Air Wisconsin Airlines

Air Wisconsin Pilots Look Toward a Brighter Future

After a decade of instability, a severely diminished Air Wisconsin pilot group may be back on the path to a brighter future, with a new owner and new flying opportunities.

The airline began 2025 with the unexpected news that American Airlines would terminate its fee-for-departure agreement three years ahead of schedule. It was the last in a series of mainline partners over the years that had seen Air Wisconsin fly for United, Air Tran, US Airways, American, United, and finally, American again.

With no partner and no scheduled flying to perform, the carrier managed to survive 2025 by operating charters, but not before it had furloughed 90 percent of its almost 400 pilots. Fewer than 40 pilots remained on the property by the end of the year.

Then in December, Air Wisconsin’s owners announced that they sold the airline to CSI Aviation, Inc., an FAA Part 135 charter operation that primarily flies for corporations and the U.S. government. Picking up the airline’s Part 121 certificate will give the company larger 50-seat aircraft and the ability to bid for more diversified flying, including the NCAA sports charters that the airline currently operates.

In addition to retaining the carrier’s pilots, flight attendants, and other operations staff, CSI is buying several dozen of Air Wisconsin’s CRJ200s, a move the Master Executive Council (MEC) hopes will lead to the new airline recalling dozens of furloughed ALPA members in 2026.