Republic Airlines

Republic Airlines was a publicly-held, Minneapolis-based carrier providing air transportation to the traveling and shipping public. It was created in 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines and Southern Airways; in 1980 it acquired Hughes Airwest. North Central Airlines was established in December, 1952, when Wisconsin Central Airlines officially changed its name to North Central Airlines. Wisconsin Central was founded in 1944 and served communities in Wisconsin, Illinois, upper Michigan, and Minnesota. North Central expanded service to include communities in Iowa, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and other states, as well as some in Canada. Southern Airways, which was established in 1949, provided airline service to communities in the southeastern portion of the United States.

Hughes Airwest was officially established in April, 1970, after the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) approved the 1969 purchase of Air West by Hughes Tool Co., which was owned by industrialist and aviator Howard Hughes. The short-lived Air West was created in April, 1968, by the merger of three western regional carriers: West Coast Airlines, Pacific Air Lines (known as Southwest Airways until 1958), and Bonanza Air Lines. West Coast Airlines provided service to communities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Southwest Airways served communities in California and Oregon; Pacific Air Lines continued flying in these states and expanded service to include communities in Nevada and Washington. Bonanza Air Lines provided service to communities in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. Air West and Hughes Airwest served communities in the eight states previously served by their predecessor companies (Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington), and some in Canada and Mexico as well.