Cal Sierra Airlines was a start-up airline based in San Diego, California. The airline was the brain child of former Pan Am Captain Ed Perry. The airline started in 1980 with a route between San Diego and South Lake Tahoe, California, operating Convair 580 aircraft.
The airline had planes for a large start-up with a route system covering the southwest United States. The initial start-up was a huge success with large load factors. Its claim to fame was superior in-flight service with flight attendants who wore ski outfits and cowboy hats. They were the first airline to serve Starbucks coffee in-flight and offered a number of coffee selections in-flight.
The expansion was halted with the PATCO strike in the United States. Because of the shortage of air traffic controllers in the United States, airlines were not given authority to add new routes. The new airline was short-lived without the chance to expand. It ceased operations after less than nine months of service in 1981.