Despite the economic pall persisting over the nation, CEO Shimp was clearly preparing for the long haul as he inaugurated a major expansion service into three new cities. He also announced that the airline would be providing "magical smiles" as a twelve-year agreement with Disneyland was inked, making PSA the famed theme park's official airline. Several customer services were initiated, including a frequent flyer program called the Executive Flyer Club, and for the first time, seat assignments on all flights were now de rigueur.
In 1984, PSA began consolidating its cost-cutting strategies: the fleet was rejuvenated and a major contract negotiation saved some $20 million a year in labor costs. The carrier took delivery of the first six British Aerospace 146-200s. Stubby and kind of homely, the British jets were also quieter and stingier with fuel. The 146s used half as much as the Boeing 727-200's
And in November, the last of the Boeings, the beloved workhorse of PSA's fleet, was retired, having carried more than 92 million passengers in its twenty-year stint.
Sadly, William Shimp, CEO since 1976, died of a heart attack in May. In addition to having served as chief pilot of the airline for a number of years, Shimp had guided PSA through some of its worst turbulence, facing economic realities with equanimity. Paul Barkley, formerly PSA's president, succeed him.
The decade's midpoint was marked by an increased concentration on customer service as the 146s were reconfigured from 100 seats to a more spacious 85 seats. More of the British jets were delivered, allowing PSA to make the largest single-day expansion of new routes in its history. Seven more cities now welcomed the grinning birds.
The lineup of airline's top brass also changed as Russ Ray was named president and chief operating officer of PSA. Barkley was named chairman of the board in addition to chief executive officer.
With the addition of new destinations and an expanded fleet, PSA registered a marked increase in passenger volume in 1985.
If PSA can be considered a person-and many employees did anthropomorphize it-1986 was the year it was given in marriage. In December, PSA's parent company announced that Washington, D.C. based USAir Group, Inc., had come up with the bride price.
By 1986, as merger mania swept the airline industry, PSA's struggle to remain independent had grown more painful. As recently as 1984, CEO Barkley had sworn PSA could go it alone, "and I meant it."
But the environment changed with each merger. PSA's success had driven Republic Airlines out of the major Western markets. Republic Airlines was acquired by Northwest Orient. Suddenly Republic/Northwest Orient had huge resources and moved to recapture the West. A similar scenario took place when Delta Airlines acquired Western Airlines, which had been edged out of the commuter territory PSA so prized. Delta Airlines was a short-haul specialist, just like PSA, and very strong; its clout encouraged Western Airlines to again challenge PSA. In a similar move, Frontier Airlines was bought up by Continental Airlines, making Denver unfriendly to the grinning jets.
But the coup de grace was the purchase of Air Cal by American Airlines in November of 1986. With the power of its computer reservations system Sabre, American/AirCal was now able to fight PSA on its prized turf: the north-south commuter route along the coast.
By now, says Barkley, "it was inevitable we would have survival problems and we would be bought." Other carriers, faced with a choice of either buying a billion dollars worth of aircraft and heading for the already saturated West Coast, or, alternatively, buying the one remaining independent carrier, which already had a billion dollars worth of equipment and a major piece of the market, naturally chose the latter.
Within one hour of the American/Air Cal merger announcement, recalls Barkley, the phone rang. It was the boss of USAir Group, Inc., wanting to know if the company that owns USAir could come courting PSA.
For most PSA loyalists, it was more of an arranged match than a love affair. And the overriding emotion was one of sadness: sad that the fun was over, sad that the dreams-that inexplicable PSA mindset-would be finito.
Rudy Pfeiffer, who retired that year after twenty-two years with the airline as an aircraft electrician, voices the duality of emotion many long-serving PSA personnel felt: "I kind of hope it (the merger) goes through for them, but I was also hoping PSA's colors would be around for a long time. I knew all the early guys, and that's partly why I retired. I didn't want to see it happen."
Bonnie Johnson, the twenty-seven year accounting department veteran, is philosophical: "When the planes are painted and the smile is no more, it will be a sad day for California and a sad day for me. But things go on. USAir is a good company."
Frequent flyer Newhall, who never tires of lovingly razzing PSA, says he'll "go to pieces" after the merger. But he has some good advice for USAir: "If they'll serve dry roasted peanuts and put their stewardesses in chocolate colored banana skin outfits, I guess I'll fly with them."
Flight attendant Carol Austin is upbeat: "PSA won't die out. PSA will remain because the people at PSA are PSA. Even though we may be wearing dark blue, we'll still be wearing hula orange lipstick."
But for the founder and former CEO Andrews, the merger/marriage of the airline he nurtured so lovingly is especially painful, "like pulling my arm out and beating me with the blood stump." PSA, as he knew it, will be no more. If PSA were truly a person, then, what would Andrews say in her memory?
"She was a good lady-proud, exciting and full of life. A little hard to manage at times, but always dependable. And at all times a people lover."
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On April 8, 1988, the last day of PSA operations, I was assigned to Gate 2 at Los Angeles International Airport. It was a day filled with feelings of nostalgia, for both PSA employees and passengers. I remember making the boarding announcement for the last PSA departure that I would ever work. At its conclusion I made my customary statement, "We thank for flying with PSA," but added: "today, and through out the years." Maureen McNanny, my partner at Gate 2, said with a tear in her eye, "it was wonderful."
The next day all the PSA logos at the airport ticket counter and gates were gone, replaced by the colors and logo of USAir. But one thing did remain for a short while. Our grinning birds flew USAir routes in PSA colors with that PSA smile. Only the letters PSA had been replaced with USAir. Sadly, we watched over the next few months as the PSA colors and smile disappeared from all but our memory.
To this day, the PSA smile periodically appears mysteriously under the nose of US Airways jets. Former PSA employees expressing the love for PSA that remains today, and that will probably remain forever.
Eighteen years after PSA ceased to exist, the airline's livery reappeared once again in the sky over America. With a sense of vision never imaged by the original USAir; America West Airlines, which purchased US Airways, and retained the name, chose to honor the airlines who disappeared in acquisitions to make up what is now US Airways today by flying "retro" jets through out their system.
Catch Our Smile -The Photo Gallery-
PSA Financial/Historical Highlights Detailed By Year
Sign Or View the CATCH OUR SMILE Guestbook
Purchase a PSA 720-200 Desktop Model
The Webmaster honors the memory of the 42 victims of the crime committed aboard PSA flight 1771 on December 7, 1987.
Sources: PSA Magazine, PSA Company Store, PSA Training Department, McDonnell Douglas, Webmaster's personal photograph and memorabilia collection, a special thanks to contributing photographers Al Clegg, Steve Johnson, Richard Silagi, John P. Stewart, Michael Carter, George Gayuski, George W. Hamlin, George Canciani, and Frank C. Duarte, Jr.
Additional PSA Websites
The PSA Pacific Southwest Airlines History Museum
The PSA History/Oldtimers Page
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