In some countries, turboprop aircraft are commonplace, while in the United States, they are rarely seen today. Why have such aircraft not proved popular with US carriers but have seen relative commercial success in other parts of the world? Factors such as geography and passenger perceptions have all played a part, which we will examine in more detail below.
But first, what is a turboprop? Turboprop aircraft are small, narrowbody aircraft powered by turbine propeller engines. Worldwide, there are two primary manufacturers of turboprop aircraft – Canada-based Bombardier and the European collaboration between Airbus and Italy’s Leonardo, known as 
ATR. Their most popular aircraft are the Dash 8 and the ATR 72, respectively.
Recent Transitions
Horizon Air was previously one of the larger operators of the Dash 8, flying for Alaska Airlines out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), until it retired the type in 2023. This means that currently, no major US carriers operate the ATR 72, while only a very limited number of airlines fly the Dash 8.
That has not always been the case though, and several airlines have operated turboprop aircraft in the past, only to go on to retire them. Both United Express and Piedmont Airlines (operating services for American Eagle, the regional subsidiary of American Airlines) made their last turboprop flights in 2018.
According to Business Traveller, American Eagle Flight 4297 from Charlotte (CLT) to Salisbury (SBY) was the airline’s last Dash 8 flight on July 3rd, 2018. When it comes to the ATR 72, this aircraft’s last flight with a US airline dates back even further, to 2013, when American Eagle operated its final turboprop service.
Why have US airlines fallen out of love with turboprop aircraft, favoring larger jets instead?
Geography Plays a Part
Turboprop aircraft are capable of operating at so-called “hot and high” airports, where extreme temperatures and altitudes can make flying jet aircraft difficult. Island nations such as Indonesia, Greece, and the Philippines also make greater use of turboprop aircraft, which provide vital connections between otherwise hard-to-reach parts of the country. The geography and topography of the US, on the other hand, do not present the same challenges, eliminating the need for turboprop aircraft as the only viable option.
Ethiopian Airlines, for example, operates at many domestic airports where only turboprops would be able to take off and land safely, and the carrier is today a significant operator of the Dash 8-Q400. The latest data from ch-aviation shows that the Star Alliance member airline currently has 30 Dash 8-Q400s in its fleet, with an average age of just over 8 years old.
Passenger Perception
One question that is sometimes asked about turboprop aircraft is about passenger perception, with a common misconception that turboprops are less roomy and comfortable than their jet-engined counterparts. One may also wonder if, psychologically, the fact that the turbines are visible makes any difference to how safe a passenger feels onboard.
Although unlikely to be a major consideration for the vast majority of passengers, Piedmont Airlines said that this was one of the reasons it chose to retire its turboprops back in 2018. Canadian carrier Porter Airlines wanted to avoid this issue from the offset, and set about a publicity campaign to educate and reassure passengers. In a conversation with The Points Guy, the airline said,
“We took on an educational role in our startup phase (in 2006) by promoting the aircraft’s benefits. Once people tried it, this became a non-issue. Self-interested parties, whether manufacturers or other airlines, have tried to dismiss turboprops over the years. One of our competitors initially did so as a transparent attempt to dissuade passengers from considering flying with us. It didn’t work, and now this competitor happens to be one of the largest Q400 operators in the world.”
What About the Rest of the World?
Despite turboprops falling out of favor with airlines in the US, they still remain the aircraft of choice for many carriers around the world, including:
- SpiceJet – Dash 8-Q400
- Cebgo – ATR 72
- Ethiopian Airlines – Dash 8-Q400
- Azul – ATR 72
- Porter Airlines – Dash 8-Q400
- Olympic Air – ATR 72 and Dash 8-Q400
- WestJet Encore – Dash 8-Q400
In an interview with The Points Guy, the Chief Strategy Officer at WestJet, Charles Duncan, explained the reasons why the Canadian carrier opted for the Dash 8-Q400 for its regional subsidiary, WestJet Encore. Duncan explained how, with a capacity of up to 78 passengers, it was the ideal aircraft for many of its routes between smaller population centers and allowed the carrier to operate the first commercial air services in places like Brandon, Manitoba, for the first time in 20 years.
Tupolev Tu-114: The Story Of The World’s Fastest Turboprop Airliner
A total of 32 Tu-114s were built between 1958 and 1963.
Are Turboprops About to Make a Comeback in the US?
Despite turboprops not currently being widely used across the US, ATR has suggested that the type could be about to make a big comeback, as they are the ideal aircraft for US carriers to deploy on short-length flights to and from their major hub airports. In an interview with USA Today, the manufacturer’s former CEO, Patrick de Castelbajac, said, “Today we’ve got jets which are operated on routes of even less than 100 miles. When you do a 100-mile route with a jet, you burn an awful lot of fuel. It’s bad for the environment. It’s also uneconomical because it costs a fortune.”
De Castelbajac went on to add, “The time difference between flying a jet and turboprop is not that big,” says de Castelbajac. “Whereas the fuel impact, the cost, the impact on the environment is very significant.”
As airlines across the country look to replace their aging regional aircraft, will we see turboprops, and in particular the ATR 72, rising in popularity, as de Castelbajac predicted?
