'Wings' TV Show Inspiration, Cape Air, Has A New Leader

HYANNIS, MA — Cape Cod’s largest local airline, Cape Air, has a new leader.

After 23 years with the Hyannis-based company, Linda Markham is retiring, according to a news release Friday. The carrier has named its chief financial officer, Mike Migliore, as president and CEO.

Details and timing of the transition weren't released. Casey Stone, currently vice president of finance, will take on the CFO role.

Markham began work with Cape Air as director of human resources and became CEO in 2022.

The airline credited her for advancing its mission of “connecting communities across the United States and the Caribbean.”

In the release, Migliore said, “Cape Air is entering an exciting new era. I am honored to step into this role and to continue building on the strong foundation Linda established.”

Cape Air took flight in 1989 with a single route between Provincetown and Boston.

The popular NBC television sitcom "Wings," which ran from 1990 to 1997, was loosely based on Cape Air. In fact, the opening credits showed a blue-and-white plane similar to the ones it flew at the time.

Today, the carrier operates a fleet of roughly 100 small aircraft that serve a dozen communities in New England, three in New York State and 18 in the Caribbean and in Montana.

Last year, Cape Air carried over 400,000 passengers, according to its website, making the airline one of the largest regional operators in the United States.

The privately owned company had 2024 revenues of more than $250 million and employed 650 people, according to published reports.