Southern Airways Express
An American commuter airline operating short-haul passenger services, including federally subsidized Essential Air Service routes.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Southern Airways Express is a United States commuter airline focused on short-haul passenger transportation between smaller communities and regional airports. The carrier was founded in 2013 by Stan Little, a Mississippi-based litigation attorney, with co-founder Keith Sisson and funding from a group of private investors. It began operations in June 2013 with a public-charter flight between Olive Branch Airport near Memphis, Tennessee, and Destin Executive Airport in Florida. During its initial period, the airline experimented with routes and operated under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Part 380 public-charter framework, while Executive Express Aviation operated the flights under its FAA authority. The airline expanded from an experimental regional service into a broader public-service and commuter network. In March 2014, Southern acquired Executive Express Aviation and its FAA charter certificate, retaining the acquired company’s employees. Its strategic importance increased when it entered the Essential Air Service market. Southern first operated EAS flights on behalf of SeaPort Airlines in 2015, and after SeaPort entered bankruptcy in January 2016, Southern later won several of the former routes, including service to communities in Arkansas. Essential Air Service contracts, which are subsidized by the U.S. Department of Transportation, remain central to the company’s business model and connect smaller communities that may not support unsubsidized commercial air service. Southern pursued an acquisition-led expansion strategy. In March 2016 it acquired Fort Lauderdale-based Sun Air Express, gaining routes and operational presence in the Mid-Atlantic EAS market. The company retired Sun Air’s older Piper aircraft in favor of newer, turbine-powered Cessna Caravans and discontinued the Sun Air name in scheduled operations. In 2019 it acquired Mokulele Airlines, a Hawaii-based commuter carrier. Southern retained and developed the Mokulele brand in Hawaii, where the business became a major inter-island operator serving multiple airports with Cessna Caravan aircraft. Larger Saab 340 aircraft entered some Hawaiian services in 2022, while Southern and Mokulele also explored hybrid-electric aviation with California-based Ampaire. The company continued to broaden its network through arrangements and acquisitions. It became the exclusive codeshare partner for Tailwind Air Service in the early 2020s, marketing Tailwind-operated flights under Southern’s 9X code. It also acquired or integrated Makani Kai Air’s operations in Hawaii during the COVID-19 period, and in 2022 announced the acquisition of Air Choice One while intending to maintain separate air operator certificates. Southern has interline relationships with Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and United Airlines, allowing connecting passengers to receive through-ticketing and baggage-transfer services. Southern’s network has included the continental United States and Hawaii, with a particular emphasis on small-city connectivity, government-supported routes, and feeder services to larger airline networks. It has adjusted hubs and operating bases over time, including moving its eastern hub from Baltimore-Washington International Airport back to Washington Dulles International Airport in 2021. A Marianas Southern Airways operation withdrew from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in 2023 after a dispute concerning the continuation of a government contract. The airline is part of Surf Air Mobility, an aviation company that became publicly traded through a direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange in July 2023 under the symbol SRFM. Southern Airways Express remains an operating airline brand within that corporate structure. Its positioning combines small-airport accessibility, Essential Air Service participation, interline connectivity, and the use of relatively small aircraft suited to thin regional markets.
