Independence Air was a low-cost airline, owned by FLYi, Inc., headquartered in the Loudoun Gateway Corporate Center in Dulles, Virginia, United States (near Washington, D.C.) that operated from 1989 until 2006.

[3] After United withdrew the contract when the ACA labor and management would not agree to the concessions it requested, Atlantic Coast reinvented itself as low-cost carrier Independence Air.

At its inception, it was unique among low-cost carriers in that its fleet mainly consisted of 50-seat regional jets, although the airline later introduced larger Airbus A319 equipment.

Problems, including flights flying far below capacity, were identified in October 2004,[10] less than six months following the airline's launch as the parent company attempted to avoid bankruptcy.

[11] On May 20, 2004, even prior to its inaugural flight, Independence Air signed a deal with the Washington Redskins to become the official airline sponsor of the team for three years.

This promotional tool was not enough to prevent trouble, due in part to the airline losing almost $150 million in its two years of operation.

[8] Independence Air became quickly known for the humorous touches it added to the flying experience, such as replacing the flight attendant safety announcements with prerecorded versions of the warnings by celebrities such as James Carville and Mary Matalin.

[14] They also attracted attention from their partnership with the Laugh Factory[15] and the use of former baggage handler Dave George as "the Flyi Guy" — the airline's resident comedian.

[28] At the time of its shutdown on January 5, 2006, Independence operated 200 daily departures to 37 destinations throughout the United States,[29] up from 78 flights at its launch.