Flying Cheap – Introduction: “Last February, Continental Flight 3407 crashed outside of Buffalo, N.Y., killing 49 people onboard and one on the ground. Although 3407 was painted in the colors of Continental Connection, it was actually operated by Colgan Air, a regional airline that flies routes under contract for US Airways, United and Continental. The crash and subsequent investigation revealed a little-known trend in the airline industry: Major airlines have outsourced more and more of their flights to obscure regional carriers. Today, with regional airlines accounting for more than half of all scheduled domestic flights in the United States and responsible for the last six fatal commercial airline accidents, FRONTLINE producer Rick Young and correspondent Miles O’Brien investigate the safety issues associated with outsourcing in Flying Cheap.”

• MAP: See the regionals flying out of top U.S. airports–and their safety record
• Interviews: Regional pilots, industry reps, gov’t regulators, aviation watchdogs
• Safety and Regional Airlines: Code-share agreements, regulation/liability issues, Washington’s response
• Continental Flight #3704 Families: Inside their crusade to improve airline safety
• Watch the Full Program Online