Yes, “paid for their fare while inflight”. I commuted with them between Rochester and Newark. Never forget when a college kid on board had no money to pay for the flight. Some guy volunteered to pass a hat around and passengers threw their spare change in to get the kid home. It worked!
Work for Peoples Express at Newark (EWR). I was working the ramp in zone 2 (The inside wings of the north terminal). The work there was great, the staff were all young and willing to work at what ever it took to get the job done, (I loaded baggage, Drove a pushback tug, worked inside when I had to). The only job I actually hated was working the lost baggage desk inside the terminal. When PE started to down slide (I refused to work with anything that had Frank Lorenzo involved in it)....I ended up going to work for Southern Air Transport (another great airline). And if you really need a story about PE.....(here goes)...I was working a 727 flight to MIA when I met a passenger on the ramp (we ended up getting married, and still are today......Thank You Peoples Express.. You were short lived but great fun to work for.
I flew people’s express to Europe and back in 1987. On the way over in a 747 there were like 50 passengers in the entire plane. I drank wine with a fake Catholic priest who brought it aboard in a 2 liter 7 up bottle. Many passengers flipped up the arm rests and slept laying across several seats. On the return flight was nearly full and when they came down the aisle collecting money, I didn’t have enough money for the return fare. They took what I had and when I got home they held my luggage while took a taxi to my house and got the money to pay them. I didn’t even have money for food on that long flight. The steward slipped me a free sandwich meal. The darned fees exchanging marks to francs to dollar ate up more than I thought it would. Wild times!
As one of the founders of People Express I found this fairly accurate. I feel the portion on the reincarnation of People Express is misplaced as it has no place or meaning in the story of People Express.
I'm glad the history was up to speed. The portion of the 2012 People Express was just meant as a nod to where the brand has gone in recent years. I do this in all my airline history videos and explain how 3rd party companies will try and restart brands which (usually) are unsuccessful.
Yes, I was heart broken when they shut down. Remember there was no internet in those days - just phone reservations so finding cheap flights was a phone tedious endeavor with no guarantee of success. PE -you knew the time and the price.!! Loved it.
Flew PE many times between 1982 and maybe1987. Yes, I got some $19 flights, but mostly $29-$49. I never had an issue with paying for snacks or checked bags, as newly graduated engineer I simply did the math and understood the benefits of unbundled pricing. I remember flying PE to Burligton, VT as a gateway to Montreal until PE started service to Mirabel. I remember Newark's terminal C being so oversubscribed that I think PE had pressed exit doors to the tarmac into service as "gates". When I moved from California to New York for a new job, I flew PE and IIRC checked 5 bags for $15 total. I was chatting with a lady seated next to me, she asked where I lived. As I was actually moving using this flight, I simply said "Right now, I live on this airplane."
As a child born and raised in Buffalo, I remember PE very well. My family and I flew PE to our vacation home in Florida. I loved the plane and loved the airline. It truly was the predecessor to Southwest, only much better quality.
Thanks for you video. I worked for PE from 1981-1987 until the merge with CO. The best job I ever had! Working with the best of the best people ever in my life and still keep in contact with many co-workers from more than 39 years ago. It was an amazing experience that I will cherish for ever. Thank you! Tim
PeoplExpress has been one of the most interesting airlines I've researched so far (just behind Midwest Express). The concept was so "out there" that many thought it wouldn't be profitable. Of course, they proved those folks wrong! Thankfully, they found the right formula to keep the dream alive (at least for a few years before they started losing money). Such a great airline that has earned it's place in airline history!
Back in the Summer of 1983 I was just 17 and had just finished High School in Los Angeles. I wanted to visit friends and relatives near London, England, but funds were rather scarce as I hadn't yet entered the workforce. My mom always had a knack for finding a bargain and found two great ones: 1) Greyhound had a special fare of $50 round trip to anywhere in the continental US. 2) People Express had the bargain basement fare of $149 between Newark, NJ and London Gatwick, so I ended up making the 3-day trek on the bus from coast-to-coast, followed by the flight. The bus journey had to be completed within 30 days, so I stayed with friends for the better part of a month before making the reverse journey. My grandmother traveled with me on the first leg of the trip, but I traveled on my own on the returning leg - that was a bit scarier since it was the first time I hadn't been accompanied by any family members, but everything went well and I'm glad to have been able to see the sights along the way and have those memories.
