STM Charters and CommuteAir team up to offer 76-seat Embraer E170 jet to the charter market

STM Charters, the air charter experts at Short’s Travel Management, and CommuteAir are teaming up to transform air charter travel in collegiate athletics with a unique offering that fills the gap between small regional jets and larger narrowbody aircraft. This new partnership will utilize CommuteAir’s 76-seat Embraer E170 to deliver customized travel solutions for college sports teams, raising the standard of service for athletic programs looking for a high-quality, cost-effective charter option.

“We are excited to partner with CommuteAir on their E170 charter offerings,” said Kevin Ross, Vice President, of STM Charters. “As the leader in collegiate athletic charters, we know this is an aircraft our clients have been clamouring for. Combining Short’s expertise in managing athletic travel with CommuteAir’s focus on providing safe, reliable, and comfortable air transportation will be a huge win for our customers.”

Short’s Travel Management and its internal air charter experts, STM Charters, are known for their personalized approach, combining extensive industry knowledge with operational expertise to provide seamless, full-service travel management solutions for athletic programs throughout the country. Annually, STM Charters oversees more than 2,500 charter flights for nearly 115 colleges and universities, while collectively, Short’s Travel provides tailored travel solutions for nearly 250 different athletic departments.

“We’re confident that STM’s deep market expertise and strong relationships, paired with CommuteAir’s distinctive product and 35 years of experience providing safe, reliable air service, will deliver an exceptional experience for our customers,” said Rick Hoefling, CommuteAir’s President and CEO.

Fleet enhancements for CommuteAir,

CommuteAir, a leading regional airline and the sole Embraer ERJ145 operator for the United Express network, recently announced, in partnership with United Airlines, a significant fleet investment aimed to bring next-generation capabilities and efficiencies to its operations through the installation of an enhanced Honeywell Flight Management System (FMS). The upgraded FMS is designed to drive significant operational efficiencies and leverage enhanced safety capabilities as next-generation air traffic control initiatives roll out over the next decade.

“This update to the avionics system will increase safety, efficiency, and mechanical reliability. Our maintenance team is scheduled to begin installing the upgraded FMS in March 2023,” remarked Lon Ziegler, CommuteAir’s Vice President of Maintenance and Technical Services.

“Our upgraded FMS will provide additional instrument approaches at dozens of airports that were not available in prior versions, optimizing flight approach procedures and further strengthens both safety and reliability,” said Captain David W. Fitzgerald, CommuteAir’s Vice President of Flight Operations.

This latest fleet investment in next-gen technology is part of an ongoing multi-million dollar ERJ145 fleet enhancement campaign at CommuteAir that began in 2021.  CommuteAir has already refurbished 44 of its aircraft interiors with new sidewalls, overhead bins, bulkhead finishes, LED cabin and reading lights, and a completely redesigned lavatory.  Interior refurbishment on the rest of the fleet will be completed in 2023.

More Jets For CommutAir

The small Ohio-based commuter/feeder airline CommutAir has signed a memorandum of understanding with United Airlines for 21 Embraer ERJ 145s.  These aircraft are in addition to its existing 40-jet agreement with the United, which operate under the United Express branner. 

The incoming ERJ's will replace the Bombardier Dash 8 turboprops which are being phased out and will be gone by January 2018.