65 years ago, PSA took flight
May 6, 2014, 9:33 pm
#1
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65 years ago, PSA took flight
U-T
San Diego
By Diane Bell MAY 5, 2014
PSA anniversary: Sixty-five years ago on May 6, the first flight of Pacific Southwest Airlines took off from Lindbergh Field. Twenty-four passengers checked in at the lobby of a flying school on Pacific Highway operated by PSA founder Ken Friedkin.
The startup intrastate airline was so low-budget that baggage had to be weighed on a bathroom scale and its single DC-3 plane was leased for $1,000 per month. A bank had refused to loan Friedkin $20,000 to purchase one, explained Leo Leonard.
More: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/...pilot-airline/
© 1995-2014 The San Diego Union-Tribune, LLC
San Diego
By Diane Bell MAY 5, 2014
PSA anniversary: Sixty-five years ago on May 6, the first flight of Pacific Southwest Airlines took off from Lindbergh Field. Twenty-four passengers checked in at the lobby of a flying school on Pacific Highway operated by PSA founder Ken Friedkin.
The startup intrastate airline was so low-budget that baggage had to be weighed on a bathroom scale and its single DC-3 plane was leased for $1,000 per month. A bank had refused to loan Friedkin $20,000 to purchase one, explained Leo Leonard.
More: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/...pilot-airline/
© 1995-2014 The San Diego Union-Tribune, LLC
May 7, 2014, 10:39 am
#4
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Yes, with a 15 year lag. US bought PSA and integrated it into US in 1989 (maybe late 1988) - just before US bought PI. You can think of it as the original "Operation dumbbell" - the code name for the US/HP merger - that linked PSA's western network with US' primarily eastern network.
This was before AA acquired AirCal and Reno Air. Some say that AirCal was the pattern for the WN business model. AirCal did start as an intrastate carrier operating in California - hence the original name Air California - and later added flights to adjoining states which is what WN did in Texas.
Jim
This was before AA acquired AirCal and Reno Air. Some say that AirCal was the pattern for the WN business model. AirCal did start as an intrastate carrier operating in California - hence the original name Air California - and later added flights to adjoining states which is what WN did in Texas.
Jim
May 7, 2014, 5:47 pm
#9
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I always enjoyed the joke that PSA stood for Poor Sailors Airline
May 7, 2014, 9:22 pm
#10
Join Date: Jun 2004
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Fond Memories of PSA
When I was dating my (still-current) wife, I used to fly PSA from Stockton-LAX for $150 rt to see her on weekends (sometimes, as I was poor). I earned enough PSA miles for a rt redemption to Bellingham to see relatives. Also flew Air Cal and World Airlines ($20 rt OAK-LAX), USAir bought PSA. Air Cal got bought. World Airways went bankrupt (stranding my wife in Hawaii during Christmas break).
It was fun, but now with the exception of VX, the west coast market is owned by a cartel of big out-of-state brands
It was fun, but now with the exception of VX, the west coast market is owned by a cartel of big out-of-state brands