The regional US carrier Great Lakes Airlines has discontinued its scheduled passenger flight operations, citing the country’s pilot shortage as the main reason behind the closure.

The airline, which operates domestic scheduled and charter services, and owns a turboprop fleet comprised of 28 Beechcraft 1900Ds and six Embraer 120 Brasilias, hopes to sell its remaining assets to interested parties.

The change in flight officer qualification requirements several years ago that meant they needed to possess Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certifications and increased the number of flight experience hours necessary for newly hired pilots to 1,500 was said to have significantly reduced the amount of available qualified pilots for smaller regional carriers.

“This change caused Great Lakes Airlines, for the past five years, to suspend flights to small cities in the Upper Midwest and Western Regions of the US as a result of its inability to employ pilots,” the airline stated.

In a notice on its website, the carrier stressed: “Although we are ceasing flight operations, it is important to note that the company has not entered bankruptcy and will continue to operate certain segments of the business. We will continue to support the ADI [Aerodynamics, Inc] flights operating between Denver, Pierre and Watertown.”

Aerodynamics, Inc – a regional jet operator – confirmed in a separate notice that Great Lakes Jet Express flights operated by Aerodynamics were not cancelled and remain unchanged, “despite Great Lakes Airlines recent announcement to cease turboprop aircraft operations.”

Great Lakes Airlines has previously reported challenges in recruiting pilots over the past few years, and had previously suspended air service at several regional locations in January 2014 as a result of the pilot shortage and its “relatively acute impact on Great Lakes.”

In a statement at the time, Charles Howell, then CEO pointed to the unintended consequences of the “congressionally mandated pilot regulatory requirements” as the reason for that suspension.

The airline is now laying off employees, it said. Critical staff members required to support the scheduled airline certificate, repair station certificate, reservation platform and maintain the fleet will be kept on until its assets can be sold.

The last flight departed on 26 March and all customers who purchased tickets for flights departing after that date will receive full refunds.

[Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons]