Freelandia

Last updated
Freelandia
FreelandiaLogo.png
Freelandia logo (reconstructed)
IATA ICAO Callsign
FRFRLFREELANDIA
Commenced operations1973
Ceased operations1974
Fleet size1 Douglas DC-8-20
Destinations7

Newark Liberty International Airport

Los Angeles International Airport

Hong Kong International Airport

Turkey Atatürk International Airport

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport

El Dorado International Airport

Miami International Airport

Freelandia was a low-cost counter-culture airline company owned by founder Kenneth Moss that operated in 1973 and the beginning of 1974. [1] The company operated an aircraft that flew between various destinations, but in an attempt to avoid regulation by the Civil Aeronautics Board, the company did not call itself an airline. Instead, it positioned itself as a travel club, with paid members who voted where the aircraft would fly. It operated only one leased DC-8-21, but lower than expected sales caused the company to cease operations in 1974 after its aircraft was repossessed for non-payment. After its demise, the company and its founder were charged with false advertising and fraudulent business practices by the State of California.

Contents

History

Company founder Kenneth Moss made $1.5 million in the stock market before he was 26 (equivalent to $12,000,000in 2022). [2] He invested $1.15 million (equivalent to $7,600,000in 2022) of his own funds into the company, and received certification from the Federal Aviation Administration on August 7, 1973. [2] [3] The company was founded as a non profit; Moss reported that income in excess of operating costs would be donated to worthy causes such as free clinics, free schools, and artists. [1] [4] In order to avoid Civil Aeronautics Board regulation of its routes, it did not call itself an airline, but a travel club, with members voting on where the company's planes would fly. [5] The company said that it had obtained landing rights in Hong Kong, Yugoslavia, and South America. [5]

It flew one aircraft, a DC-8-21 which was painted entirely in a semi-dark yellow with a waving hand as its logo on the tail. It was equipped with 149 seats with first class leg room and a 7-seat lounge that would allow the passengers to mingle. [5] Many of the seats were later removed and replaced with pillows with seat belts. [6] It was decorated in what the company described as a "far-out chocolate-and-cream color". [1] In-flight service offered organic food, rock music, and a waterbed. [1] Entertainment options included books, chess, video games, and a pinball machine. [5] [7] All of the company's flight personnel had at least 10,000 hours flight experience. [4] The company planned to add additional aircraft to its fleet every time the membership increased by 8,000. [5]

Fares were announced as $69 from Honolulu to San Francisco, $12.50 from San Francisco to Los Angeles, $69 from Los Angeles to New York, and $100 from New York to Brussels. [4] In order to get those discounted rates, travellers had to obtain a membership, with an annual fee of $50 for adults and $25 for kids under 12. [4] [1] The advertised fares were about $30 cheaper than other airlines for the flight from San Francisco to Honolulu, and about $200 less than usual for flights from the West Coast to Brussels. [7] The company stated that three thousand people had signed up with the club before its first flight. [7] Its first flight took place on September 18, 1973, from San Francisco to Honolulu. [8]

Demise

Operations ended within a year of its creation due to low sales. In November 1973, overseas flights were scrapped because the company could not fill the flights. [9] In May 1974, the company's aircraft was repossessed by the leasing company for non-payment. [9] It flew an estimated 40 or 50 flights, mostly coast to coast, before operations ceased, but interest from members wasn't enough to fill the flights to make them profitable. [10] Despite saying that flights to Hawaii would occur three times per month, it only flew there twice and the second time it had trouble obtaining fuel for the return flight. [11]

In late 1974, the company and its founder were charged in a civil suit by the State of California for false advertising and fraudulent business practices. [12] While the company had been set up as a non-profit business, the founder also set up three other for-profit corporations that were paid by the company to perform various services. [11] Rolling Stone Magazine claimed that the founder stood to make several million dollars from the venture. [11]

In 1976, Moss settled the suit for $60,000, but paid no money because his net worth was listed as less than $1,000. [13]

Moss scandal

After Freelandia airline operations ceased, founder Kenneth Moss was implicated in the death of Robbie McIntosh, drummer of the Average White Band. Moss was charged with murder and unlawfully providing narcotics during a party at his home in September 1974. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 120 days in jail and four years' probation. [14] Moss served three months at a Malibu work farm. [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

Continental Airlines, simply known as Continental, was a major American airline founded in 1934 and eventually headquartered in Houston, Texas. It had ownership interests and brand partnerships with several carriers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Airlines</span> American airline from 1925 to 1987

Western Airlines was a major U.S. air carrier based in California, operating in the Western United States including Alaska and Hawaii, and western Canada, as well as to New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Miami and to Mexico City, London and Nassau. Western had hubs at Los Angeles International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, and the former Stapleton International Airport in Denver. Before it merged with Delta Air Lines in 1987 it was headquartered at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Throughout the company's history, its slogan was "Western Airlines...The Only Way to Fly!"

