Empire began sending technical reps to Conair during heavy maintenance checks on Fokker F27 Friendships. In 1998, Empire started flying and maintaining Short 360 aircraft. Empire entered into a partnership agreement to begin Express Air serving FedEx in Europe. In 2001, Empire received a Repair Station certificate. In 2002, Empire purchased Reliant Logistics as a wholly owned subsidiary. In 2003, The first ATR 42 aircraft arrived in Spokane for cargo conversion. In 2004, the first ATR 42 put on Empire's certificate made the first ATR FedEx Feeder revenue flight. In 2005, Empire moved into new hangar and office building, in Hayden, Idaho, adjacent to the Coeur d'Alene airport (COE). In 2013, Empire Airlines began drone flights under the name "Empire Unmanned", mainly serving agriculture and mining industries in the Western U.S. On December 31, 2021, Empire Airlines acquired fellow FedEx feeder West Air, expanding its footprint to include all of California. 'Ohana by Hawaiian service In December 2012, it was announced that Empire would begin operating three ATR 42-500 series propjet aircraft acquired by Hawaiian Airlines on routes within the state of Hawaii. 'Ohana by Hawaiian launched initial service to Molokai Airport (MKK) on March 11, 2014, and Lana'i Airport on March 18, 2014. In 2015, Hawaiian Airlines announced a new all-cargo freighter service to be operated by Empire with ATR 72 turboprop aircraft on interisland routes in Hawaii Hawaiian Airlines suspended all 'Ohana by Hawaiian service on January 14, 2021. Previous passenger service Empire operated scheduled passenger flights during the early 1990s in the Pacific Northwest with Fairchild F-27 and Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner "Metro II" turboprop aircraft. In 1993, the airline was serving Boise, ID (BOI), Coeur d'Alene, ID (COE), Lewiston, ID (LWS), Olympia, WA (OLM) and Spokane, WA (GEG). Empire previously served Seattle (SEA) as well, Initial scheduled service was between Boise and Coeur d'Alene, ID utilizing Cessna 441 Conquest II turboprop aircraft. Lewiston, ID was added as an enroute stop later, then the Swearingen Metro II came along. In May 1993, cities served were Boise, Lewiston, Coeur d'Alene, ID; Portland and Astoria, OR; Spokane, Pasco, Olympia, Seattle, and Hoquiam, WA. This was the third time Seattle has been served. Prior to the Metro propjets being introduced and new service to Lewiston, Empire had served Seattle and Missoula with the Cessna Conquest turboprop from Coeur d'Alene. Fleet As of January 2022, the Empire Airlines fleet includes the following