Air Florida
Encyclopedia
Air Florida was an American
low-cost carrier
that operated from 1971 to 1984. In 1975 it was headquartered in the Dadeland Towers in what is now the Kendall CDP
in unincorporated
Miami-Dade County, Florida
.
. It was formed in 1971 and started operations in 1972. Initial aircraft included the Boeing 707
, later transitioning to the Lockheed L-188 Electra
turboprop. Air Florida's fleet would grow to include the McDonnell Douglas DC-9
, Boeing 727
, Boeing 737
, and McDonnell Douglas DC-10
.
Ed Acker
, formerly CEO of Braniff International Airlines, led an acquisition of Air Florida in 1975 and expanded the airline into the interstate market following the Airline Deregulation Act
of 1978. In addition to Air Florida having a large presence in the Northeast-to-Florida market during the 1970s and 1980s, the airline also expanded internationally and served various points in the Caribbean
and Central America
, as well as London
, Brussels
, Shannon, Frankfurt
, Zurich
, and Amsterdam
. Air Florida was well known for its attractive flight attendants and, on international flights, four-star cuisine. In 1981, shortly before the crash of Air Florida Flight 90
, Acker left Air Florida to become the Chairman, CEO and President of Pan American World Airways
.
Air Florida tried to buy out Western Airlines
during the 1980s, to increase its presence in the West
and begin flights to Mexico
and western Canada
. The negotiations with Western got Air Florida 16 percent of the California
-based company. Western was later absorbed by Delta Air Lines
.
On January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90
crashed into Washington, DC's 14th Street Bridge and fell into the Potomac River
shortly after taking off. A total of 70 passengers, 4 crew, and 4 motorists on the bridge were killed. The crash was due to an anti-icing system being left off, which caused an inaccurately high engine pressure ratio (EPR) indication at an extremely low power setting, and the crew's failure to either abort the takeoff or apply maximum engine power. The crash prompted modifications to Air Florida's pilot training regarding anti-ice systems. The FAA also required revised aircraft de-icing procedures at airports.
The crash of Flight 90, coupled with Air Florida's high financial leverage and reliance on foreign currency trading for profits, led the company to declare bankruptcy and cease operations on July 3, 1984, despite an effort by new head Donald Lloyd-Jones (an alumnus of American Airlines
) to save the company. When operations ceased, Air Florida had over 18 months of unprocessed credit card ticket purchases and dozens of flight crews idle at home because management had failed to renew leases on all DC-10-30 aircraft. Midway Airlines
acquired most of the assets of Air Florida for $53 million while Air Florida was in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
, an English
Football League side, during the 1983-84 season
, in which Southampton were league runners-up. The deal was cancelled after one season due to Air Florida's insolvency.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
low-cost carrier
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
that operated from 1971 to 1984. In 1975 it was headquartered in the Dadeland Towers in what is now the Kendall CDP
Kendall, Florida
Kendall is a suburban neighborhood of metropolitan Miami, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the area had a total population of 75,226....
in unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
.
History
Air Florida was based out of Miami International AirportMiami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
. It was formed in 1971 and started operations in 1972. Initial aircraft included the Boeing 707
Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
, later transitioning to the Lockheed L-188 Electra
Lockheed L-188 Electra
The Lockheed Model 188 Electra is an American turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. First flying in 1957, it was the first large turboprop airliner produced in the United States. Initial sales were good, but after two fatal crashes which prompted an expensive modification program to fix a design...
turboprop. Air Florida's fleet would grow to include the McDonnell Douglas DC-9
McDonnell Douglas DC-9
The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 is a twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner. It was first manufactured in 1965 with its maiden flight later that year. The DC-9 was designed for frequent, short flights. The final DC-9 was delivered in October 1982.The DC-9 was followed in subsequent modified forms by...
, Boeing 727
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
, Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
, and McDonnell Douglas DC-10
McDonnell Douglas DC-10
The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a three-engine widebody jet airliner manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The DC-10 has range for medium- to long-haul flights, capable of carrying a maximum 380 passengers. Its most distinguishing feature is the two turbofan engines mounted on underwing pylons and a...
.
Ed Acker
Ed Acker
C. Edward Acker is an American businessman who served as CEO of Braniff Airways, Air Florida, and Pan American World Airways. He is currently a principal at Intrepid Equity Group....
, formerly CEO of Braniff International Airlines, led an acquisition of Air Florida in 1975 and expanded the airline into the interstate market following the Airline Deregulation Act
Airline Deregulation Act
The Airline Deregulation Act is a United States federal law signed into law on October 24, 1978. The main purpose of the act was to remove government control over fares, routes and market entry from commercial aviation...
of 1978. In addition to Air Florida having a large presence in the Northeast-to-Florida market during the 1970s and 1980s, the airline also expanded internationally and served various points in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, as well as London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Shannon, Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, and Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. Air Florida was well known for its attractive flight attendants and, on international flights, four-star cuisine. In 1981, shortly before the crash of Air Florida Flight 90
Air Florida Flight 90
Air Florida Flight 90 was a scheduled U.S. domestic passenger flight from Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia, to Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with a stopover at Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Florida...
, Acker left Air Florida to become the Chairman, CEO and President of Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
.
Air Florida tried to buy out Western Airlines
Western Airlines
Western Airlines was a large airline based in California, with operations throughout the Western United States, and hubs at Los Angeles International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, and the former Stapleton International Airport in Denver...
during the 1980s, to increase its presence in the West
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
and begin flights to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and western Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The negotiations with Western got Air Florida 16 percent of the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
-based company. Western was later absorbed by Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
.
