January 1983: Backed by several Twin Cities investors, Sun Country is built from scratch by a group of pilots and flight attendants from the defunct Braniff International Airlines.

Spring 1997: Bought by leisure travel entrepreneur Bill La Macchia Sr. of Milwaukee.

December 2001: Ceases flying operations and files for bankruptcy after Sept. 11 attacks create travel recession.

January 2003: Key assets bought by a local investor group. Flights restarted in April.

November 2006: Acquired by Petters Group Aviation, which was owned by Tom Petters, and Whitebox Advisors. Petters bought out the Whitebox stake a year later.

October 2008: Petters is arrested on fraud-related charges on Oct. 3. Three days later, Sun Country files for Chapter 11 protection in a move that separates it from Petters.

July 2011: Mitch and Marty Davis acquire Sun Country for $34 million, outbidding other potential buyers in an auction staged by its bankruptcy trustee.

December 2017: The Davis brothers sell Sun Country to Apollo Global Management of New York.

Staff Reports