Planet Airways was an airline based in Orlando, Florida, USA which was established as Airship Airways in 1998 for being renamed with the current name in 2000. It operated charter services within the USA and to the Caribbean.
The company was a private venture co-founded by Peter V. Garrambone and Tony DeCamillis, which was partly funded by Lou Pearlman. Upon Garrambone's resignation Tony DeCamillis became President & CEO. The airline began in 1995 when it incorporated as "Planet Airways, Inc.," a startup airline seeking FAA Part 121 certification. It acquired its first plane in 1998, was granted FAA Part 121 approval to fly charter services, and obtained FAA certification in 2000. Planet operated a fleet of 6 Boeing 727 jet aircraft for customers including the United States Marshals Service, the United States Forest Service, and the United States Department of Defense. In the fiscal year 2004, Planet Airways received nearly 10% of the total revenues awarded by the Department of Defense to all qualified US carriers for domestic charters. According to information in a news release distributed by Planet Holdings Corp, Planet Airways had agreed to be acquired by the businessdevelopment firm. The PHC acquisition was created as an alternative means to provide capital to modernize Planet's aging fleet, beginning with the replacement of two recently retired aircraft. PHC had already completed a funding with Sierra Aircraft Leasing specifically to facilitate the acquisition of Planet's first two Boeing 757 aircraft. The PHC acquisition of Planet was terminated by Planet in January 2005. DeCamillis learned that the principal operator of PHC, Kevin James Quinn, had been disbarred as an attorney in California and was also banned by the SEC from participating in public offerings. DeCamillis reported Quinn's violation to the Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Enforcement and cancelled PHC's planned acquisition of Planet. Pearlman, who had introduced Quinn, became adversarial and DeCamillis subsequently resigned as Chief Executive Officer of the airline. That same year, under Pearlman and his new management team, the airline ceased flight operations in mid-2005.
Planet Airways was a Department of Defense Civil Reserve Air Fleet qualified air carrier until the cessation of operations in 2005. The United States Air Force describes the CRAF as non-military air carriers that meet the strict qualifications and requirements to operate on behalf of the DOD in emergencies when the need for airlift exceeds the capability of military aircraft. As a CRAF airline Planet Airways operated domestic flights transporting US military personnel on a regular basis. Planet Airways prepared for several years to meet Department of Defense standards, which are described as follows: In fiscal year 2004 Planet Airways received nearly 10% of the total revenues awarded by the Department of Defense for domestic charter flights transporting U.S. military personnel.
Fleet
Throughout most of the company's history Planet owned and operated a fleet of seven Boeing jet aircraft consisting of six Boeing 727-200s and one Boeing 727-100. As of January 2005 the Planet Airways fleet included:
