Smile On PSA: Pacific Southwest Airlines

[RStretton]

It's been June since I attempted one of these full on history threads for a US carrier because they take a while to do but I've found some time so its back to California we go for PSA. A lot of the info for the text here is taken from the following two great sites. Both are worth checking out:

http://www.psa-history.org/index.php

http://www.jetpsa.com/index2.html

PSA (the brainchild of Kenny Friedkin) began operations in 1949 with a single DC-3. The name seems to have been an amalgamation of two existing airlines (Pacific Air Lines and Southwest Airlines (later West Coast) - both later part of Air West) in an attempt to confuse patrons to fly with this small outfit. From the start the airline was flying with very low fares and became known as Poor Sailor's Airline because of all the navy traffic it got operating out of San Diego. Competition from the majors only served to give the young PSA some credibility and the airline avoided the wrath of the CAB (unlike so many post-war startup supplementals by keeping its operations intra-state and so out of the CAB's remit).



By 1952 there were 4 DC-3s and despite some ups and downs the airline was solid operating between San Diego, Burbank and San Francisco (Oakland and Long Beach were dropped in 1953). In 1954, the last year of DC-3 only ops, just over 102,000 passengers were carried. A pair of DC-4s arrived in 1955 and as profits rose fares went down. Further DC-4s joined and in 1958 Los Angeles was added.



PSA was flying and had grown so successful that it was able to buy new equipment of a size only flown by the Trunk airlines. This was pretty much unique in the US at the time. The type chosen was the new turboprop Lockheed L-188 Electra. Three of the 98 seaters joined in 1959 and despite their cost that year the airline made over $450,000. Profits continued to rise in the early 60s enabling an all Electra fleet to be bought in (the DC-4s and single DC-6s were all sold). By 1965 the airline's profit was an amazing $2.94 million! Sadly Kenny Friedkin had died in 1962 but the airline was passed to the safe hands of his right hand man J. Floyd "Andy" Andrews.

This is where the 1:400s begin as Aeroclassics have made a great Electra and the airline's next type the 727:

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1960s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1960s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1960s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1960s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

In July 1964 the airline ordered 5 new 727-100s which joined the 6 Electras the next year. Flight times between San Diego and San Fran were cut to 51 minutes and load factors continued to increase. PSA was by this time causing the trunks and especially the region's local service airline Pacific serious trouble. In 1966 2 extra 727-100s were added and despite more than doubling the fleet size in 2 years the airline's profits grew to over $4 million.

In 1967 the airline became all jet as the Electras were retired and a pair of DC-9s added. The DC-9s were part of a plan to setup a DC-9 flight training enterprise with Douglas but this wasn't a success and they didn't last long. Profits were undented however and PSA stayed with Boeing taking 727-200s and 737-200s in 1968 for a fleet of 20 jets. In 1966 the livery had been altered and the famous smiles began to be added around 1968. There are several stories about how the smiles came to be (see http://www.psa-history.org/about_psa/history ) but despite Andrews distaste for them they were a marketing coup and stayed till the end. Here's the late 60s fleet:

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1960s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1960s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1960s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1960s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1960s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1960s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

By 1969 the fleet had been standardised around the new 727-200s and 737-200s with just a single DC-9 and 727-100 left. 4.4 million passengers were being carried and profits were still high. By 1970 the airline had grown for 10 consecutive years and shown profits for 15.

The good times continued unabated through to 1972 when a record profit of nearly $6 million was made but in hindsight the airline's glory days were behind it and though there were still good times left things were going to get more difficult for the smiling airline.

We'll continue our PSA story in the next few days with more colourful smiles to come...

[FireAngelZero]

I've seen pictures online, which I'm not sure if it's true or not about the PSA A319 "Heritage" livery U-S Airways owned was transferred to America, and now carries the American Logo on it's side. I know this is completely irrelevant to the post, but I thought I'd share.

[RStretton]

I've seen pictures online, which I'm not sure if it's true or not about the PSA A319 "Heritage" livery U-S Airways owned was transferred to America, and now carries the American Logo on it's side. I know this is completely irrelevant to the post, but I thought I'd share.

Yeah she's now got AA titles. I saw some photos on airliners.net

[RStretton]

Ok onto part 2!

In 1972 PSA introduced its first new livery which had the smile from the start. This introduced the new colours of Fuchsia, Orange and Red with black PSA titling.



When 1973 dawned PSA had much to be proud of, yet not all was rosy at the airline. Over 6 million passengers were being flown with a fleet of 19 727-200s and 8 737-200s however the fleet of the latter was being reduced (it had been 10 in 1971). The problems stemmed from piloting issues surrounding its 2 man cockpit which was not welcomed by the unionised crews. PSA's attempts to solve this issue and integrate the type fully were never successful and all had gone by the end of 1976.

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1970s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1970s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

Worse the airline suffered its first strike in November when the powerful Teamsters Union struck for just over a month. About 60% of the schedule was still operated but it took a while for PSA to get back to normal and profit for the year was down to only $627,000.

