Do you remember PEOPLExpress Airlines? What about in the northeast? Or the Mohawk?
These airlines of the past are what we call “fallen flags,” remembered, perhaps, but no longer in business, at least not under those names. The domestic US airline industry is filled with such holdovers from our travel past, and each one brings back memories of a time when flying was fun.
Newark-based PEOPLExpress was my favorite, flying out of the ancient North Terminal and charging super low fares that were collected in-flight. Like many carriers, they grew very, very quickly and were snapped up by aviation magnate Frank Lorenzo.
Photo by FlyerTalk
“Newark-based PEOPLExpress was my favorite, flying out of the old North Terminal and paying super low in-flight fares.”
We also had Pan Am, Eastern, TWA, Northwest and Continental, each swallowed or merged with much larger carriers leaving us with, some say, a much less competitive (and more expensive) travel industry.
Some of the lost companies were airlines within an airline, like Song (Delta’s low-cost carrier aimed specifically at women) or Ted (a simple subset of United). Texas-based Braniff had the distinction of being the only US airline to fly a Concorde (although it was a lease from Air France and British Airways and flew subsonic over US airspace).
A host of regional carriers are gone forever: Mohawk (taken over by Allegheny, itself absorbed into USAir, which in turn was bought by American). Piedmont was also hijacked by USAir. North Central and Southern Airlines became Republic, which acquired Hughes Airwest before being acquired by Northwest.
Photo by Sam Chui
MGM Grand – couches and other in-flight luxuries
Air Florida flew for 13 years, even flying to seven European cities. As with competitor ValuJet, a tragic air accident for each led to bankruptcy. Tower Air made a name for itself (and good money) flying charters for the Pentagon, while also offering cheap transcon service from JFK to the West Coast.
Four other carriers, World Airways, Capital, ONA (Overseas National) and Trans International, also became successful civilian and military charter lines.
Carnival Airlines, owned by the cruise line, flew passengers on its own charter ships and was later acquired by a reorganized PanAm.
Midwest was a favorite for many offering 2-by-2 seating and fresh-baked in-flight cookies. It was launched by Kimberly Clark to transport its employees. But there were also regional carriers Vanguard, Air South, Eastwind and McCain Airlines.
To cross the “pond” there were a number of failed airlines that offered first-class comfort at bargain prices: L’Avion, Eos, MaxJet and SilverJet. Still flying is one of my favorites, French airline La Compagnie, which flies just 76 passengers on an A-321neo that can carry over 200, for less than traditional business class fares.
Domestically, MGM Grand Airlines was popular with the Hollywood crowd, flying from LAX to JFK in a DC-8 lavishly outfitted with recliners and more.
When smoking was banned on American flights, the American Tobacco Institute talked about creating a smoking-only airline, but that never happened.
One airline that flew, for several years, was Hooters Air, owned by the restaurant chain. Cabin crew on flights targeted by golfers to Myrtle Beach wore the same skimpy outfits as restaurant waitresses. Hardly politically correct and never profitable.
Yes, flying used to be fun. But not more.
