In fall 1981, Braniff Chairman John Casey was told by the Braniff board that a new president needed to be found to try to curb Braniff's mounting losses. Braniff Airways, Inc., doing business as Braniff International Airways, was an American airline that operated from 1928 until 1982. . This plane, dubbed "747 Braniff Place" and "The Most Exclusive Address In The Sky", was Braniff's flagship, and it flew an unprecedented 15 hours per day with a 99 percent dispatch reliability rate over the Transpacific long route. However, even though all of Braniff's scheduled and non-scheduled airline operations ceased, all of the company's subsidiaries continued in operation, some for many years. Braniff's fuel bill increased from $200 million in 1978 to more than $400 million in 1979, with 25 percent of this increase a result of increased flying but 75 percent was solely due to the rise in fuel costs around the globe.[1]. Later uniforms and accessories were composed of interchangeable parts, which could be removed and added as needed. ezoic-pub-ad-placeholder-135 - 970x90. With the addition of the South America route system, merger with Mid-Continent Airlines, and reduction in mail subsidy on the Mid-Continent system, Braniff International Airways recorded a US$1.8 million operating loss during 1953. Braniff Airways purchased two six-passenger 450 horsepower Lockheed L-5 Vega single-engine aircraft capable of cruising at speeds of 150 miles-per-hour. Former Braniff president Russel Thayer was elected as vice chairman of the board, William Huskins as executive vice president, Neal J. Robinson as executive vice president of marketing, and Edson "Ted" Beckwith as executive vice president of finance. David Rawlins. In October 1951 departures from Dallas became daily: three a week to Buenos Aires and four to Rio de Janeiro. Implementation of this program turned the Concorde program into a profitable as well as prestigious venture.[1][23]. The entire makeover, introduced in November 1965, was referred to as the 'End of the Plain Plane' campaign. . In 1955 Braniff was the tenth largest US airline by passenger-miles and ninth largest by domestic passenger miles. Braniff International was a big name in US airline transportation from 1930 until its bankruptcy and shutdown in May 1982. Load factors on these routes were considerable but with the at times unfair competition Braniff faced from Asian carriers, it pushed Braniff's breakeven point even higher making the routes unsuccessful once coupled with exorbitant fuel costs across the globe. In over five decades of existence, the airline operated a large variety of aircraft. It became the flagship of the fleet and would fly the airline's inaugural flight to London in 1978, the airline's 50th anniversary year . [1], Braniff had been one of the first U.S. operators of the BAC One-Eleven (and the first U.S. airline to order the twin jet), but in 1965 Lawrence ordered twelve new Boeing 727-100s and cancelled most of the remaining One-Eleven orders. An additional route was operated between Oklahoma City and Ft Worth with intermediate stops at Wewoka, Oklahoma, and Dallas Love Field and a third route operated between Oklahoma City and Tulsa with intermediates stops at Wewoka and Seminole, Oklahoma, with all beginning on July 15, 1929 (this is most likely when the first Braniff service began at Dallas Love Field). Subseries 2. includes a narrative history of Mid-Continent Airlines and Panagra Airlines. Fort Worth Airlines used 56-seat NAMC YS-11 aircraft and flew to destinations in Oklahoma and Texas, but was unable to operate profitably, ceasing flights and filing for bankruptcy in 1985.[39][40]. Braniff Executive Vice President Charles Edmund Beard became the first non-Braniff family member to assume the role of president of the airline after Tom Braniff's death. [32], On January 7, 1981, the Board of Directors elected John J. Casey as president, chief executive officer and chairman of Braniff Airways, Inc. and Braniff International Corporation as a replacement to the outgoing and retiring Harding Lawrence. The Boeing 727 became the backbone of the Braniff fleet. However, the Mexican government suspended Aerovias Braniff's operating permits in October 1946, under pressure from Pan American Airways, Inc., and merger of the two carriers was not approved by the CAB. . The key advertising slogan was "When you got it flaunt it. Mr. The typeface was employed across Braniff's operations, on everything from airplane livery to timetables, matchbooks, and serving pieces. For other uses, see, Second Braniff Airlines logo, ca. Negotiations had been underway with Pan American World Airways since early 1982, but the Civil Aeronautics Board would not approve sale to Pan Am because it felt that Pan Am would have a monopoly over other American carriers in the region. In the fall of 1930, Tom and Paul Braniff once again founded a new airline called Braniff Airways, Inc., which was organized on November 3, 1930, and began service on November 13, 1930, between Oklahoma City and Tulsa and Oklahoma City and Wichita Falls Texas. Howard Putnam stepped down as president of the company with the announcement of the agreement and longtime Braniff International Senior Vice President of Flight Operations Dale R. States, became president of the company until the reorganization into Dalfort Corporation was completed on December 15, 1983. Braniff was the first airline authorized by the CAB to operate JATO or Jet Assisted Take-Off aircraft (DC-4) at La Paz. Pan American Chairman, and former Braniff International President, Ed Acker had previously served as Chairman of Air Florida before taking the leadership position at Pan American. [1] The last Braniff MAC charter associated with the Vietnam War was flown in 1975. The domestic air carrier was originally headquartered at Dallas Love Field in Dallas, Texas, and later Orlando, Florida. The domestic flights often had no more than 15 passengers on average for each flight while Braniff's Boeing 727 flights were filled close to the capacity despite being 20 minutes slower than Concorde. Braniff International Airways was an American carrier that ceased operations in 1982. "All key indicators have leveraged a favorable decision to move