AirNet is an American Part 135

cargo airline Cargo airlines (or air freight carriers, and derivatives of these names) are airlines mainly dedicated to the transport of air cargo, cargo by air. Some cargo airlines are divisions or subsidiaries of larger passenger airlines. In 2018, airli ...

based in

Franklin County, Ohio Franklin County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 1,323,807, making it the List of counties in Ohio, most populous county in Ohio. Most of its la ...

, United States, near Columbus. It specializes in delivery of documents and small packages. Banks were once their main client, transporting checks for over 300 of the country's largest banks. With the passing of the

Check 21 Act The Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act (or Check 21 Act) is a United States federal law, , that was enacted on October 28, 2003 by the 108th U.S. Congress. The Check 21 Act took effect one year later on October 28, 2004. The law allows t ...

, and the increase in the usage of electronic banking, this has been greatly reduced. AirNet is now focusing on time critical documents and packages, such as those required in the scientific and medical field. The main sort facility is located at

Rickenbacker International Airport Rickenbacker International Airport is a civil-military public airport south of downtown Columbus, Ohio, Columbus, near Lockbourne, Ohio, Lockbourne in southern Franklin County, Ohio, Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The south end of the ...

in Columbus. In September 2008, AirNet announced that they were moving their sort facility to

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, reducing the number of aircraft, and redesigning their route network. Their corporate headquarters remains in Columbus.

History

Financial Air Express / PDQ was founded in 1974 by Gerald Mercer in Pontiac, MI. Jet Courier was founded at about the same time by Donald Wright in

Cincinnati, OH Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of whic ...

. Jet Courier changed its name to Wright International Express in January 1985. In July 1988, these two companies merged to become US Check Airlines, headed by Gerald Mercer. US Check acquired Air Continental of Norwalk, OH a year later to become a dominant player in the cancelled check transportation industry. US Check later acquired Midway Aviation of

Dallas, TX Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

, Pacific Air Charter of

San Diego, CA San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

, Express Convenience Center of Southfield, Massachusetts and Data Air Courier of

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. In order to raise additional capital and further grow the company, US Check went public in 1998 to become AirNet Systems. In 2008, AirNet Systems was purchased by Bayside Capital, which had once owned the now defunc
Flight Express
of

Orlando, FL Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...

. In August 2015 Kalitta Charters acquired AirNet.

Destinations

AirNet's destinations ():

Fleet

The Airnet Express fleet consists of the following aircraft ():

Accident

An AirNet

Beechcraft Baron The Beechcraft Baron is a light twin-engined piston aircraft designed and produced by Beechcraft. The aircraft was introduced in 1961. A low-wing monoplane developed from the Travel Air, it remains in production. Design and development The ...

was lost in a crash on 8 January 2022 near Defiance, Missouri, killing the two occupants. The plane had been traveling to Centennial Airport in

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

Gallery

File:N105AN-01.JPG, N105AN a

Cessna 208 Caravan The Cessna 208 Caravan is a utility aircraft produced by Cessna. The project was commenced on November 20, 1981, and the prototype first flew on December 9, 1982. The production model was certified by the FAA in October 1984 and its Cargoma ...

at Burke Lakefront Airport File:N106AN.jpg, N106AN a Cessna 208 at Burke Lakefront Airport File:N107AN.jpg, N107AN a Cessna 208 Caravan at Burke Lakefront Airport File:Air Net Systems N108AN.jpg,

References

External links

AirNet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Airnet Express Regional Airline Association members Cargo airlines of the United States Airlines established in 1974 Companies based in the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area Regional airlines of the United States Airlines based in Ohio 1974 establishments in Ohio