Régional Compagnie Aérienne Européenne, known as Régional from 2001, was an airline wholly owned by Air France which linked Paris and Lyon hubs to 49 airports in Europe. The airline operated in Air France livery, retaining its name in small titles and logo on the front fuselage and engines. It was headquartered at Nantes Atlantique Airport in Bouguenais administrative department.[1]
History
The airline had been formed as Regional Airlines on 1 January 1992 by the merger of Air Exel, Air Vendée and Avions Taxis Pyrénéens regional airlines, and scheduled operations operated by Air Aquitaine Transport aviation company.
On 30 March 2001 Regional Airlines, Flandre Air, and Proteus Airlines merged their operations.[2] In September of that same year Regional Airlines changed the corporate name to Régional Compagnie Aérienne Européenne and just Régional marketing and trading name was adopted.
As of 2006 the airline was upgrading and consolidating its fleet, considering to ally with a partner with turboprop aircraft only as it increasingly turned its attention to operations with jetliners.