I flew People Express back in the summer of 1986 on a 727 200 from Nashville to Newark. If I remember correctly the fare was only 49.00 each way. It was incredibly cheap. It was worth my 3 hour drive from Evansville, IN to catch the plane. I remember paying for the ticket on board the flight which was really cool. I was a travel agent at the time and if I recall correctly I was able to hand write the ticket using a People Express validation plate in our agency office. I remember they collected the flight coupon each direction coming down the aisle. it was certainly another world back then. I liked boarding out on the ramp as well, you don't get to do that today. If they came back I would certainly fly them again. Awesome experience!
My sister graduated HS in 1984--she wanted to attend college in the northeast so during Thanksgiving break,my family used PE from Houston to Portland ME via Newark,flying a 727-200,connecting to a 737-200--as I recall,fares were super cheap,$99 OW to Portland,what a deal! PE in my opinion,was a precursor to today's Spirit Airlines,everything after airfare you pay extra for. I still possess a PE onboard menu listing non-alcoholic drinks for 50 cents,the PE Snack Pack was $3--how i miss flying those 727's!
LOVED flying PeopleExpress! The took over the North Terminal at Newark and literally built the current Terminal C prior to the merger with Continental. Flew them countless times to Norfolk for as little as $19, as well as Boston and Pittsburgh. Ticketing was done on-board and you could buy a "snack box" for $3 and really good cheap coffee. Planes were always clean and the whole airline had a very cool, yet professional, vibe. Much of their fleet came from Lufthansa. Newark was a great choice, because it is so close to NYC and all of northern New Jersey. The merger on February 1st, however, was a disaster and it took Continental some time to get their act together. The new airline was operating shuttle flights to DCA and BOS out of the North Terminal, Terminal C and most everything else went out of a very cramped Terminal B. The revival airline in Newport News had nothing to do with the original PeopleExpress and bombed, because they had two planes and when both went down, so did the airline. However, the original PeopleExpress brand was very much loved, and missed, in the New York/New Jersey area.
we had our golden tail on lots of different liveries in those days; People's, Muse Air, New York Air, Eastern, Frontier, Texas Air. I think I managed 12 different MD-80 specs and dispatched 34 different configurations and types including our once simple fleet of 727 and DC-10's. Soon we got our own MD-80s and all those brand new 737-300s, and then all these buyout birds. It was crazy for crews, maintenance, dispatch, and material management. But People's wasn't the original airline with their concept. It was Southwest with only one aircraft type and no bundled stuff and just peanuts, which would be an upgrade now. Frankly I was never a fan of the new crowd of passengers wearing cutoffs and thongs and acting like slobs on the plane.
@@gendaminoru3195 You are correct. We were modeled after Southwest, but Donald Burr gave us Southwest on steroids. It was great in the beginning, but it didn't last long, when all of us saw the proverbial writing on the wall coming. We had a blast while it lasted.
I remember taking PEOPLExpress to DCA from EWR for $19.00 each way. Ironically, they operated from the North Terminal at both airports. EWR was my hometown airport and it was nice to see how this airline put EWR on the map to help make it what it is today as beforehand, you could throw a bowling ball through the check-in area of the terminal and not hit a single person. Of course, I am exaggerating, but no one wanted to fly out of EWR unless you lived in NJ, that was until PEOPLExpress came into town. I really miss this airline. :-(
It was a great airline, you could never find another airline so cheap especially with how surprisingly good an experience they were for passengers. They were very successful until after 1984 when they got the major airlines nervous with more flights and creating stiffer competition
Flew them in the '80's Syracuse to NY. They had the coolest passenger handling I ever saw. Just like in the video - no tickets, no boarding passes, no seat assignments, just a herd rushing to get on the plane first come first served. The flight attendants worked their butts off trying to collect all the cash fares during taxi before takeoff. Surreal.
I know, I flew with them to London in 1984. The only thing missing was having standing passengers in the isle holding onto the rail like on a subway! 🤣
@@jslasher1 _"Butts"_ as in the slang terminology, shortened version of _"buttocks"_ as in posterior or French derived _"derriere"_ or Latin _"gluteus maximus"_ muscles.
I flew People's Express out of Newark a couple of times in the mid 80's, both times pretty much on a whim, last minute plans for a weekend trip to Florida. It was pretty much as described. I showed up, got in line got on and paid in cash for everything. Other than that, the actual flight was no different than any other full service airline I've flown. The staff were all very friendly and accommodating.