forward as . It operated a fleet of Boeing 727-200s and McDonnell Douglas DC-10s until 2001 when it filed for bankruptcy. The airline began marketing itself simply as Braniff International, or BI. August 03, 1978. Box 610646 2200 W. Braniff Boulevard (West Airfield Drive), Fleet was retired in 1972 but one aircraft was converted for executive charter work until 1977, Only four were delivered. Braniff and National were chosen after Greatamerica CFO Charles Edward Acker identified them as under-utilized and under-managed companies. The one-way fare between the two cities was $12.50 or $20.00 round trip with a baggage allowance of 25 pounds and a charge of 10 cents for each pound over the maximum allowable amount. VIP Classic Wings 98: Volume 2 was released later the same year as a special edition mail-order only product. [27] From Los Angeles, new nonstop transpacific Boeing 747 service was flown to Guam and Seoul with direct, no change of plane 747 flights being operated to Hong Kong and Singapore. We would like to thank you for visiting our website. The remainder of the 727s were all-Coach Class with reduced fares. Braniff Place World Headquarters, P. O. Halston's uniforms and simple designs were praised by critics and passengers. Jet Airlines. Acker had stated in a 1964 study that Braniff's conservative management was hampering the growth that the "jet age" required, in part by cash purchase of new planes instead of financing them, diverting working capital from growth initiatives. Braniff International Airways succumbed to overexpansion during airline deregulation of the 1970s. Service was started with a Boeing 727-100 jetliner, number 475, which was nicknamed "Ju-Ju," and a Douglas DC-6B propliner. [1], The Braniff 747 livery of bright orange led to the aircraft being nicknamed "The Great Pumpkin". In 1955 Braniff underwent a major expansion of routes and upgrade of equipment. However, in early 2022, the private Trust that originally owned Braniff's intellectual property since 1983, reacquired these assets along with the original Braniff companies and corresponding assets. Aside from a few second-hand DC-8-51s and the long range DC-8-62s these colours would be seen exclusively on 727s. The 727-227 Advanced had been the backbone of the Braniff fleet throughout the 1970s and with its massive deregulation push it had ordered large numbers of new examples. . It embraced the bold colors of the 1960s and 1970s with their trendy "Flying Colors" livery. In February 1957, Braniff moved into a new headquarters located temporarily in the new Exchange Bank Building at Exchange Park, a high-rise office development within sight of Dallas Love Field. Two airlines were formed from the assets of Braniff: In early 2015, the private irrevocable Trust that owned and administered Braniff's intellectual property and certain other company assets since 1983, released the assets to a private entity connected to the private Trust, which founded a series of new Braniff companies that were incorporated in the State of Oklahoma, for historical purposes and for administration of the Braniff trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property. In 1965 Braniff's fleet was about half jet, comprising 707s, 720s and British Aircraft Corporation BAC One-Eleven jetliners. First Lady Betty Ford dedicated "Flying Colors of the United States" in Washington, D.C. on November 17, 1975. Vintage Airlines. The long range Boeing 707-320C intercontinental model was then introduced. [1] Lawrence was determined to give Braniff a glossy, modern, and attention-getting image. Braniff inaugurated new service from Lima, Peru, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with a stop at Sao Paulo, added in October 1950. Bnf. Over the next 15 years, his expansion into new markets combined with ideas unorthodox for the airline industry led Braniff to record financial and operating performance, expanding its earnings tenfold despite typical passenger load factors around 50 percent. Service was extended in March 1950 from La Paz to Asuncion, Paraguay, and in May 1950 to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Howard Putnam implemented a one-fare-structure plan called the Texas Class Campaign. Braniff (1983-1990) Braniff Inc. was a US-based airline that operated flights from 1984 until 1989 and was partially formed from the assets of the original Braniff International Airways. Fifteen colors were used by Braniff for plane exteriors during the 1960s and many of the color schemes were applied to aircraft interiors, gate lounges, ticket offices and the flight crew uniforms. King, a former Braniff vice president; two-thirds of the airline's executives came from Braniff, and even its office furniture was Braniff surplus bought at the airline's bankruptcy liquidation sale. A sleek new paint scheme, dubbed Ultra, was designed by Braniff's industrial design firm, Harper and George along with Detroit auto company Cars and Concepts in conjunction with Halston. Emilio Pucci designed additional new uniforms for Braniff through 1975. [1] In 1978 N601BN flew the first flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to London. United States. Only 30 Boeing 727-200s are left, and they are being repainted and . Braniff's fuel costs rose from nearly US$200 million to US$400 million during 1979 and in spite of this huge increase in costs, the company still managed to implement service to multiple domestic destinations and expand across the Atlantic and Pacific and endure the airline coupon sales gimmicks used by passengers during the fourth quarter of 1979, which caused Braniff to lose 5 percentage points of load factor during the fourth quarter, and still only report a moderate loss of US$39 million. [9], On January 10, 1954, Braniff's founder Thomas Elmer Braniff died when a Grumman flying boat owned by United Gas crash-landed on the shore of Wallace Lake, 15 miles outside of Shreveport, Louisiana, due to icing. Braniff began operating Long and Harman's routes on January 1, 1935, which took the airline from Chicago to Brownsville, Texas, and as far west as Amarillo, Texas. Former Braniff employees founded Minnesota-based Sun Country Airlines in 1983. 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