PIA - A History: Events of 1980
To understand events of 1980, we must begin in late-1979.
The completion of the Interstate 474 bypass (and Airport Road interchange) on December 20 that year expanded PIA's catchment area, but unfortunately failed to compensate for an increasingly difficult period in local aviation history.
- David P. Jordan
The completion of the Interstate 474 bypass (and Airport Road interchange) on December 20 that year expanded PIA's catchment area, but unfortunately failed to compensate for an increasingly difficult period in local aviation history.
The UAW Local 974 struck area Caterpillar Tractor Company plant on October 1, 1979, forcing a reduction in manufacturing and logistics operations. The walkout ended in mid-December but reduced corporate (and probably leisure) travel, impacting passenger traffic at the Greater Peoria Airport.
On October 6, 1979 the Federal Reserve changed its monetary policy as a means to slay inflation, resulting in much higher interest rates. Already suffering from rising unemployment, the national economy plunged into recession from January to July 1980.
From May 5 through June 1, Ozark Air Lines was shut down due to a mechanic's strike. As a consequence of each event noted above, PIA passenger traffic dipped.
The year began with good service levels. Comparison and contrast is in order here. Ozark Air Lines' December 15, 1979 timetable shows the following weekday departures.
Atlanta/2 flights, DC-9, DC-9
Burlington (IA)/1 flight, DC-9 (continues to STL)
Cedar Rapids/1 flight, DC-9 (continues to RST & MSP)
Champaign-Urbana/1 flight, DC-9 (continues to BAL & LGA)
Chicago-O'Hare/5 flights, DC-9, DC-9, DC-9, FH-227, FH-227
Decatur/1 flight, FH-227 (continues to STL)
Denver/1 flight, DC-9
Des Moines/3 flights, DC-9, DC-9, DC-9
Detroit (Metro)/1 flight, DC-9
Indianapolis/3 flights, DC-9 (continues to MIA), DC-9 (continues to SDF & TPA), DC-9
Minneapolis-St. Paul/1 flight, DC-9
St. Louis/1 flight, DC-9
Sioux City/1 flight, DC-9 (continues to DEN)
Springfield (IL)/4 flights, DC-9, DC-9, DC-9, DC-9 (all continue to STL)
Note that of 26 weekday departures, 23 were operated with DC-9s. Although East Coast service had been reduced to a single roundtrip after the strike, it appeared Ozark had re-committed to providing Peorians with nonstop flights and same-plane service to major markets rather than routing them through interline connections at Chicago-O'Hare or via its growing St. Louis hub. Then something changed. Compare the above with data from Ozark's April 27, 1980 timetable.
Cedar Rapids/2 flights, DC-9, DC-9 (continues to RST & MSP)
Champaign-Urbana/1 flight, DC-9 (continues to BAL & LGA)
Chicago-O'Hare/5 flights, DC-9, FH-227, DC-9, FH-227, DC-9
Denver/1 flight, DC-9
Detroit (Metro)/1 flight, DC-9
Indianapolis/2 flights, DC-9 (continues to BNA & TPA), DC-9
Minneapolis-St. Paul/1 flight, DC-9
Moline/1 flight, DC-9
St. Louis/4 flights, FH-227, DC-9, DC-9 (continues to HOU), DC-9 (continues to ATL)
Springfield (IL)/1 flight, DC-9 (continues to STL & HOU)
Waterloo/1 flight, DC-9 (continues to DEN)
Weekday departures had been reduced to 20, with only 17 flown with DC-9s. The recession was biting and the airline was emphasizing its growing St. Louis hub-and-spoke operation. Atlanta nonstops were quietly dropped, one-stop service to Miami was gone and Nashville replaced Louisville on the MSP-PIA-IND-SDF-TPA route.
Unfortunately, Ozark's contract with its mechanics' union expired May 31, 1979. Months of talks failed and a strike began May 5, 1980. For a second time in less than a year, the airline had to suspend operations.
Ozark lost $3.4 million in the third quarter of 1979 due to the earlier strike as well as rising fuel prices, so events of 1980 put it in a precarious financial position. Fortunately, this second walkout was shorter than the first.
Mechanics ratified a new contract on May 24 and the airline resumed 75 percent of its flights on June 2, with full service in place on July 1. New, nonstop service between Peoria and New York-LaGuardia Airport (with a Moline tag-on) began on the latter date, thus resuming twice-daily service to the East Coast.
