 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Founded | 1981 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commenced operations | 1983 | ||||||
| Ceased operations | 1988 | ||||||
| Fleet size | 13 | ||||||
| Headquarters | Las Vegas, Nevada | ||||||
Sunworld International Airways was a small, all-jet airline that operated in the western USA from 1983 until liquidated in 1988. Towards the end of operations it was known as Sunworld Airlines.
Sunworld International Airways (not to be confused with Sunworld International Airlines) was founded by ex-managers of Bonanza Air Lines as Jetwest International Airways in 1981, but initiated operations on May 27, 1983, under the Sunworld name with Douglas DC-9-10 series jet aircraft. Although the word "international" appears in the airline's name, it appears that Sunworld never operated any international flights on a scheduled basis.[ citation needed ]
Sunworld was based in Las Vegas, Nevada with Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) initially serving as the hub for the airline. In 1984, the airline was operating nonstop service between Las Vegas and Oakland (OAK), Oklahoma City (OKC), Ontario (ONT), San Jose (SJC), Tucson (TUS) and Tulsa (TUL) with a total of 12 daily nonstop flight departures from Las Vegas operated with Douglas DC-9 jets. [1]
In 1985, the airline initiated Boeing 737-300 jet service. Sunworld also operated British Aerospace BAe 146-100 jet aircraft at one point.[ citation needed ]
In early 1987, Sunworld was operating its primary hub at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) with nonstop flights between Reno and Boise (BOI), Burbank (BUR), Las Vegas (LAS), Ontario (ONT), Portland (PDX), San Diego (SAN), Seattle (SEA) and Spokane (GEG) in addition to direct service between Reno and Oklahoma City (OKC) and Tulsa (TUL) via Las Vegas. [2] However, by September 1987 Las Vegas had once again become the primary hub for the airline with up to 21 nonstop flight departures a day while Reno had become a secondary hub with up to 12 nonstop flight departures a day. [3]
According to the airline's system timetable dated September 14, 1987, Sunworld was serving the following destinations: [4]
Besides flights to and from Las Vegas and Reno, the above referenced system timetable also lists point-to-point nonstop service between San Diego and Tucson as well as direct, no change of plane service between several other city pairs in the airline's route system via either Las Vegas or Reno.
 |
Other cities previously served by Sunworld during its existence included:
In January 1988, virtually all flights were cancelled due to financial reasons and the only scheduled route being flown was Las Vegas-Omaha. Nonscheduled charter work was also being undertaken at this time. By April 1988, Sunworld had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and with debts of over US$15 million, operations could not be sustained. On November 7, 1988, the airline was liquidated. [5]
| |
Western Airlines was a major airline in the United States 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!"
William P. Hobby Airport — colloquially referred to as Houston Hobby or other short names — is an international airport in Houston, Texas, located 7 mi (11 km) from downtown Houston. Hobby is Houston's oldest commercial airport, and was its primary airport until the Houston Intercontinental Airport, now known as the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, opened in 1969. Hobby was initially closed after the opening of Houston Intercontinental; however, it was re-opened after several years, and became a secondary airport for domestic airline service, and a center for corporate and private aviation.
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.
Panama City–Bay County International Airport was a public airport 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Panama City, in Bay County, Florida. It was owned and operated by the Panama City–Bay County Airport and Industrial District. All airline services moved to the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport on May 22, 2010, but the airfield was open to general aviation aircraft until October 1, 2010. The grounds will eventually be turned over to LUK-MB1 LLC, which plans to remove the runways and build homes, shops, walking trails and a marina.
Corpus Christi International Airport is 6 miles west of Corpus Christi, in Nueces County, Texas. It opened in 1960, replacing Cliff Maus airport at 27.767°N 97.44°W, where the Lozano Golf Center is now located.
Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport is five miles north of Lubbock, in Lubbock County, Texas, United States. Originally Lubbock International Airport, it was renamed in 2004 for former Texas governor Preston E. Smith, an alumnus of Texas Tech University.
California Redwood Coast – Humboldt County Airport, also known as Arcata–Eureka Airport and Arcata Airport, is in Humboldt County, California, United States, 8 miles (13 km) north of Arcata and 15 miles (24 km) north of Eureka, in McKinleyville.
