note
Scheduled passenger airline founded by Ken Friedkin as Friedkin Aeronautics.
Airline commenced operations on May 6 1949 with a leased DC-3 on San Diego - Burbank - Oakland route. San Francisco was added in 1951 and Los Angeles in 1956.
Lockheed L-188 Electra was added in 1959, eventually replacing DC-4's.
In 1963 PSA became publicly traded company.
Airline's first jet was a 727-100 of which PSA purchased 5 in 1965. In 1967 first DC-9s were added to its fleet and last Electras were sold.
In 1970s airline made bold decision to market itself as bold, sexy and fun. It was the first airline to dress their stewardesses in miniskirts and boots. It painted a smile face on their jets marketing them as "smileliners"
In 1974 PSA acquired two L-1011 but those were grounded only after a year in service due to low load factor.
Southwest Airlines, based in Texas, modeled its business plan after PSA.
In 1978 first cities outside California were served, Reno from Oakland and Las Vegas from San Diego.
1978 was the last year the airline turned profit.
In 1980 first International flights were inaugurated to Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan from Los Angeles.
Airline also introduced, as the first US operator, DC-9 Super 80 into service.
Plans to take over bankrupt Braniff's Dallas operations in 1983 were abandoned.
In 1984 Airline introduced BAe 146-200 regional jets into its fleet.
Airline was purchased by USAir in December 1986 for $400 million and became a subsidiary of USAir May 5th 1987. The two airline merged on April 9, 1988.
The PSA trademark was in 1995 used by USAir to rebrand one of its feeder subsidiaries.
founded - demised (age)
May 1949 - April 8 1988 (39)
headquarters
3225 North Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA
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base airports
related operators
current /stored fleet (0)
