Originally Posted by
Seat 2A
4. It is November 1985 and a family member wants to fly on a flight for the experience. To save money, they fly one way and relatives drive them back home. Which airline and aircraft can they fly from San Antonio, Texas (SAT) to Austin Robert Mueller (AUS - since closed and demolished) leaving in the middle of the day?
Okay then, well post deregulation brought about some airlines flying routes they weren't traditionally associated with. A couple come to mind... let's start with US Air operating a 727-200.
An excellent answer that is, unfortunately, not right. US Air started service to San Antonio in 1983 around the time it started service to some other Texas cities. There were a number of tag end services. SAT-DFW-PIT and AUS-IAH-PIT, both served by a 737-200. Around 1992, there was a PIT-SAT-AUS flight. In 1985, it was a different airline for this question. Also a clarification. The answer is a mainline carrier using a large jet.
A small hint that probably isn't too helpful. SAT was sort of a tag on, being SAT-AUS-xxx operated once a day and the reverse route being xxx-AUS-SAT. A related hint is about your comment " some airlines flying routes they weren't traditionally associated with.". This airline had a number of tag end routes.
Occasionally, people will fly on these tag ends. I once flew from MLU Monroe, Louisiana - SHV Shreveport and reverse, a distance of about 100 miles each way, maybe on a 737-200. It was in the 1990's. Maybe the aircraft was on a DFW-SHV-MLU routing. In any case, people got off but nobody got on at SHV except me.