. … has applications pending with the U.S. Department of Transportation and is not yet a certificated airline.”
PEOPLExpress’ website currently lists a single career opportunity. A team manager for call center operations in Newport News is listed as closing April 30.
The Regional Air Service Enhancement Committee approved a $500,000 short-term, refundable loan for PEOPLExpress in January so that the airline could make a refundable deposit toward an unspecified airline that they are looking at acquiring. That loan has since been repaid.
The addition of PEOPLExpress to the airport would be a coup for the airport, which lost AirTran in March 2012. AirTran made up 43 percent of the airport’s market in 2010. Morisi said in January that the airline would fly 737s to cities in the Northeast and Florida. He also said PEOPLExpress would create up to 250 jobs at the airport.