Ozark's Peoria service became an all-jet affair on October 26 when the airline phased out its last four FH-227B's. By this time, however, the second daily New York-LaGuardia nonstop service was routed via Baltimore in both directions.
Continental Airlines maintained a daily Peoria-Denver-Los Angeles roundtrip on a Boeing 727-200. Although the Civil Aeronautics Board had already denied a proposed merger with Western Air Lines, talks resumed by early August 1980. "Western & Continental Transportation Corporation" never happened and the year was largely uneventful, save for a flight attendants' strike which began December 5 and lasted about ten days.
Peoria gained and lost commuter airlines during 1980. Here's a summary of their activity.
AIR ILLINOIS
This Carbondale, Illinois-based commuter airline began flying to Peoria April 1, 1980 with a single roundtrip daily except Saturday to St. Louis using a 17-seat DHC-6. On April 27, the airline began service between Peoria and Chicago-Meigs Field and increased service to St. Louis using a mix of DHC-6s and Beech C-99s. On August 15, the airline replaced Meigs with Midway (and interline connections with upstate Midway Airlines), but too few passengers and a poor economy prompted it to drop Peoria on September 27.
On October 6, 1979 the Federal Reserve changed its monetary policy as a means to slay inflation, resulting in much higher interest rates. Already suffering from rising unemployment, the national economy plunged into recession from January to July 1980.
From May 5 through June 1, Ozark Air Lines was shut down due to a mechanic's strike. As a consequence of each event noted above, PIA passenger traffic dipped.
The year began with good service levels. Comparison and contrast is in order here. Ozark Air Lines' December 15, 1979 timetable shows the following weekday departures.
Atlanta/2 flights, DC-9, DC-9
Burlington (IA)/1 flight, DC-9 (continues to STL)
Cedar Rapids/1 flight, DC-9 (continues to RST & MSP)
Champaign-Urbana/1 flight, DC-9 (continues to BAL & LGA)
Chicago-O'Hare/5 flights, DC-9, DC-9, DC-9, FH-227, FH-227
Decatur/1 flight, FH-227 (continues to STL)
Denver/1 flight, DC-9
Des Moines/3 flights, DC-9, DC-9, DC-9
Detroit (Metro)/1 flight, DC-9
Indianapolis/3 flights, DC-9 (continues to MIA), DC-9 (continues to SDF & TPA), DC-9
Minneapolis-St. Paul/1 flight, DC-9
St. Louis/1 flight, DC-9
Sioux City/1 flight, DC-9 (continues to DEN)
Springfield (IL)/4 flights, DC-9, DC-9, DC-9, DC-9 (all continue to STL)
Note that of 26 weekday departures, 23 were operated with DC-9s. Although East Coast service had been reduced to a single roundtrip after the strike, it appeared Ozark had re-committed to providing Peorians with nonstop flights and same-plane service to major markets rather than routing them through interline connections at Chicago-O'Hare or via its growing St. Louis hub. Then something changed. Compare the above with data from Ozark's April 27, 1980 timetable.
Cedar Rapids/2 flights, DC-9, DC-9 (continues to RST & MSP)
Champaign-Urbana/1 flight, DC-9 (continues to BAL & LGA)
Chicago-O'Hare/5 flights, DC-9, FH-227, DC-9, FH-227, DC-9
Denver/1 flight, DC-9
Detroit (Metro)/1 flight, DC-9
Indianapolis/2 flights, DC-9 (continues to BNA & TPA), DC-9
Minneapolis-St. Paul/1 flight, DC-9
Moline/1 flight, DC-9
St. Louis/4 flights, FH-227, DC-9, DC-9 (continues to HOU), DC-9 (continues to ATL)
Springfield (IL)/1 flight, DC-9 (continues to STL & HOU)
Waterloo/1 flight, DC-9 (continues to DEN)
Weekday departures had been reduced to 20, with only 17 flown with DC-9s. The recession was biting and the airline was emphasizing its growing St. Louis hub-and-spoke operation. Atlanta nonstops were quietly dropped, one-stop service to Miami was gone and Nashville replaced Louisville on the MSP-PIA-IND-SDF-TPA route.
