"sfb" wrote in news:NJfWe.25196$8h6.14300@trnddc09:
> Southwest, which starting flying in 1971, didn't fly outside Texas
> until after deregulation in 1978 when they started service to New
> Orleans in 1979.
That's right. Both Southwest and Air Florida (where I served as Director
of Operations) started as INTRASTATE air carriers, not INTERSTATE.
They were both regulated by state authority instead of the CAB/Dept of
Transportation.
We had quite a rush to certificate Air Florida prior to October 1972 at
which time the Florida Public Service Commission intended to implement
route and fare regulations similar to those in effect by the CAB for
Interstate Air Carriers. We grandfathered a lot of stuff on Sep 29, just
before the Oct 1 cutoff date. :-)
Many in the airline industry do not remember that Air Florida was started
with an ex-PanAm B-707-331, N705PA, and after one year, exchanged it for
three ex-Eastern L-188 Electras.
Bob Moore
Air Florida 1972-73
Chief Pilot, Director of Operations |