Elko Regional Airport – formerly Elko Municipal Airport – is a public airport located approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) west of downtown Elko, in Elko County, Nevada, United States.
Idaho Falls Regional Airport is two miles north-northwest of downtown Idaho Falls, Idaho, United States. It is locally known as Fanning Field. It is the second-busiest airport in Idaho after Boise Airport.
Magic Valley Regional Airport, also known as Joslin Field, is a public use airport located four nautical miles (7 km) south of the central business district of Twin Falls, Idaho. The airport is owned by the City and County of Twin Falls. It is mostly used for general aviation but is also served by one commercial airline.
Roswell Air Center is an airport five miles (8.0 km) south of Roswell, in Chaves County, New Mexico, United States.
Fort Smith Regional Airport is a public use airport located near the Interstate 540 freeway three nautical miles (6 km) southeast of the central business district of Fort Smith, in Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States. FSM is governed by the Fort Smith Airport Commission as established by the City of Fort Smith, Arkansas. It serves the transportation needs of residents and businesses of western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. FSM is currently served by American Eagle, the regional airline affiliate of American Airlines. It has a large population of corporate and general aviation aircraft. A full-service fixed-base operator (FBO), Signature Flight Support, provides service to general aviation, airline, and military operators.
Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport is 5 mi east of downtown Brownsville, Cameron County, in the U.S. state of Texas.
Reno Air was a scheduled passenger airline headquartered in Reno, Nevada, United States. Reno Air provided service from its hubs at Reno/Tahoe International Airport in Reno, Nevada, San Jose International Airport in San Jose, California and Las Vegas International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada to destinations throughout the western United States, including Alaska. International service to Vancouver, British Columbia in western Canada was also served at one point and limited service was operated to the midwestern U.S. as well. A small stand alone operation was also undertaken at one point in the southeastern U.S. with the service being based in Gulfport, Mississippi. American Airlines acquired Reno Air in 1999.
Bonanza Air Lines was a local service carrier, a US scheduled airline focused on smaller routes in the Western United States from 1949 until it merged with two other local service airlines to form Air West in 1968. Its headquarters was initially Las Vegas, Nevada, and moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1966.
Mammoth Yosemite Airport is a town-owned public airport seven miles east of Mammoth Lakes, in Mono County, California, United States. Also known as Mammoth Lakes Airport or Mammoth–June Lake Airport, it is mainly used for general aviation, but has scheduled passenger flights operated by one airline which primarily serves the airport on a seasonal basis during the winter ski season. Additional scheduled passenger service for the Mammoth area is seasonally available at the nearby Eastern Sierra Regional Airport located in Bishop, CA.
Lake Tahoe Airport is a public airport three miles southwest of South Lake Tahoe, in El Dorado County, California. It covers 348 acres (141 ha) and has one runway; it is sometimes called Tahoe Valley Airport. Although the airport had almost forty years of airline service, since 2000, it has served only general aviation.
Key Airlines was founded as Thunderbird Airlines in 1964 and then changed its name in 1969. The airline took over Sun Valley Airlines in 1972 and became known as Sun Valley Key Airlines for several years until reverting to the Key Airlines name. The airline began as a commuter and charter air carrier in the western United States flying turboprop and prop aircraft. In later years, Key Airlines operated a hub in Savannah, Georgia with scheduled passenger flights operated with mainline jet aircraft to international and domestic destinations.
Northeastern International Airways was a low-fare airline established in 1980 and based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Between 1982 and 1985, the airline operated scheduled passenger flights in the northeastern United States, Florida, California and Oklahoma, and also served Kansas City, Missouri; Las Vegas, Nevada; Little Rock, Arkansas; and New Orleans, Louisiana where the airline operated a small hub during the summer of 1984.
Best Airlines was a small airline that flew to a miscellaneous and changing group of cities in the Mid-Atlantic United States in the mid-1980s. Their headquarters was in the Covington, Kentucky area which is near the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport. The May 15, 1983 timetable indicates headquarters in Florence, KY and the January 7, 1985 timetable indicates headquarters in Ft. Mitchell, KY. According to the Official Airline Guide (OAG), the two letter airline code for Best was "IW".
 | This article relating to a United States airline is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
