TranStar Airlines
Encyclopedia
TranStar Airlines was a domestic U.S.
carrier based in Houston, Texas
from 1981 to 1987.
The company was first established as a Texas-based commuter called Muse Air, but much like Southwest Airlines, only flying larger mainline
equipment. Muse Air's name originates from its founder and the one time president of Southwest Airlines
, Marion Lamar Muse. It began service between Dallas and Houston in 1982 with two Douglas DC-9
aircraft. An air traffic controller's
strike almost immediately made things difficult for the company, and Muse stepped down as CEO to let his son Michael take over the company. By the end of 1984 the company was still struggling, and actively looking for a merger to keep it afloat. At the end of the year, Harold Simmons, president of the Amalgamated Sugar Company
offered the airline the money to continue, on the condition that Michael Muse resign, and that his father return as CEO. Despite the new influx of cash and Lamar Muse in charge again, the company was not able to generate a consistent profit despite its use of non-union labor and competitive fares.
Muse Air prohibited smoking on their flights long before the United States implemented Federal restrictions.
In 1985, Southwest Airlines
bought out
Muse Air, making it a subsidiary
company, and renaming it to TranStar Airlines. Lamar Muse was removed from having any active role in management, and the company was restructured. With the addition of MD-80 aircraft, its routes changed to scheduled service flights from California through Texas to Florida, and they were restricted from carrying mail, air freight, and any interline passengers traveling partly on other airlines. Among other changes were a new corporate image
, replacing Muse Air's beige aircraft livery
and color scheme branding, with a dark blue tone, accentuated by concentric
multi-hued pinstripes banding the fuselage
. Attempts were made to integrate the Transtar pilots with Southwest Airlines
pilots, but in a classic example of misapplied BATNA
an integrated seniority list was rejected by the Transtar pilot's association. At its peak, TranStar employed some 900 people and served 14 cities, but by mid 1987 the company was still not making a profit, and operations were ceased.
. None of Rio Airways planes however were ever painted with TranStar branding as indicated in some print advertising.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
carrier based in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
from 1981 to 1987.
History
Mainline (flight)
A mainline flight is a flight operated by an airline's main operating unit, rather than by regional alliances, regional code-shares or regional subsidiaries...
equipment. Muse Air's name originates from its founder and the one time president of Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
, Marion Lamar Muse. It began service between Dallas and Houston in 1982 with two 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...
aircraft. An air traffic controller's
Air traffic controller
Air traffic controllers are the people who expedite and maintain a safe and orderly flow of air traffic in the global air traffic control system. The position of the air traffic controller is one that requires highly specialized skills...
strike almost immediately made things difficult for the company, and Muse stepped down as CEO to let his son Michael take over the company. By the end of 1984 the company was still struggling, and actively looking for a merger to keep it afloat. At the end of the year, Harold Simmons, president of the Amalgamated Sugar Company
Amalgamated Sugar Company
The Amalgamated Sugar Company is a sugar beet refining company run on a cooperative basis. It was founded in 1897 in Logan, Utah, and is now located in Nampa, Idaho, United States. The company markets its sugar under the White Satin brand.-Founding:...
offered the airline the money to continue, on the condition that Michael Muse resign, and that his father return as CEO. Despite the new influx of cash and Lamar Muse in charge again, the company was not able to generate a consistent profit despite its use of non-union labor and competitive fares.
Muse Air prohibited smoking on their flights long before the United States implemented Federal restrictions.
In 1985, Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
bought out
Mergers and acquisitions
Mergers and acquisitions refers to the aspect of corporate strategy, corporate finance and management dealing with the buying, selling, dividing and combining of different companies and similar entities that can help an enterprise grow rapidly in its sector or location of origin, or a new field or...
Muse Air, making it a subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
company, and renaming it to TranStar Airlines. Lamar Muse was removed from having any active role in management, and the company was restructured. With the addition of MD-80 aircraft, its routes changed to scheduled service flights from California through Texas to Florida, and they were restricted from carrying mail, air freight, and any interline passengers traveling partly on other airlines. Among other changes were a new corporate image
Corporate image
A corporate image refers to how a corporation is perceived. It is a generally accepted image of what a company stands for. Marketing experts who use public relations and other forms of promotion to suggest a mental picture to the public...
, replacing Muse Air's beige aircraft livery
Aircraft livery
Aircraft livery is a paint scheme applied to an aircraft, generally to fuselage, wings, empennage , or jet engines. Most airlines have a standard paint scheme for their aircraft fleet, usually prominently displaying the airline logo or name. From time to time special liveries are introduced, for...
and color scheme branding, with a dark blue tone, accentuated by concentric
Concentric
Concentric objects share the same center, axis or origin with one inside the other. Circles, tubes, cylindrical shafts, disks, and spheres may be concentric to one another...
multi-hued pinstripes banding the fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
. Attempts were made to integrate the Transtar pilots with Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
pilots, but in a classic example of misapplied BATNA
Batna
Batna or BATNA may refer to:*Batna City, Algeria*Batna Province, Algeria*Best alternative to a negotiated agreement...
an integrated seniority list was rejected by the Transtar pilot's association. At its peak, TranStar employed some 900 people and served 14 cities, but by mid 1987 the company was still not making a profit, and operations were ceased.
TranStar's Feeder Airline
In 1986 prior to TranStars demise, a brief feeder service between Killeen and Austin was established and undertaken under the name and guise TranStar Skylink. These services were operated by and in association with Rio AirwaysRio Airways
Rio Airways was a regional passenger airline headquartered in Killeen, Texas, United States. This airline began operations in or before 1970, and went out of business in 1987. Rio Airways operated briefly in a code-share arrangement with Delta Air Lines whereby Rio flights were booked and sold...
. None of Rio Airways planes however were ever painted with TranStar branding as indicated in some print advertising.
Historical fleet
- 7 - Douglas DC-9-51
- 8 - McDonnell Douglas MD-82
- 1 - McDonnell Douglas MD-83