Rio Airways
Encyclopedia
Rio Airways was a regional passenger airline headquartered in Killeen, Texas
, United States. This airline began operations in or before 1970, and went out of business in 1987. Rio Airways operated briefly in a code-share arrangement with Delta Air Lines whereby Rio flights were booked and sold under the "Delta Connection" brand name. Prior to the Delta Connection, Rio Airways (Code "XO") operated independently but shared terminal gates at the DFW airport first with Texas International Airlines
(1974), then with Braniff (1975-1978). Prior to operations at DFW it operated at Dallas Love Field, having formed of two smaller carriers, Dal Airways and Hood Airways.
efforts with proposed representation by the Teamsters
, but vigorous opposition by Rio management and strong appeals by popular pilot Mike Mills, swayed the pilots to reject the union. Two years later, the Rio pilot group having grown dissatisfied with Rio management's failure to carry through with promises made to encourage the former unionization efforts, solicited the National Labor Relations Board
(NLRB) to conduct another union vote. This time the initial solicitation was actually initiated by Mike Mills who personally handed out the solicitation cards to be signed by pilots, and the pilots unanimously voted ALPA
subsidiary
"UPA" as their collective bargaining agent.
After a year of failed negotiations the NLRB mediator declared a thirty-day "cooling-off" period and then made his recommendation known to the pilot group that "only a strike will likely force the company to abandon coercive and probably unsafe practices against the pilots." The pilots had an almost 100% walk-out beginning August 1976, with the exception of management pilot Herb Cunningham, and line pilots Mike Mills, Calvin Humphrey, Will Kilgore, and Hugh Longmoor remaining with the company. The company hired replacement pilots from across the country, many of whom arrived to discover the airline
under a labor dispute.
The strike continued for two years, with no UPA pilot returning to the company, until August 1978, when pilots Calvin Humphrey and Mike Mills organized a "sweetheart" union which de-certified UPA and established the "Rio Pilots Association". Rio acquired competitor Davis Airlines of College Station, TX in 1979 and began service to that city.
The Connell's who owned Rio, sold it in early 1986 to a group of investor
s from Houston, Texas headed by Hugh Seaborn a former owner of Metro Airlines
http://madmax.lmtonline.com/textarchives/040300/s4.htm.
Rio operated various aircraft through its history starting with Piper Cherokee Six and Twin Beech aircraft, then using Beech 99 aircraft until 1977, switching to DeHavilland Twin Otters and later to DeHavilland Dash-7 aircraft.
-DFW. The plane landed in Nuevo Laredo
.
San Angelo, TX;
Waco, TX;
Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX;
Bryan/College Station, TX;
Houston, TX;
Wichita Falls/Sheppard AFB, TX;
Texarkana, AR;
Hot Springs, AR;
Little Rock, AR;
Memphis, TN;
Greenville, MS
Abilene, Tx
Killeen, TX
Lawton-Ft Sill Ok
Officers:
Ted C Connell Chairman Of Board; Mark S Connell Vice Chairman of Board;
Pete Howe, exec. vice-president
Killeen, Texas
Killeen is a city in Bell County, Texas, The United States. The population was 86,911 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, Killeen had 119,510 people. In 2010 Killeen's population shot to 127,921...
, United States. This airline began operations in or before 1970, and went out of business in 1987. Rio Airways operated briefly in a code-share arrangement with Delta Air Lines whereby Rio flights were booked and sold under the "Delta Connection" brand name. Prior to the Delta Connection, Rio Airways (Code "XO") operated independently but shared terminal gates at the DFW airport first with Texas International Airlines
Texas International Airlines
Texas International Airlines was a United States airline, known from 1944 until 1947 as Aviation Enterprises, until 1969 as Trans-Texas Airways, and as Texas International Airlines until 1982, when it merged with Continental Airlines. It was headquartered near William P...
(1974), then with Braniff (1975-1978). Prior to operations at DFW it operated at Dallas Love Field, having formed of two smaller carriers, Dal Airways and Hood Airways.
Labor issues
In 1972, Rio pilots initiated collective bargainingCollective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
efforts with proposed representation by the Teamsters
Teamsters
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of several local and regional locals of teamsters, the union now represents a diverse membership of blue-collar and professional workers in both the public and private sectors....
, but vigorous opposition by Rio management and strong appeals by popular pilot Mike Mills, swayed the pilots to reject the union. Two years later, the Rio pilot group having grown dissatisfied with Rio management's failure to carry through with promises made to encourage the former unionization efforts, solicited the National Labor Relations Board
National Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board is an independent agency of the United States government charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices. Unfair labor practices may involve union-related situations or instances of...