Unfortunately, Ozark's contract with its mechanics' union expired May 31, 1979. Months of talks failed and a strike began May 5, 1980. For a second time in less than a year, the airline had to suspend operations.
Ozark lost $3.4 million in the third quarter of 1979 due to the earlier strike as well as rising fuel prices, so events of 1980 put it in a precarious financial position. Fortunately, this second walkout was shorter than the first.
Mechanics ratified a new contract on May 24 and the airline resumed 75 percent of its flights on June 2, with full service in place on July 1. New, nonstop service between Peoria and New York-LaGuardia Airport (with a Moline tag-on) began on the latter date, thus resuming twice-daily service to the East Coast.
Ozark's Peoria service became an all-jet affair on October 26 when the airline phased out its last four FH-227B's. By this time, however, the second daily New York-LaGuardia nonstop service was routed via Baltimore in both directions.
Continental Airlines maintained a daily Peoria-Denver-Los Angeles roundtrip on a Boeing 727-200. Although the Civil Aeronautics Board had already denied a proposed merger with Western Air Lines, talks resumed by early August 1980. "Western & Continental Transportation Corporation" never happened and the year was largely uneventful, save for a flight attendants' strike which began December 5 and lasted about ten days.
Peoria gained and lost commuter airlines during 1980. Here's a summary of their activity.
AIR ILLINOIS
This Carbondale, Illinois-based commuter airline began flying to Peoria April 1, 1980 with a single roundtrip daily except Saturday to St. Louis using a 17-seat DHC-6. On April 27, the airline began service between Peoria and Chicago-Meigs Field and increased service to St. Louis using a mix of DHC-6s and Beech C-99s. On August 15, the airline replaced Meigs with Midway (and interline connections with upstate Midway Airlines), but too few passengers and a poor economy prompted it to drop Peoria on September 27.
BRITT AIRWAYS
Newspaper advertisements show an increase in weekday roundtrips to Chicago-O'Hare from four to five on February 1, 1980. By August there were seven regular weekday roundtrips. The Terre Haute, Indiana-based commuter airline, which also operated two weekday roundtrips between Peoria and Springfield, used 18-seat Swearingen Metroliners for its local flights.
When mechanics struck Ozark Air Lines on May 5, Britt added a second section of its late-evening "turnaround" from Chicago-O'Hare using a 15-seat Beech C-99. The carrier added four extra flights between May 15 and May 30.
On October 26, the airline began operating a 48-seat FH-227 on one Chicago-O'Hare roundtrip, replacing one of six Metroliner flights. It was the same day Ozark Air Lines ended its own service with that type.
BURLINGTON AIRWAYS
This carrier began two weekday roundtrips between Peoria with Milwaukee on June 30 using seven-seat Beech 18s.
COLEMAN AIR TRANSPORT
Lack of passengers forced Coleman to drop flights on January 30, ending its Peoria-Rockford-Cleveland route.
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AIRLINES
MVA increased service to Chicago-O'Hare on September 15 when one roundtrip was dropped and two were added (at different times for a total of four). All were operated with the 30-seat Shorts 330. Kansas City nonstops were considered but never added.
When mechanics struck Ozark Air Lines on May 5, Britt added a second section of its late-evening "turnaround" from Chicago-O'Hare using a 15-seat Beech C-99. The carrier added four extra flights between May 15 and May 30.
On October 26, the airline began operating a 48-seat FH-227 on one Chicago-O'Hare roundtrip, replacing one of six Metroliner flights. It was the same day Ozark Air Lines ended its own service with that type.
BURLINGTON AIRWAYS
This carrier began two weekday roundtrips between Peoria with Milwaukee on June 30 using seven-seat Beech 18s.
COLEMAN AIR TRANSPORT
Lack of passengers forced Coleman to drop flights on January 30, ending its Peoria-Rockford-Cleveland route.
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AIRLINES
MVA increased service to Chicago-O'Hare on September 15 when one roundtrip was dropped and two were added (at different times for a total of four). All were operated with the 30-seat Shorts 330. Kansas City nonstops were considered but never added.
MISCELLANEOUS
On January 15, 1980 a United States Air Force E-4 (Boeing 747) conducted several touch-and-goes. This was probably the first ever visit by a Boeing 747 to the Greater Peoria Airport. The Giant Jet's thrust blew out quite a few of the airport's landing lights during its visit. An E-4 returned here August 12 for touch-and-goes.