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hawaiian Airlines</span> American airline

Hawaiian Airlines is the largest operator of commercial flights to and from the U.S. state of Hawaii. It is the tenth-largest commercial airline in the United States, and is based at Honolulu, Hawaii. The airline operates its main hub at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport on the island of Oʻahu and a secondary hub out of Kahului Airport on the island of Maui. The airline also maintained a crew base at Los Angeles International Airport. Hawaiian Airlines operates flights to Asia, American Samoa, Australia, French Polynesia, Hawaii, New Zealand, and the United States mainland. Hawaiian Airlines is owned by Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. of which Peter R. Ingram is the current president and chief executive officer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Francisco International Airport</span> Airport in San Francisco, California, U.S.

San Francisco International Airport is an international airport located in an unincorporated area of San Mateo County, California, United States, about 13 miles (21 km) south of San Francisco. It has flights to points throughout North America and is a major gateway to Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Oceania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollywood Burbank Airport</span> Airport in Burbank, California; serving the northern Greater Los Angeles area

Hollywood Burbank Airport, legally and formerly marketed as Bob Hope Airport after entertainer Bob Hope, is a public airport three miles (4.8 km) northwest of downtown Burbank, in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The airport serves Burbank, Hollywood, and the northern Greater Los Angeles area, which includes Glendale, Pasadena, the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Clarita Valley. It is closer to many popular attractions, including Griffith Park, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Downtown Los Angeles, than Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and it is the only airport in the area with a direct rail connection to Downtown Los Angeles, with service from two stations: Burbank Airport–North and Burbank Airport–South. Nonstop flights mostly serve cities in the western United States, though JetBlue has daily flights to New York City. Southwest also occasionally flies non regular routes to the East Coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel K. Inouye International Airport</span> Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, also known as Honolulu International Airport, is the main and largest airport in Hawaii. The airport is named after Honolulu native and Medal of Honor recipient Daniel Inouye, who represented Hawaii in the United States Senate from 1963 until his death in 2012. The airport is in the Honolulu census-designated place 3 miles (5 km) northwest of Honolulu's central business district. The airport covers 4,220 acres, more than 1% of Oahu's land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eugene Airport</span> Airport in near Eugene, Oregon

Eugene Airport, also known as Mahlon Sweet Field, is a public airport 7 miles (11 km) northwest of Eugene, in Lane County, Oregon, United States. Owned and operated by the City of Eugene, it is the fifth-largest airport in the Pacific Northwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edmonton International Airport</span> International airport serving Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Edmonton International Airport, officially branded YEG Edmonton International Airport since 2022, is the primary air passenger and air cargo facility in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region of the Canadian province of Alberta. Designated as an international airport by Transport Canada and operated by Edmonton Airports, it is located 14 nautical miles south southwest of Downtown Edmonton in Leduc County on Highway 2 opposite of the city of Leduc. The airport offers scheduled non-stop flights to major cities in Canada, the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and Europe.

Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) was a regional U.S. airline headquartered in San Diego, California, that operated from 1949 to 1988. It was the first large discount airline in the United States. PSA called itself "The World's Friendliest Airline" and painted a smile on the nose of its airplanes, the PSA Grinningbirds. Opinion L.A. of the Los Angeles Times called PSA "practically the unofficial flag carrier airline of California for almost forty years."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faa'a International Airport</span> Main airport of French Polynesia

Faa'a International Airport, also known as Tahiti International Airport, is the international airport of French Polynesia, located in the commune of Faaa, on the island of Tahiti. It is situated 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of Papeete, the capital city of the overseas collectivity. It opened in 1960. Regional air carrier Air Tahiti and international air carrier Air Tahiti Nui are both based at the airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Barbara Municipal Airport</span> Municipal airport in Goleta, California, United States

Santa Barbara Municipal Airport is 7 miles (11 km) west of downtown Santa Barbara, California, United States. SBA covers 948 acres of land and has three runways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing 377 Stratocruiser</span> US airliner with 4 piston engines, 1947

The Boeing 377 Stratocruiser was a large long-range airliner developed from the C-97 Stratofreighter military transport, itself a derivative of the B-29 Superfortress. The Stratocruiser's first flight was on July 8, 1947. Its design was advanced for its day; its relatively innovative features included two passenger decks and a pressurized cabin. It could carry up to 100 passengers on the main deck plus 14 in the lower deck lounge; typical seating was for 63 or 84 passengers or 28 berthed and five seated passengers.