The ills of 1973 carried over to 1974 and were compounded by the introduction of the airline's first widebody - the L-1011 Tristar. Two arrived but their operation had been costed at 1970 fuel prices not those of 1974 and the type just wasn't profitable on the short hops PSA was using them on. They were withdrawn in 1975 and the remainder ofthe order canned.
Despite these issues however the airline's profit increased in 1974 to over $1.5 million. The Tristar issue however hit profitability in 1975 when a $16.7 million loss was incurred. The Tristars remained parked.

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1970s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1970s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1970s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1970s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines 1970s Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

On a positive note that year a 12th destination was added to the network - noise sensitive Lake Tahoe. As with Air California to operate this route the airline needed to go back in time and pickup some Electras.



In 1976 Andrews stepped down as CEO and was replaced by William R Shrimp. With the 737s being sold the airline was forced to revert back to 727s and two series 100s were leased from World prior to 5 ex-Northwest examples joining the fleet. The next year the livery was refreshed with the Fuchsia replaced by more orange (the pink had been fading quite badly in the Californian sun) and the titles made hollow.

Pacific Southwest Airlines Fleet by rstretton, on Flickr

Deregulation was now dawning and in 1978 PSA secured its first route outside of California - to Reno and vegas. Sadly that year tragedy struck when a 727-200 collided with a Cessna over San Diego killing 144 people. Captured on camera the 727's plunge to the ground even today is a very well known image.

The fleet in 1978 stood at 25 727-200s, 6 727-100s and 4 Electras with the 2 Tristars finally offloaded back to Lockheed (for sublease to Aero Peru). Orders were placed for new MD80s to take the airline into the 1980s.
1979 was a great year for the airline which carried over 8.6 million passengers and posted its largest ever profit, though the airline's expansion was tempered by skyrocketing fuel costs.

1980 was another eventful year with international services to Mexico begun in April and the first DC-9 Super 80s arriving in December. Unfortunately these highpoints bookmarked the first strike in the airline's history which shut it down. Despite this a profit was still made and the fuel efficiency of the twinjets were 30% more efficient than its 727s. The next year 12 more were added and the 727-200 fleet reduced to 15.

Pacific Southwest Airlines Fleet - 1980s by rstretton, on Flickr

The PATCO strike of 1981 affected PSA like everybody else and that year the airline part of the business posted a $17 million loss. Despite increasing enplanements this year and the next the continuing economic recession meant losses for the airline continued into 1982 and 1983. These went hand in hand with expansion outside California and increased competition. BAE 146s were ordered to finish off the 727 replacement and several second-hand DC-9s arrived in lieu of more expensive newer MD80s.

Pacific Southwest Airlines Fleet - 1980s by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines Fleet - 1980s by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines Fleet - 1980s by rstretton, on Flickr

Cost-cutting throughout 1984 returned the airline to profit and the year the first of the BAE 146 'Smiliners' was delivered. The last 727 flight was in November leaving a fleet of 26 MD-80s, 4 DC-9s and 6 146s. Sadly William Shrimp died in May (at only 59) and was replaced by Paul Barkley.

The 1980s was the time for expansion and in 1985 the addition of 14 more BAE 146s and 2 MD-80s enabled the airline's largest ever with 8 new destinations in the West and Mexico. Unfortunately though over 9 million passengers were boarded continuing fare wars ment the airline portion of the business again lost money (though again the whole of PSA Inc was profitable).

Pacific Southwest Airlines Fleet - 1980s by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines Fleet - 1980s by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines Fleet - 1980s by rstretton, on Flickr

The livery was again refreshed in 1985 with the cheatline lowered under the window line whilst some aircraft also received a modified tail arrangement and infilled Ash coloured titles.





PSA had not faired well in the 1980s (however unlike many of its competitors the losses were relatively small) and you get the feeling that the airline management was getting a bit tired. 1986 was the year of industry consolidation and PSA couldn't avoid it. Literally moments after the Air Cal takeover by AA - USAir came calling and a deal was done (though not signed off).

By the end of the year the airline served 20 destinations with 55 aircraft carrying a record 10.7 million passengers but sadly losing $3 million. In May 1987 PSA became a divison of USAir and the airline's last flight was officially April 8th 1988.



Pacific Southwest Airlines Fleet - 1980s by rstretton, on Flickr

Pacific Southwest Airlines Fleet - 1980s by rstretton, on Flickr

The USAir takeover was nothing short of a disaster (though it probably stopped US from being swallowed up) and by May 1991 US closed down its west-coast ops leaving a vacuum that Southwest was only too pleased to fill.

Could PSA have survived and kept WN out? Maybe but probably not without some new leadership and funding. Regardless PSA is well remembered and from time to time smiles have appeared on members of the US fleet unofficially as well as on the retrojet. The airline's spirit lives on.