1982 Backed by several Twin Cities investors, Sun Country is built by a group of pilots and flight attendants from the defunct Braniff International Airlines.

January 1997: Milwaukee businessman Bill La Macchia Sr. announces his intent to purchase Sun Country.

December 2001: Ceases flying operations and files for bankruptcy, after price wars and the Sept. 11 attacks.

January 2002: Creditors force Sun Country into Chapter 7 liquidation. Key assets bought by an investor group in January.

April 2002: Recalls employees and restarts operations.

Fall 2006: Acquired by Petters Group Aviation, owned by Tom Petters, and Whitebox Advisors. Petters bought out part of the Whitebox stake a year later.

March 2008: With the company struggling, Stan Gadek, former AirTran and Northwest executive, becomes CEO and president.

Summer 2008: Stung by record-high fuel prices, Gadek cuts unprofitable flights, returns to flying domestic military charter flights (stabilizing fuel costs) and begins charging fees. Employees' pay is cut by at least 10 percent.

Sept. 29, 2008: Petters, under investigation for fraud, resigns as chairman. Gadek institutes a temporary 40 percent pay cut. He takes a full pay cut.

October 2008: Sun Country files for Chapter 11 protection in a move that separates it from Petters, whose other businesses were taken over by a court appointee.

December 2008: Pay is restored and repayment of deferred wages with interest begins. Reported a $1 million profit for the fourth quarter, compared with an $18.4 million loss in the year-ago period.

April 5, 2010: Reorganization plan filed in which the creditors become owners.

February 2011: Sun Country emerges from bankruptcy.

July 2011: Sold to the Davis family, owners of Cambria and Davisco.