There were no reservations so no huge cost reservation system. The majors had reservations but you paid at the airport so they had many no shows and thus empty seats. Not people Express. Get in line until the plane is full. I commuted between Florida - New York - and Portland Maine. Fast and cheap. Very rarely did I have to wait for the next plane. I once flew ALONE from Sarasota, Fl to Newark - 727 - Tuesday nite 10 pm summer. No food service - the attendant gave me the free soft drink and said "we'll be up front if you need us, And turned out all the lights. A bit surreal.
Actually, there was a reservation system and center. PE used a reservation system called Bunkeramo (or something of that sort). The reservation center was at the Hanes building by route 1/9 in Elizabeth across from Newark airport. They also did hiring, training and admin there as well has have offices in the North Terminal. You paid for the ticket on-board, but you made a reservation by calling.. No PC's back then, so sometimes you had to wait very long to get through.
Hi Andrew- as a Customer Service Manager (CSM) from 1983-87, I lived through much of the PEx history you chronicled in your story. Very well done documentary! Sound corny but the people of People Express Airlines made it the success it was in the early years.
My memory of flying P.E. from Boston to Newark was that you didn't make a reservation, you just showed up at the departure area and if the plane filled before to got a seat, you waited for the next plane. Sort of like waiting for a bus.
I so wanted to work for PE but they were absorbed into Texas Air (along with Eastern, New York Air, etc) before i finished college. However I found a very similar business model at America West where I joined in 1989. We were cross-utilized and had a mandatory ESOP just like PE had. I was a huge fan of cross-utilization and loved every second of the five years I spent there.
Omg…People Express!! ..I worked there through college ..still maybe one of the best jobs I have ever had !!..I still have close friends from that job !!.. Omg the endless stories of great travel adventures are endless !!..thanks for telling the world that People Express airlines is probably one of the founding fathers of low frill airlines..they were great to work for !!..I could go on and on raving about them ..thanks again !!
Another great and well researched video, Andrew. Proud of you for how you're growing your channel. Keep hanging in there and keep doing a great job and you will see your channel flourish.
The culture of PEX was epic! We had a reunion in 2017 - 30 years after we merged with CO with over 1,000 people in attendance. Coming in 2021 - postponed 1 year due to Covid - is the 40 anniversary of the start of PEX - expecting a hugh crowd. If you ask anyone who was there - it was the best job they every had!
I took a PEX 747 from EWK to LAX, and the service was great. Although I paid for a coach seat, the ticket agent recognized me as a business traveler, and they put me in First Class. It was one of my best transcon experiences. I then boarded a PSA (another low-cost airline you might want to cover) 727 to SEA. On approach, I looked down and saw the Blue Angels do a starburst directly under our plane. They were staying under a 5K-foot cloud layer, and I saw them through a break in those clouds.
Before People Express I would drive to Newark airport, park in the drop off lane, go in to the terminal, Buy a ticket (paper) and come back out. Was the best airport in NYC area!
I was on that London flight service in June, 1983. First trip to Europe, and a bargain fare. Got a basket of assorted food and snacks for the flight and shared the excitement with many others like us…and with a very excited and welcoming cabin crew!
Yup! PeoplExpress practically made EWR what it is today. The airport went from only having a handful full-service and a bunch of low cost/regional airline flights to the United empire it is now.
I have such great memories of People Express , flying outta Newark to London Gatwick with mom and my brother and sister, or down to DC for day trips and up to Buffalo to see family loved people express was sad to see em go. Thanks for the great documentary!
My first flight (to Syracuse, for college!) and my mother's favorite all-time airline. I remember having to board on the tarmac. But you knew that it was a matter of time, before the big birds got together to put them outta business....!
Anyone remember the highjackings? I sold a ticket on the Midnight Flyer, otherwise known as the roach coach, and it landed in Florida and then off to Havana. The next morning one came in from SMF and landed in SFO with 3 highjackers with guns. One customer got shot by the bad guys. Lots more detail which I posted before. If anyone wants more info let me know.
O flew PEX a few times. Never had any issues with them. Would like to see a report on Republic Airlines (The one that Merged with Northwest in the mid 80s)
Thank you for this awesome trip down travel memory lane. Columbia SC (CAE) remains without a low fare carrier since PEOPLExpress and...remember this one?...AirSouth. I flew to Newark several times. I won't forget the on board ticketing, friendly crews, first time fliers and all that cigarette smoke in that 737 cabin. It was the 80's!
