Florida Express

Last updated
Florida Express
IATA ICAO Callsign
ZOFLXFLEXAIR
Founded24 January 1983
Commenced operations26 January 1984 (1984-01-26)
Operating bases Orlando International Airport
Fleet sizeSee Fleet below
DestinationsSee Destinations below
Headquarters Orlando, Florida, United States
Key peopleGordon Linkon
Employees385 (1985)

Florida Express was an airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida, United States. Orlando International Airport (MCO) served as the airline's hub with a point-to-point linear route system in the eastern U.S. and Florida. Established in 1984, [1] the air carrier operated a small fleet consisting exclusively of British Aircraft Corporation BAC One-Eleven twin jet aircraft and employed approximately 385 employees in 1985. [2] It was incorporated in Delaware on January 24, 1983 [3] and received its economic certificate from the Civil Aeronautics Board exactly a year later on January 24, 1984. [4] First flight was January 26, 1984 and it was co-founded and led by Gordon Linkon, a former Midway Airlines president and Frontier Airlines executive. [5] The airline completed an initial public offering on October 16, 1985, raising $13mm. [6] The airline's toll-free phone number was 1-800-FAST-JET. [7]

Contents

On October 28, 1987, the second incarnation of Braniff announced its acquisition of Florida Express in a deal worth $20mm (over $50mm in 2024 dollars). [8] After government approvals, the deal closed on April 19, 1988. [9] However, before the deal closed, from January 15, 1988 onward, Florida Express flew for Braniff under the name Braniff Express. [10]

Fleet

1987-88 World Airline Fleets (copyright 1987) lists the Air Florida fleet as follows: [11]

The 203AE series aircraft were originally delivered to Braniff International Airways, [12] the US trunk carrier that ceased operation in 1982, a separate but related carrier from the Braniff that bought Florida Express.

January 1984 Destinations

The following destination information is taken from the January 26, 1984 Florida Express system timetable: [13]

April 1986 Destinations

The following destination information is taken from the April 27, 1986 Florida Express system timetable: [14]

See also

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References

  1. Florida Express, Sunshine Skies, retrieved August 12, 2018
  2. "World Airline Directory." Flight International. March 30, 1985. 78." Retrieved on June 17, 2009.
  3. "Open Corporates record for Delaware incorporation of Florida Express". opencorporates.com. Open Corporates. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  4. "Florida Express, Fitness Investigation". Civil Aeronautics Board Reports. 105: 389–392. November 1983 – January 1984. hdl:2027/osu.32437000534046.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
  5. Florida Express From the Ground Up, Orlando Sentinel, July 9, 1984
  6. Florida Express stock stale misses target by $3 million, Orlando Sentinel, October 17, 1985
  7. "1987 - Ad for Florida Express Airlines" (video). youtube.com. TheClassicSports. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  8. Braniff, Florida Express announce merger plans, Orlando Sentinel, October 29, 1987
  9. Florida Express no more - It's Braniff from now on, Orlando Sentinel, April 20, 1988
  10. Braniff, Florida Express have a date at the altar, Palm Beach Post, April 18, 1988
  11. Gunter G. Endres (1987). 1987-88 World Airline Fleets. Feltham, Middlesex, UK: Browcom Publishing. p. 170. ISBN   0946141304.
  12. Malcolm L. Hill (1999). BAC One-Eleven. Ramsbury, Wiltshire, UK: Crowood Press. p. 187. ISBN   1861262191.
  13. January 26, 1984 Florida Express timetable
  14. April 27, 1986 Florida Express timetable
  15. newspaper/timetable

Norwood, Tom (1996). Deregulation Knockouts: Round One. Sand Point, Idaho: Airways International. p. 86. ISBN   9780965399302.

"1987 - Ad for Florida Express Airlines" (video). youtube.com. TheClassicSports. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2024.