Legend Airlines
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Legend Airlines was an airline that flew primarily from Love Field, Dallas, Texas, USA for a matter of months, during the year 2000. The airline filed for bankruptcy five years after it was formed as a corporate entity, its initial flights having been substantially delayed by court battles with American Airlines and the City of Fort Worth.
[edit] Former Code Data
[edit] History
Legend Airlines was the brainchild of T. Allan McArtor, former FAA Administrator, Federal Express executive and Air Force pilot. Mr. McArtor was also a member of the United States Air Force precision flying team, the Thunderbirds.
The airline was envisioned to provide a new category of service to its passengers, where the entire aircraft was an improved form of business class. Seats were wider, and the removal of several rows of seats from the DC-9 added legroom. In addition, several Dallas-area chefs were commissioned to create meals for the airline. Meals were served on real china, with silverware, rather than plastic trays and utensils. The emphasis was on providing a class trip to business destinations.
Legend Airlines began service to four cities in the spring of 2000. Dallas (Love Field) was their hub city. Additional service was first offered to Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, CA, and Las Vegas, NV. New York City was added to the service schedule at a later date. Locations were chosen on the basis of business travellers' needs to fly into the central airport of the city rather than to outlying airports.
The airline provided service which bypassed the restrictions imposed by the Wright Amendment, which limits long-range passenger service into Love Field. Since the airline flew 56-seat planes, below the Wright Amendment limit that restricted passenger travel through Love, they could fly to airports outside the amendment's defined range. The airline flew 56-seat aircraft out of Love to Los Angeles International Airport and Dulles International Airport in Washington, among others. American, in turn, re-configured a number of its Fokker F100 jets to 56 seats so that it could compete. The company also began renovating gates at Love, despite the fact that it had sued to block other airlines from doing the same thing. It is sometimes claimed in the Dallas area that Legend failed at the hands of American and Fort Worth, but other financial reasons may have been involved.[citation needed]
The airline had its own terminal at the north side of the field and did not use the passenger terminal at Love Field. None of the available terminal space at Love was made available for the airline. They were forced to spend $24 million for a new terminal and parking garage. The terminal is currently used for executive flights operated by private aircraft. Under the terms of lifting the Wright Amendment, the number of gates that can be used for commercial airline flights are limited. The number is capped at the current gates in use and effectively preclude converting the terminal to passenger use.
[edit] Fleet
Legend flew McDonnell Douglas DC-9 aircraft with 56 seats.
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