@@theirishvideos Funnily enough, whilst I was waiting at EWR for a PeopleExpress flight to LGW in 1984, I saw several of Laker's Skytrain DC10s still parked there, after they'd gone bust a couple of years earlier.
Thanks for the video! I worked making reservations under a college program from Columbia U. I loved going to Newark Airport in the day and being close to aviation. The terminal was bare bones, but it was exciting. I remember finishing my shift and observing the stand-bys being called for the London flight! It was like watching a game show! The big carrier out of Newark, however, was Empire...loads of flights. PeopleExpress itself was not a bad in flight experience. Loved the 727s!
Excellent production sir. I work in the travel industry and ask my age co-workers, "Remember Peoples Express?" They say, "Huh?" What I remember most, is working as a night clerk at an airport hotel that PE had a few daily flights to New York from. Some outbound passengers would come to the desk and ask me for a large plastic garbage bag, because the one they had packed as their carry on had broken open. Swear.
I remember flying out of Newark to Jacksonville Florida, our original flight was supposed to go to Daytona. Flight was cancelled and we jumped on the one to Jacksonville. I’ll never forget the plane took off and then they started asking for tickets, they we’re also taking credit cards and taking the imprint of them with the it with old credit card machines. Cheap flight and they beat the crap of the other airlines, this is what we need today..... real competition.
Very interesting story! It would be nicer to have some old airlines back, but rising fuel prices, aggressive CEOs, and price wars killed many great airlines without a chance for returning.
@@andrewsaviation7792 Rising prices have raised airline fares but when fuel prices dropped the fares did not. Aggressive CEO's have also maintained high fares and extra fees so they can achieve larger bonuses. Maybe after this pandemic and airlines are back on their feet, reasonable prices will be back.
@@scottsosss Very true, especially considering that the demand for travel has decreased substantially within the past year. It's possible that airlines WILL keep prices low for a while to attract leisure travelers again, but also to fill as many seats as possible.
I have that exact same PEOPLExpress flight schedule & one other. In the 80's after high school & into the 90's I had tried to get on with an airline. In June 2001 I had an interview or was a group interview in Austin, Texas at the airport with America West Airlines but was not hired. Then I eventually gave up which might've been a good thing now. Thank you for sharing!
I remember flying them from LA to Newark in first class on PE. As a starting high school student, I thought it was really cool. My family and I moved because of my dad's promotion that included the move to New Jersey. The flight attendants were great and friendly. I remembered they skipped me on the salad course of the meal, but came by and apologized for it. I felt like a king.
I remember flying out of Newark in either 1982 or 1983 out of the old North Terminal. I flew to Detroit Wayne County. My dad went to see me off as he wanted to come in the old terminal. It definitely was a bit like Greyhound and we were telling Belkin Airlines jokes from the Odd Couple episode. I remember going out and boarding the aircraft up the steps like back in the 50s. It was a really nice flight though. I didn’t do a return, as I decided to go to Boston from there to see another friend at college and flew Northwest Orient, which was quite different (they gave us a meal).
I loved Peoples Express. Flew them from Pittsburgh PA to Burlington VT and back several times. Flights were always great. Yep, no frills, paid for ticket in the air and got stuff from the beverage cart. Crew was always fantastic. Most memorable trips of my life. Miss them.
I flew from L.A to Newark for $99/each way. No hassle, no complex rules… just show up and board and pay while on the plane on your way. The only problem I had once was that my connecting flight out of Newark got cancelled, so I had to bus-it the rest of the trip. Even with that, air travel was SO MUCH BETTER than what we have now. Why does every good thing have to get ruined.
February 1987- Newark to Burlington. Circled above Burlington for 45 minutes in fog, then returned to Newark. Stranded in the slum of a terminal for 16 hours.
The first time I flew Peoples Express in the fall of 81, I drove from Dayton to Columbus for a $29.00 flight from CMH to EWR. When they made the general boarding call for the flight I looked over at the empty TWA counter also flying to NYC. After the Peoples boarding announcement ,I saw the TWA agent pick up the microphone and say "you call that an airline?" they really shook up the industry.
Had the best aerial tour of NYC compliments of them, took off from Newark, around the Statue of Liberty and then up right along Central Park. The sightseeing was spectacular!!! Still remember it clearly and that was close to 40 years ago.
Great piece. Very parallel to the history of America West Airlines. From labor costs, employee stock buy in, cross utilization and acquiring a KLM 747 for Hawaii and Nagoya Japan. Best 5-yrs of my life.
