▁was ▁oper ational ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 7 . ▁Rio ▁Air ways ▁briefly ▁operated ▁code ▁sharing ▁fl ights ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁D elta ▁Air ▁L ines ▁where by ▁Rio ▁fl ights ▁were ▁book ed ▁and ▁sold ▁under ▁the ▁D elta ▁Connection ▁brand ▁name ▁as ▁D elta ▁was ▁operating ▁a ▁hub ▁at ▁the ▁Dallas / F ort ▁W orth ▁International ▁Airport ▁( DF W ) ▁at ▁this ▁time . ▁ ▁D elta ▁then ▁replaced ▁Rio ▁with ▁Atlantic ▁S out heast ▁Airlines ▁( AS A ) ▁for ▁its ▁D elta ▁Connection ▁service ▁at ▁D F W . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁D elta ▁Connection ▁service , ▁Rio ▁Air ways ▁( Code ▁" X O ") ▁operated ▁independently ▁but ▁shared ▁terminal ▁gates ▁at ▁the ▁D F W ▁air port ▁first ▁with ▁Texas ▁International ▁Airlines ▁( 1 9 7 4 ), ▁then ▁with ▁Bran iff ▁( 1 9 7 5 - 1 9 7 8 ). ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁operations ▁at ▁D F W ▁it ▁operated ▁at ▁Dallas ▁Love ▁Field , ▁having ▁its ▁roots ▁in ▁two ▁smaller ▁comm uter ▁air ▁carri ers , ▁Dal ▁Air ways ▁and ▁H ood ▁Air ways . ▁ ▁Labor ▁issues ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁Rio ▁pil ots ▁initi ated ▁collect ive ▁b arg aining ▁efforts ▁with ▁proposed ▁representation ▁by ▁the ▁Team sters , ▁but ▁vig orous ▁opposition ▁by ▁Rio ▁management ▁and ▁strong ▁appe als ▁by ▁popular ▁pilot ▁Mike ▁M ills , ▁s way ed ▁the ▁pil ots ▁to ▁reject ▁the ▁union