(NLRB) to conduct another union vote. This time the initial solicitation was actually initiated by Mike Mills who personally handed out the solicitation cards to be signed by pilots, and the pilots unanimously voted ALPA
ALPA
ALPA or Alpa may refer to:* Alpa, a formerly Swiss camera design company and manufacturer of 35 mm cameras* Air Line Pilots Association, International...
subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
"UPA" as their collective bargaining agent.
After a year of failed negotiations the NLRB mediator declared a thirty-day "cooling-off" period and then made his recommendation known to the pilot group that "only a strike will likely force the company to abandon coercive and probably unsafe practices against the pilots." The pilots had an almost 100% walk-out beginning August 1976, with the exception of management pilot Herb Cunningham, and line pilots Mike Mills, Calvin Humphrey, Will Kilgore, and Hugh Longmoor remaining with the company. The company hired replacement pilots from across the country, many of whom arrived to discover the airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
under a labor dispute.
The strike continued for two years, with no UPA pilot returning to the company, until August 1978, when pilots Calvin Humphrey and Mike Mills organized a "sweetheart" union which de-certified UPA and established the "Rio Pilots Association". Rio acquired competitor Davis Airlines of College Station, TX in 1979 and began service to that city.
The Connell's who owned Rio, sold it in early 1986 to a group of investor
Investor
An investor is a party that makes an investment into one or more categories of assets --- equity, debt securities, real estate, currency, commodity, derivatives such as put and call options, etc...
s from Houston, Texas headed by Hugh Seaborn a former owner of Metro Airlines
Metro Airlines
Metro Airlines, originally Houston Metro Airlines, was a commuter airline that was originally headquartered in Houston, Texas, United States, while at a later time it was headquartered on the grounds of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and in Grapevine, Texas...
http://madmax.lmtonline.com/textarchives/040300/s4.htm.
Rio operated various aircraft through its history starting with Piper Cherokee Six and Twin Beech aircraft, then using Beech 99 aircraft until 1977, switching to DeHavilland Twin Otters and later to DeHavilland Dash-7 aircraft.
Incidents
On February 16, 1983 an Iranian man, Hussein Shey Kholya, hijacked flight ILESkylark Field
Skylark Field , formerly known as Killeen Municipal Airport, is a public airport located in the City of Killeen, in Bell County, Texas, USA. The airport covers and has one runway...
-DFW. The plane landed in Nuevo Laredo
Nuevo Laredo
Nuevo Laredo is a city located in the Municipality of Nuevo Laredo in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. The city lies on the banks of the Río Grande, across from the United States city of Laredo, Texas. The 2010 census population of the city was 373,725. Nuevo Laredo is part of the Laredo-Nuevo...
.
Destinations included
Temple, TX;San Angelo, TX;
Waco, TX;
Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX;
Bryan/College Station, TX;
Houston, TX;
Wichita Falls/Sheppard AFB, TX;
Texarkana, AR;
Hot Springs, AR;
Little Rock, AR;
Memphis, TN;
Greenville, MS
Abilene, Tx
Killeen, TX
Lawton-Ft Sill Ok
Officers:
Ted C Connell Chairman Of Board; Mark S Connell Vice Chairman of Board;
Pete Howe, exec. vice-president
See also
- Airlines of TexasAirlines of TexasAirline firms with certificated air carriers, headquartered, directed and operated from TexasThe following is a list of individual passenger, charter, and cargo airlines - FAA / DOT Certificated Air Carriers, their parent company firms, consortium firms, private equity firms, or other business...
- Chaparral Airlines
- Conquest AirlinesConquest AirlinesConquest Airlines was an American regional airline initially headquartered in Jefferson County, Texas, and later headquartered in Austin, Texas...
- Emerald AirEmerald Air (USA)Emerald Air was an airline headquartered in Austin, Texas, United States. It was formerly known as Emerald Valley Airlines. Emerald Airlines brief history is marked by arrangements to feed connecting flights into both passenger airlines and cargo airlines much larger route systems.Operations for...
- Lone Star Airlines circa 1960
- Metro AirlinesMetro AirlinesMetro Airlines, originally Houston Metro Airlines, was a commuter airline that was originally headquartered in Houston, Texas, United States, while at a later time it was headquartered on the grounds of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and in Grapevine, Texas...
- Tejas Airlines
- Exec Express II Inc.Lone Star AirlinesLone Star Airlines was an American regional airline that operated both domestic and international flights. For much of the airline's life its headquarters were located in the Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas. The airline's largest hub was located at Dallas-Fort Worth International...
- d/b/a Lone Star AirlinesLone Star AirlinesLone Star Airlines was an American regional airline that operated both domestic and international flights. For much of the airline's life its headquarters were located in the Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas. The airline's largest hub was located at Dallas-Fort Worth International...
/ Aspen Mountain Airlines
- d/b/a Lone Star Airlines