Republican presidential hopeful Ronald Reagan made an hour-long stop at PIA on March 15. As his party's nominee, Reagan returned here November 3 with his running mate, George Bush, and comedian Bob Hope for a campaign rally. The former actor and recent California governor, an Illinois native who attended Eureka College in 1928-1932, was elected president the next day. His plane, LeaderShip '80, was a chartered United Air Lines Boeing 727-100.
Vice President Walter Mondale visited PIA September 10 on a VC-9C (DC-9) to campaign for President Jimmy Carter's re-election.
In February 1980, Peoria was revealed to be one of several Illinois cities interested in becoming an air cargo hub for Flying Tiger Line. Plans to relocate Smithville Road and extend Runway 22 southwest to 10,000 feet (and eventually 11,500) to support a 56-acre, 2,000-employee hub operation remained in the discussion stage two months later. The Peoria Journal Star made no further mention of the proposed hub.
During a visit to Peoria on September 19, United Air Lines CEO Richard J. Ferris said his airline would never serve Peoria, if he had his way. (Apparently, he didn't have his way four years later.)
Late in the year, the Greater Peoria Airport Authority considered purchasing five used jetways from Delta Air Lines, but decided against the plan. Instead, it began to study purchase of new jetways.
SCHEDULES, MAPS
Based on enplanement figures shown in the Illinois Airport Inventory Report (2012), the Greater Peoria Airport handled just 454,500 passsengers in 1980, nearly 100,000 fewer than the 1978 peak of 550,997. Clearly, Ozark Air Lines' strikes, rising fuel prices (and air fares) as well as economic recession had taken their toll. The following schedules and route map are culled from the Official Airline Guide's July 1980 North American Edition.
On January 15, 1980 a United States Air Force E-4 (Boeing 747) conducted several touch-and-goes. This was probably the first ever visit by a Boeing 747 to the Greater Peoria Airport. The Giant Jet's thrust blew out quite a few of the airport's landing lights during its visit. An E-4 returned here August 12 for touch-and-goes.
Republican presidential hopeful Ronald Reagan made an hour-long stop at PIA on March 15. As his party's nominee, Reagan returned here November 3 with his running mate, George Bush, and comedian Bob Hope for a campaign rally. The former actor and recent California governor, an Illinois native who attended Eureka College in 1928-1932, was elected president the next day. His plane, LeaderShip '80, was a chartered United Air Lines Boeing 727-100.
Vice President Walter Mondale visited PIA September 10 on a VC-9C (DC-9) to campaign for President Jimmy Carter's re-election.
In February 1980, Peoria was revealed to be one of several Illinois cities interested in becoming an air cargo hub for Flying Tiger Line. Plans to relocate Smithville Road and extend Runway 22 southwest to 10,000 feet (and eventually 11,500) to support a 56-acre, 2,000-employee hub operation remained in the discussion stage two months later. The Peoria Journal Star made no further mention of the proposed hub.
During a visit to Peoria on September 19, United Air Lines CEO Richard J. Ferris said his airline would never serve Peoria, if he had his way. (Apparently, he didn't have his way four years later.)
Late in the year, the Greater Peoria Airport Authority considered purchasing five used jetways from Delta Air Lines, but decided against the plan. Instead, it began to study purchase of new jetways.
SCHEDULES, MAPS
Based on enplanement figures shown in the Illinois Airport Inventory Report (2012), the Greater Peoria Airport handled just 454,500 passsengers in 1980, nearly 100,000 fewer than the 1978 peak of 550,997. Clearly, Ozark Air Lines' strikes, rising fuel prices (and air fares) as well as economic recession had taken their toll. The following schedules and route map are culled from the Official Airline Guide's July 1980 North American Edition.
- David P. Jordan
Hello:
ReplyDeleteWas Ozark able to sell tickets through from LGA to DEN?
Probably, because the OAG shows 4-stop flights operating LGA-BAL-CMI-PIA-ALO-DEN and reverse, but it is unlikely anyone actually traveled such a route (save for a plane nut) when TWA offered 1-stops (either LGA-ORD-DEN or LGA-IND-DEN). Nonstops out of EWR (CO and UA) and JFK (TW and UA) were available in July 1980 as well.
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