|
||||
| Founded | 1983 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceased operations | 1990 | |||
| Hubs | ||||
| Destinations | ||||
| Parent company | Braniff, Inc. | |||
| Headquarters | Dallas, Texas then Orlando, Florida |
|||
| Key people | Jay Pritzker (First CEO) William Slattery (President) William McGee (Final CEO) Joe Mitchell (Exec. VP and Last Employee) |
|||
Braniff Inc. was an American airline, originally headquartered in Dallas, Texas and later headquartered in Orlando, Florida. It was partially formed from the assets of Braniff International Airways.
Contents |
In 1984, the Hyatt Corporation reorganized the company, and the airline flew again domestically. Jay Pritzker, of Hyatt Hotels, was behind the reorganization of Braniff International and brought it out of bankruptcy in December 1983. Braniff Airways, Inc., was then changed to "Dalfort Corporation" and a "new" Braniff, named Braniff, Inc., was formed as a subsidiary of "Dalfort." Ron Ridgeway was named president.
Braniff Inc. moved its administrative offices into the former Dallas Love Field-area headquarters of Braniff International Airways, located in the City of Dallas.[1]
Braniff's slogan "Best Low Fare in the Air" reflected its vision of offering low-cost, unrestricted fares on every flight, every day. All seats on the planes were leather and only one class of service was offered---no business or first class. By 1988, Braniff had chosen Kansas City as its main hub and was flying over 70 flights per day out of Kansas City International Airport. Actor Wilford Brimley became somewhat of a spokesperson with his "Dance With the One that Brung Ya" commercials for Braniff.
In 1988, the debts were starting to collect. It ordered Fokker F100 aircraft but could never be delivered because of a backup from fellow American carriers American Airlines and US Airways. However, 50 Airbus Industrie A320 aircraft orders were taken over from Pan Am, and in 1989 the first two were introduced and proved very expensive. In order to increase their presence in the Florida market, the airline bought the Orlando-based Florida Express Airlines and assumed operation of their routes and British Aerospace BAC 1-11 aircraft. Braniff was again operating some of the same aircraft they disposed of in the 1960s.[2] In 1988 Braniff moved its headquarters from Dallas, Texas, to Orlando, Florida.[3][4]
In 1989, the airline filed for bankruptcy protection.[5] In November 1989 the airline suspended airline operations.[6] Braniff finally ceased operations at the end of December 1990. A buyer was sought, but never found. The company then agreed to liquidate all assets in three separate auctions. America West Airlines bought and flew the A320s that were delivered to Braniff. Braniff, Inc. existed until 1998, when Joe Mitchell, Keith Rosenberg, and four other employees closed the airline's files.
|
||||||||||||||