Shortest-lived startup that actually flew?

[Daddy]

Yeah Legend...that's bgot to be the winner...only flew for about a month I think if even that!

 

[Dumb Pilot]

How long was National out of Vegas? Wasn't it short of a year?

 

[skiandsurf]

Anyone remember the "startup" airline that was supposed to cater to smokers. It was started by a UAL Captain, that chartered a plane from United. I think they did one flight. Had 3 or 4 paying passengers and about 30 news reporters.

Not sure of the year, but guessing around 1995.

 

[rayford steele]

Altair

 

[BLUE BAYOU]

Lonestar was a short-lived one too...

 

[skiandsurf]

Anyone remember the "startup" airline that was supposed to cater to smokers. It was started by a UAL Captain, that chartered a plane from United. I think they did one flight. Had 3 or 4 paying passengers and about 30 news reporters.

Not sure of the year, but guessing around 1993.

TRAVEL ADVISORY; Blowing Smoke In the Air

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By ADAM BRYANT
Published: October 10, 1993
Freedom Air, named for the freedom it gives smokers to light up on board, flew its inaugural charter trip Sept. 28 from Chicago to Los Angeles, the first flight in what Freedom's operators hope will be a steady business catering to passengers irked by the smoking ban on domestic flights of less than six hours. Despite advertising and widespread media attention, its trip flight between O'Hare International Airport in Chicago and Los Angeles International Airport attracted fewer than 10 paying passengers.
Ted Hall, a recently retired United Airlines pilot who founded Freedom Air and has smoked since he was 14 years old, said he will try to market the service on busy routes like Chicago-Los Angeles because they offer the greatest pool of potential smokers. The company would give no details on scheduled flights beyond another round-trip flight between Chicago and Los Angeles on Oct. 12.
The airline charged only one fare for its first trips, $201 one-way. Freedom Air also charges a one-time $20 membership fee. Freedom Air said the fee was necessary to offset the cost of mailing and processing a waiver of liablility for second-hand smoke that every first-time passenger on the airline must sign.
Freedom Air, (800) 858-9768, rents the aircraft and flight crew from American Trans Air, an Indianapolis-based carrier. ADAM BRYANT
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[satpak77]

Legend is prob the winner. Lonestar flew for maybe 2 years, relying almost all on government subsidies to provide service to small rural Texas towns to keep them alive. In their last days, they acquired some Dornier 328's.

National out of Vegas flew for like 3+ years. For awhile they were doing some pretty solid business.

I think Legend became operation in Feb of XXX year and ceases ops completely in December of the same year.

 

[RP 04]

How long did Air South stay around?

 

[Itsallsogood]

How about MidAir.
They only made it halfway through their first flight.







joke.

 

[1st Overnite]

Anyone remember JetTrain? MCO-EWR-PIT. I remember them flying for about a summer. Bad service, bad planes, cool logo.