Comments on: Airlines That Never Reached Their Cruising Altitude

By: Mike James

Mike James — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:31:04 +0000

Didn’t ValuJet crash in Florida then went under a few days later?

Hooters Air…from what I can recall they only flew to/from Myrtle Beach and JFK. I was scheduled to stay at the Hooters Hotel and Casino in Vegas (not recommended) so I figured I’d fly Hooters Air out there but it didn’t even fly out there. I was shocked…how could Hooters Air not go to Vegas???

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:42:28 +0000

What, no Hooters Air?

By: Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 02:51:38 +0000

So many to choose from…so little space! I’ll add the vast majority of the small and regional African airlines into the topic. With some exceptions (SAA, Ethopian Air, and even Air Ghana), any flier suddenly realizes their life, courage, and stomach contents could be in a sudden lurch in a second! There was a rule of thumb I followed when I had to fly the airlines of doom – if the airline logo even slightly resembles some kind of animal that normally doesn’t fly (like some look like goats with wings), you’re guaranteed a story to tell everyone when/if you make it back home. Memories!
Stateside, I fondly remember a startup in the late-90’s named Eastwind. I remember what was supposed to be a short flight between Philadelphia and Charlotte…and they decided while we were in the air…and this was not on the ticket…to suddenly stop in Trenton, NJ (all of maybe 30-40 miles from PHL) and then make other stops before finally landing in Greensboro. With surprises like that, no wonder they didn’t make it.

By: Harry

Harry — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 20:04:25 +0000

Does anyone remember Air Atlanta from the ’80’s? . . . leather seats . . . gourmet meals . . . fine china . . . and primarily service between Atlanta and New York.

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:43:06 +0000

I remember riding Hughes Air West as a kid, from San Francisco to Eureka, CA. At the time (late 70’s) it was the only airline that served the Eureka/Arcata Airport (located in McKinnleyville). Owned by gazillionaire Howard Hughes, Hughes Air West had planes that were painted all yellow, like a giant banana, and I thought that was cool. I know my brother got to ride on a propeller plane, but I had a DC-9 jet a couple times. Incidently, you could still (as a kid) get a tour of the cockpit back then, and (as an adult) have a cigarette in the smoking section. Wow…I’m old. ;-)

By: MPOlsen

MPOlsen — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 16:41:50 +0000

Wizz Air still flies, and is a pretty cheap way to get around Europe. I lived in Budapest for a couple of years and flew Wizz a few times. If one has a flexible schedule, it can be pretty darn cheap (under a couple hundred bucks to London, for example).

MPO

By: viajero

viajero — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:28:03 +0000

We all still see remnants of ValuJet; it’s today’s AirTran. Funny how little things have changed.. Don’t forget adding Jet America, American International, the Braniff incarnations etc. to your list.

By: Tdave

Tdave — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 10:09:47 +0000

My favorite airline would be the “Grace L. Ferguson Airline And Screen Door Company.”

but it’s a fictional company from a Bob Newhart comedy routine.

By: lee

lee — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 19:24:54 +0000

Anybody remember ValuJet? Thhey lasted a couple of years using planes that were so obsolete and had so many miles on them even other budget airlines had turned the planes down. I remember them working on one at the Birmingham Airport and, I kid you not, a wing fell off after ony two bolts had been loosened. You may argue, “Maybe the others weretaken off before you got there,” but I tell you the maintanance guys looked freaked.

By: natlynn

natlynn — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 18:25:19 +0000

“engender” not “engeder”…silly me…