Eastern Air Express
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| |||||||
| Founded | 2013 (as ATX Air Services) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | July 2017 (as Hillwood Airways) November 13, 2023 (as Eastern Air Express) | ||||||
| AOC # | 4TXA995N | ||||||
| Operating bases | |||||||
| Fleet size | 14 | ||||||
| Parent company | Eastern Air Holdings Inc.[1] | ||||||
| Headquarters | Kansas City, Missouri | ||||||
| Key people | |||||||
| Website | goeasternair | ||||||
Eastern Air Express (formerly Hillwood Airways and ATX Air Services)[2][3] is an American charter airline headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. It was formerly a subsidiary of The Perot Group, which is controlled by Ross Perot, Jr.
History
The airline was initially founded in 2013 as ATX Air Services and operated under a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 125 certificate, limiting the airline to only flying under long-term agreements with a few clients.[2]
ATX Air Services rebranded as Hillwood Airways in 2016,[3] received its FAA Part 121 Air Carrier Certification on July 24, 2017, and subsequently started charter operations.[4]
The airline commenced operations with a single Boeing 737-700C BBJ and currently offers it for charter in four configurations: 36 first-class seats with two conference tables, 60 first-class seats, 90 premium economy seats or as a full freighter. It is one of only a few Boeing 737 BBJs fitted with a full-size main-deck cargo door.[5]
Between 2019 and 2021 the airline took delivery of three regular Boeing 737-700s that were originally delivered to Airtran Airways and ConocoPhillips Alaska. The three regulars 737-700s are available for charter in all-passenger configurations ranging from 60 first class to 100 premium economy seats.[5]
One of the airline's Boeing 737-700s was involved in the 2021 Kabul airlift.[6]
In May 2023, Eastern Air Holdings, owner of Eastern Airlines, announced its plans to acquire Hillwood Airways.[7] The airline was officially purchased on August 15, 2023, and continues to operate under its existing brand.[1] The company announced on November 13, 2023, its rebrand as Eastern Air Express.[8]
In February 2024, Eastern Air Holdings selected Kansas City, Missouri as its new headquarters.[9]
In April 2024, Eastern Air Holdings acquired the aircraft and other assets of iAero Airways.[10]
As of at least February 2025, Eastern Air Express has been contracted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to operate deportation flights of ICE detainees, mostly targeted immigrants of color whose legal status was revoked without cause by the Trump administration and occasionally U.S. citizens who were racially profiled.[11] An August 2025 report by CNN showed an Eastern Air Express plane in Richmond, Virginia boarding more than 30 detainees with their hands in restraints, after the plane had flown through multiple states, including Louisiana, for other pickups and drop-offs.[12]
Fleet
Current
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The Eastern Air Express fleet includes the following aircraft (as of August 2025):[5]
| Aircraft | In service |
Orders | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | Y | Total | ||||
| Boeing 737-300 | 2 | 4 | – | 148 | 148 | |
| Boeing 737-300BDSF | 1 | — | Cargo | |||
| Boeing 737-400 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 138 | 150 | |
| Boeing 737-700 | 3 | — | – | 148 | 148 | |
| Boeing 737-800 | 1[13] | 1 | – | 189 | 189 | |
| Total | 14 | 8 | ||||
Former
Eastern Air Express formerly operated the following aircraft:
| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-700C/BBJ | 1 | 2017 | 2024 | Configured for both cargo-only and passenger operations. |
See also
References
- ^ a b "US's Eastern Air Holdings acquires Hillwood Airways". Ch-aviation.com. August 24, 2023.
- ^ a b Shine, Conor (August 15, 2017). "See Dallas-Fort Worth's new high-end charter airline from billionaire Ross Perot Jr". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
- ^ a b "ATX Air Services rebrands as Hillwood Airways". ch-aviation. August 1, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
- ^ "HILLWOOD Airways Earns Coveted Part 121 Air Carrier Certification". www.businesswire.com. July 24, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Fleet". Hillwood Airways. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
- ^ "HWA228 Hillwood Airways Flight Tracking and History 18-Aug-2021". FlightAware. Archived from the original on September 14, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
- ^ "Eastern Airlines Acquires Hillwood Airways: Expanding Operations and Entering Luxury Charter Market". Aviacionline.com. May 6, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- ^ "US's Hillwood Airways to rebrand as Eastern Air Express\access-date=December 22, 2023".
- ^ "EASTERN AIRLINES SELECTS KANSAS CITY FOR NEW HEADQUARTERS, INVESTING MORE THAN $4.7 MILLION AND CREATING 165 NEW JOBS". Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ Andrew Curran (April 4, 2024). "US's iAero Airways to cease ops after no buyer found". Ch-aviation.com.
- ^ "At least 40 ICE detainees transferred to border states in overnight flight". February 12, 2025.
- ^ "Spotting a Hidden Ice Flight". CNN. August 14, 2025. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Daniel Martinez Garbuno (July 24, 2024). "US's Eastern Air Express adds maiden B737-800". Ch-aviation.com.