On January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90
Air Florida Flight 90
Air Florida Flight 90 was a scheduled U.S. domestic passenger flight from Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia, to Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with a stopover at Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Florida...
crashed into Washington, DC's 14th Street Bridge and fell into the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
shortly after taking off. A total of 70 passengers, 4 crew, and 4 motorists on the bridge were killed. The crash was due to an anti-icing system being left off, which caused an inaccurately high engine pressure ratio (EPR) indication at an extremely low power setting, and the crew's failure to either abort the takeoff or apply maximum engine power. The crash prompted modifications to Air Florida's pilot training regarding anti-ice systems. The FAA also required revised aircraft de-icing procedures at airports.
The crash of Flight 90, coupled with Air Florida's high financial leverage and reliance on foreign currency trading for profits, led the company to declare bankruptcy and cease operations on July 3, 1984, despite an effort by new head Donald Lloyd-Jones (an alumnus of American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
) to save the company. When operations ceased, Air Florida had over 18 months of unprocessed credit card ticket purchases and dozens of flight crews idle at home because management had failed to renew leases on all DC-10-30 aircraft. Midway Airlines
Midway Airlines (ML)
Midway Airlines was founded on October 13, 1976, by investor Irving T. Tague. Although it received its operating certificate from the Civil Aeronautics Board prior to the passage of the Airline Deregulation Act in 1978, it is widely recognized as the first post-deregulation start-up...
acquired most of the assets of Air Florida for $53 million while Air Florida was in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Sponsorship
Air Florida sponsored Southampton Football ClubSouthampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
, an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Football League side, during the 1983-84 season
1983-84 in English football
The 1983–84 season was the 104th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool had a great first season under the management of Joe Fagan as they wrapped up their third successive league title and the 15th in their history...
, in which Southampton were league runners-up. The deal was cancelled after one season due to Air Florida's insolvency.
Fleet
The airline operated the following:- Antonov An-32Antonov An-32The Antonov An-32 is a twin-engined turboprop military transport aircraft.-Design and development:The An-32 is basically a re-engined An-26. The launch customer was the Indian Air Force, which ordered this aircraft partly due to good relations between then USSR leader Leonid Brezhnev and then...
- BAe Jetstream 41
- Boeing 707Boeing 707The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
- Boeing 727Boeing 727The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
- Boeing 737Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
- Cessna 340Cessna 340|-See also:-References:* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1982. ISBN 0 7106-0748-2.* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Defence Data, 1988. ISBN 0 7106-0867-5....
- Douglas DC-9
- Douglas DC-10
- Lockheed L-188 ElectraLockheed L-188 ElectraThe Lockheed Model 188 Electra is an American turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. First flying in 1957, it was the first large turboprop airliner produced in the United States. Initial sales were good, but after two fatal crashes which prompted an expensive modification program to fix a design...
Destinations
| City | Feb. 1979 | Dec. 1981 | Sep. 1982 | Jan. 1984 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam | X | X | ||
| Belize City | X | X | X | |
| Bermuda | X | |||
| Boston | X | X | X | |
| Brussels | X | X | ||
| Burlington | X | X | ||
| Chicago O'Hare | X | X | ||
| Cincinnati | X | |||
| Cleveland | X | |||
| Columbus | X | |||
| Daytona Beach | X | |||
| Detroit | X | |||
| Fort Lauderdale | X | X | X | X |
| Fort Myers | X | X | ||
| Freeport | X | X | X | |
| Gainesville | X | X | X | |
| George Town | X | X | ||
| Grand Turk | X | X | ||
| Guatemala City | X | X | ||
| Hyannis | X | |||
| Indianapolis | X | |||
| Jacksonville | X | X | X | X |
| Key West | X | X | X | |
| Kingston | X | X | X | |
| London Gatwick | X | X | X | |
| Marathon | X | |||
| Marco Island | X | |||
| Marsh Harbour | X | X | X | X |
| Miami | X | X | X | X |
| Montego Bay | X | X | X | |
| Nantucket | X | |||
| Newark | X | |||
| New Orleans | X | |||
| New York JFK | X | |||
| New York LaGuardia | X | X | X | |
| North Eleuthera | X | X | X | X |
| Ocala | X | X | X | |
| Orlando | X | X | X | X |
| Oslo | X | |||
| Panama City | X | |||
| Pensacola | X | X | X | X |
| Philadelphia | X | X | ||
| Port au Prince | X | X | X | |
| Puerto Plata | X | X | X | |
| Rock Sound | X | X | X | X |
| Saint Croix | X | X | ||
| Saint Thomas | X | |||
| San Jose (C.R.) | X | X | X | |
| San Pedro Sula | X | X | X | |
| San Salvador | X | X | X | |
| Santo Domingo | X | X | ||
| Sarasota | X | X | ||
| Shannon | X | X | ||
| Stockholm | X | |||
| Stuart | X | |||
| Tallahassee | X | X | X | |
| Tampa | X | X | X | X |
| Tegucigalpa | X | X | X | |
| Toledo | X | X | ||
| Treasure Cay | X | X | X | X |
| Washington National | X | X | X | X |
| West Palm Beach | X | X | X | X |
| White Plains | X | X | X |
External links
- Airchive.com: Air Florida timetable and route map images
- timetableimages.com: Air Florida timetable and route map images
- RoadstotheFuture.com: 14th Street Bridge, the Air Florida Crash, and Subway Disaster
- Sunshine Skies: Air Florida history, vintage photos and route map