History
Southern Airways Express was established in 2013 by Stan Little, a litigation attorney from Hernando, Mississippi, with Keith Sisson as a co-founder. The enterprise began as an experimental public-charter carrier, testing demand on different short-haul routes before developing a more stable regional network. Its first reported flight operated in June 2013 between Olive Branch Airport near Memphis and Destin Executive Airport. Early destinations included Oxford, Birmingham, New Orleans, and the Florida Panhandle. During its first year, Southern operated under the Department of Transportation’s Part 380 scheduled-charter framework, with Executive Express Aviation performing the flying. Southern acquired Executive Express and its FAA charter certificate in March 2014, retaining its employees and obtaining a more direct operating platform. The company subsequently moved into Essential Air Service flying, initially operating routes for SeaPort Airlines in 2015. Those services ended when SeaPort entered bankruptcy in January 2016, but Southern later won several of the former Arkansas routes, including service to Boone County Airport, Hot Springs Memorial Field Airport, and South Arkansas Regional Airport. Acquisitions became a defining part of Southern’s growth. In March 2016, it acquired Sun Air Express, a Fort Lauderdale carrier with a portfolio of EAS routes in the Mid-Atlantic. Southern phased out Sun Air’s older Piper aircraft in favor of Cessna Caravans and retired the Sun Air name from scheduled service. The transaction also contributed to a shift in Southern’s operating structure and headquarters, with the operational headquarters moving from Memphis to Pompano Beach, Florida. In February 2019, Southern acquired Mokulele Airlines, giving it a substantial Hawaii presence. The company retained the Mokulele identity and expanded its inter-island coverage, eventually serving numerous airports across the state. The acquisition also created a common operational platform around the Cessna Caravan. Southern later introduced Saab 340 aircraft to selected Hawaiian services in July 2022, while retaining the Southern livery for those aircraft rather than applying the Mokulele name. Southern and Mokulele also worked with Ampaire on hybrid-electric aircraft development, with initial test flights reported in December 2020. Southern’s corporate and commercial network continued to develop through partnerships. SkyWest made a strategic minority investment in 2019. In early 2020, Southern became Tailwind Air Service’s exclusive codeshare partner, selling Tailwind-operated flights under Southern’s 9X code. Southern also announced the acquisition of Makani Kai Air, a Schuman Aviation division based in Honolulu, during the pandemic period. Richard Schuman joined Mokulele as its Hawaii executive vice president, and Makani Kai aircraft transitioned toward the Mokulele operating identity. The carrier adjusted its infrastructure as its network evolved. In June 2021, it moved its East Coast hub from Baltimore-Washington International Airport back to Washington Dulles International Airport. In March 2022, Southern Airways Corporation announced the acquisition of Air Choice One, with the two airlines initially expected to retain separate certificates. In March 2023, Marianas Southern Airways announced that it would withdraw from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, attributing the decision to a dispute over a government contract. Southern has interline agreements with Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, and United Airlines. These arrangements allow eligible passengers to obtain through itineraries and baggage transfers, helping connect small-airport services with larger airline networks. The company also operates the CampusConnection program, which provides additional discounts at participating colleges and universities for students, faculty, and parents. The airline is now a subsidiary of Surf Air Mobility. Surf Air Mobility entered the public market through a direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange in July 2023 under the ticker SRFM. Southern’s continuing role is that of a commuter and regional operator whose network depends on a combination of commercial demand, government-supported connectivity, strategic partnerships, and small-aircraft operations.
- 2023
Marianas operation withdraws from the CNMI
[1]Marianas Southern Airways announces its departure from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
- 2023
Parent company lists on the NYSE
[1]Surf Air Mobility becomes publicly traded through a direct listing under the symbol SRFM.
- 2022
Air Choice One acquisition announced
[1]Southern Airways Corporation announces the acquisition of Air Choice One while planning to maintain separate operating certificates.
- 2021
East Coast hub returns to Washington Dulles
[1]Southern relocates its eastern hub from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport.
- 2020
Tailwind Air codeshare partnership
[1]Southern begins marketing Tailwind-operated services under its 9X code.
- 2019
Mokulele Airlines acquisition
[1]Southern acquires the Hawaii commuter carrier and retains the Mokulele brand for inter-island flying.
- 2016
Sun Air Express acquisition
[1]The acquisition expands Southern’s Essential Air Service presence in the Mid-Atlantic.
- 2014
Executive Express acquisition
[1]Southern acquires Executive Express Aviation and its FAA charter certificate.
- 2013
Southern Airways Express is founded
[1]Stan Little and Keith Sisson establish the airline, which begins as an experimental public-charter operation.
- 2013
First commercial flight
[1]The airline launches service between Olive Branch Airport and Destin Executive Airport.
Products and positioning
A small-community and regional connectivity specialist serving thin markets with commuter aircraft, government-supported Essential Air Service routes, interline relationships, and selected codeshare partnerships.