Trans International Airlines (TIA) was an airline that offered charter service from and within the United States. It also operated scheduled passenger service flying as Transamerica Airlines as well as charter flights during its last decade. Its headquarters were on the grounds of Oakland International Airport (OAK) in Oakland, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Maria Public Airport</span> Municipal airport in Santa Maria, California, United States

Santa Maria Public Airport is three miles (5 km) south of Santa Maria, in northern Santa Barbara County, California, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Six</span> American businessman (1907–1986)

Robert Forman Six was the CEO of Continental Airlines from 1936 to 1980. Beginning his career in the early days of commercial aviation in the United States, his time as Continental Airlines CEO saw it become one of the largest and most profitable legacy airlines in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mokulele Airlines</span> Airline of the United States

Mokulele Airlines is an American commuter airline operating in Hawaii. The airline operates scheduled inter-island and charter flights among all Hawaiian islands with airports. Mokulele Airlines was the first FAA Part 135 Scheduled Airline to have approved iPad "Flight bags" for its pilots. In 2019, it was acquired by Southern Airways Express, but it continues to operate as its own brand within the larger airline. In June 2020, Makanai Kai Air was also acquired by Southern, and its aircraft now fly in Mokulele livery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pan Am Flight 7</span> 1957 plane crash in the Pacific Ocean

Pan Am Flight 7 was a westbound round-the-world flight operated by Pan American World Airways. On November 8, 1957, the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser 10-29 serving the flight, named Clipper Romance of the Skies, crashed in the Pacific Ocean en route to Honolulu International Airport from San Francisco. The crash killed all 36 passengers and 8 crew members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leisure Air</span>

Leisure Air was an American airline based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Beginning as a charter airline, the company expanded to offer scheduled service to major cities as a discount carrier. It operated from 1992 until 1995, when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and then ceased operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise Airlines Flight 901A</span> 1964 aviation accident

Paradise Airlines Flight 901A was a scheduled passenger flight from San Jose Municipal Airport to Tahoe Valley Airport in the United States. On March 1, 1964, the Lockheed L-049 Constellation serving the flight crashed near Genoa Peak, on the eastern side of Lake Tahoe during a heavy snowstorm, killing all 85 aboard and destroying the plane. After the crash site was located, the recovery of the wreckage and the bodies of the victims took most of a month. Crash investigators concluded that the primary cause of the accident was the pilot's decision to attempt to land at Tahoe Valley Airport when the visibility was too low due to clouds and snowstorms in the area. After aborting the landing attempt, the flight crew lost awareness of the plane's location as it flew below the minimum safe altitude in mountainous terrain. The pilot likely tried to fly through a low mountain pass in an attempt to divert to the airport in Reno, Nevada, and crashed into the left shoulder of the pass. At the time, it was the second-deadliest single-plane crash in United States history, and remains the worst accident involving the Lockheed L-049 Constellation.

Ivan Rhuele "Van" Gates was an American aviator and entrepreneur. While a member of the San Francisco Police Department, he is credited with being the first to transport a prisoner by air. He founded or co-founded the barnstorming Gates Flying Circus, which attained much success and fame in the 1920s. Later, he and designer Charles Healy Day established the Gates-Day Aircraft Company, subsequently renamed the New Standard Aircraft Company, to design and manufacture airplanes.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "To Hawaii Or New York for $69". Santa Clarita, California: The Signal. Zodiac News Service. 5 September 1973. Retrieved 10 June 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 Kistler, Robert (17 September 1973). "Millionaire Dropout Tunes In To People". The Honolulu Advertiser. Los Angeles Times News Service. p. 31. Retrieved 10 June 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Freelandia Airlines Licensed to Operate". Naples, Florida: The Naples Daily News. Associated Press. 14 August 1973. p. 25. Retrieved 10 June 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Burks, John (13 August 1973). "The Airline That's a Club". The San Francisco Examiner. p. 2. Retrieved 10 June 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Bigelow, Robert (17 September 1973). "Flight of Fancy Taking Shape". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. 31. Retrieved 10 June 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Freelandia just a plane now". White Plains, New York: The Journal News. 17 Mar 1974. p. 50. Retrieved 10 June 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 3 "Freelandia Airlines' Approach Is Lower Fares Through Dues". Muncie, Indiana: The Star Press. UPI. 2 September 1973. p. 35. Retrieved 10 June 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Armstrong, Dianne (19 September 1973). "Funky Flight was 'Fine'". The Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. 37. Retrieved 10 June 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  9. 1 2 "Flying Clubs: Establishment Vs. the Bargain-Hunters". Austin, Texas: Austin American-Statesman. Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service. 23 May 1974. p. 25. Retrieved 10 June 2019– via newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ Witkin, Richard (14 August 1974). "Freelandia may never get off ground again". Mason City, Iowa: Globe-Gazette. The New York Times. p. 17. Retrieved 10 June 2010– via Newspapers.com.
  11. 1 2 3 Smollar, David (4 August 1974). "Freelandia air club takes nose dive". The Honolulu Advertiser. p. 3. Retrieved 10 June 2019– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ Oliver, Myrna (27 November 1974). "Suit Charges Fraud by Nonprofit 'Airline'". Los Angeles Times. p. 14. Retrieved 10 June 2019– via newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ Oliver, Myrna (25 June 1976). "Head of Defunct 'Airline' to Pay Fines". The Los Angeles Times. p. 17. Retrieved 10 June 2019– via newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Ex-Stock Whiz Gets Jail Term In Drug Death". Charleston, West Virginia: The Charleston Daily Mail. Associated Press. 9 Jan 1976. p. 2. Retrieved 10 June 2019– via newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ Lenzner, Robert. "Steel Wrapped in Velvet". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.