Passenger airline service · 2013
Southern Airways Express scheduled commuter service
The core Southern Airways Express offering consists of short-haul scheduled passenger flights linking smaller communities with regional airports and larger airline hubs. The carrier uses small commuter aircraft appropriate for markets with limited demand and supplements local traffic with connections enabled by interline and codeshare relationships.
Government-supported regional air service · 2015
Essential Air Service
Southern operates numerous routes supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Essential Air Service program. These contracts allow the airline to maintain scheduled links to communities that may not be commercially viable without federal subsidies and form an important part of Southern’s network strategy.
Hawaii regional passenger service · 2019
Mokulele inter-island service
Following its acquisition of Mokulele Airlines, Southern continued to operate and develop the Mokulele brand in Hawaii. The service connects Hawaiian islands and smaller airports, primarily using Cessna Caravan aircraft, with Saab 340 aircraft added to selected routes from 2022.
Codeshare and interline distribution · 2020
Tailwind Air marketed service
Southern markets Tailwind Air-operated flights under Southern’s 9X code. The arrangement extends Southern’s distribution reach while leaving Tailwind responsible for operating its seaplane services.
Discount program
CampusConnection
CampusConnection provides additional discounts on selected Southern services for students, faculty members, and parents affiliated with participating colleges and universities.
Marketing campaigns
- 2020Ampaire hybrid-electric aircraft collaboration
Hawaii
Southern and Mokulele partnered with Ampaire to explore hybrid-electric aircraft for Hawaiian inter-island operations, with initial test flights reported in December 2020.
Outcome. The reference material confirms initial testing but does not establish commercial deployment.
- CampusConnection
United States
A targeted discount initiative for members of participating higher-education communities, including students, faculty, and parents.
Outcome. The available reference material describes the program but does not provide quantified results.
Brand decisions
2022
Acquire Air Choice OneM&ABackground
Southern Airways Corporation pursued further expansion in the U.S. regional airline market.
Action taken
The parent company announced the acquisition of Air Choice One while stating that the two airlines would retain separate air operator certificates.
Aftermath
The available material does not provide a complete account of subsequent integration or operating results.
2021
Return the East Coast hub to Washington DullesStrategyBackground
Southern reassessed its East Coast network and airport positioning.
Action taken
The airline moved its East Coast hub from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport.
Aftermath
Dulles became a major concentration point for Southern’s East Coast destinations.
2020
Enter exclusive codeshare arrangement with Tailwind AirStrategyBackground
Tailwind Air operated scheduled passenger and charter seaplane services that could complement Southern’s distribution platform.
Action taken
Southern became Tailwind’s exclusive codeshare partner and marketed Tailwind-operated flights under the 9X code.
Aftermath
The arrangement extended Southern’s sales reach without making Southern the operator of the Tailwind flights.
2019
Acquire Mokulele AirlinesM&ABackground
Mokulele offered an established Hawaii commuter operation and used the Cessna Caravan, which fit Southern’s existing operating model.
Action taken
Southern acquired Mokulele and retained the brand for Hawaiian inter-island services.
Aftermath
The acquisition made Hawaii a major part of Southern’s system and supported later fleet and technology initiatives in the islands.
2016
Acquire Sun Air ExpressM&ABackground
Southern sought to expand its presence in Essential Air Service markets and acquire Sun Air’s Mid-Atlantic operations.
Action taken
Southern acquired Sun Air Express and replaced its aging Piper aircraft with Cessna Caravans while retiring the Sun Air name from scheduled service.
Aftermath
The transaction strengthened Southern’s federal-program network and contributed to the relocation of its operational headquarters to South Florida.
Recent events
Southern Airways Express and Tailwind Air partner on New York seaplane service[2]
Reported:
Southern Airways Express and Tailwind Air announced a codeshare partnership for a seaplane service connecting Manhattan with East Hampton, Montauk and Shelter Island. Tailwind Air will operate the flights, and Southern Airways will act as the sales partner.
Sources2 sources
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