LOL I was at HP from 89-94. Remember we named one of the four 747’s “Christine” from the Stephen King novel for its ability to flick the interior lighting completely at random.
I was working on airport noise issues in the mid-1980s and it was explained to me that airports where they had a lot of flights immediately had an upsurge in complaints from the public about noise. The older planes they flew, especially the 727s were particularly noisy. I worked on a noise study for Houston Hobby, but they didn't have many flights there, so, not so much of an effect.
Jerry, I worked for Braniff as a mechanic back then. Worked on a few PE 727s. I remember the noise abatement issues back then. The JT8D engines on the 727 was music to my ears. Who was there first? ,, the airport or the neighborhood?
Thank you very much, I can't express enough how much I appreciate your compliment. I'll have some more videos coming out once my final exams are finished. :)
The whole thing was predicated as a bus service. Pay as you go , down the aisle. The concept was glorius, no complicated res systems, and the journey was always a buzz. Flew Boston - Newark many many times and Pgh as well. One time they missed me entirely in the row and never collected my fare.
Remember one flight on a PeoplExpress 747 out of Newark. The pilot must have woken up that day believing her queen of the skies was a fighter. Had no clue a fully loaded 747 could climb out so aggressively. Even so, they were nice folks and offered some great pricing.
I flew them from Brussels. I remember paying like $150 for it in cash. I also flew a predecessor, I don't know if you discussed: Laker Airways from JFK to Gatwick, I think. The "terminal" was this weird place on Queens Boulevard. Then you'd get driven to JFK in busses. I think it was $100 or so in the 70s.
I flew PEOPLExpress from Baltimore Washington International to Newark in August 1981. The novelty was the cheap price. As a student, I could afford to take the plane rather than hitchhike. It was a great concept and there was a buzz about PEOPLExpress because they were pioneers. Today I often fly with another pioneer low cost airline - Ryanair.
I flew on one of the very last flights that PeoplExpress operated from Burlington, VT to Newark after visiting a friend of mine who moved up there to be a ski bum. Paid $29 one way and it was actually a Continental plane that flew us back as they had already bought PE out. You couldn't beat that deal.
I remember taking PE from Oakland CA to Norfolk VA while in the Navy in the mid 80s. There was a big crowd of people moving around that Newark terminal. I had to go outside to catch some air, and that's when I saw the NY city skyline
This is a very good, interesting, timeless series. Think you've found a really nice niche for yourself. There are so many notable defunct airlines that it will take you years to run out of material. And then... there's COVID-19 fallout!
Thank you for doing this series. Nice way to revisit these airlines and learn fun facts. Would love to see one of these on Eastwind Airlines, Midway Airlines and USAir.
More of these videos will come soon, and there's a lot of airlines requested (Including the ones you've mentioned). Once I have time, I'll restart the series again :)
Your channel should be listed in the google doc I have posted in the description (might be buried around a few other video lists) If it's not there please let me know and I will make changes.
@@AviationCommercials Oh, my apologies! For some reason I thought your comment was sarcastic and telling me to do something I hypothetically didn't do haha. You have an absolutely wonderful channel btw. So many clips that have been lost to airline history have been preserved. :D
@@andrewsaviation7792 Thank you for the kind words about the channel. I enjoyed your PSA video too - my favorite airline. Message me if you ever need one of my vids and I can just email you the raw file. Best-
@@AviationCommercials Thank you for your generosity, I really appreciate it. I might just take you up on that offer sometime soon. There are many more airlines to explore!
Flew with PeoplExpress from Gatwick to Newark in 1984, I still have my old ticket stub, along with a Laker Aiways ticket stub too. I knew someday these budget airlines would be a back story to some of the airlines operating today.
I got a maintenance call for 737 of PE. The aircraft had 11 MEL’s and worst yet there was a note in the logbook written on a napkin for the crew to visually look at flap position before takeoff. Take-off warning was inoperative. I refused to sign the airworthiness release. Worse yet it was flying unpressurized at 10,000 feet back to Newark. FAA did nothing.
Oh goodness, 11 Minimum Equipment Lists?! Somehow, I hate to say that I don't find it that surprising that PE would do something like that. From your perspective, I don't think I would have signed that airworthiness release either (and not just because I don't have an A&P haha)
I flew PEX Quite often BDL-EWR-CMH and reverse! I have to say you couldn't beat the fares and I do not recall being delayed one time! The 737s generally were packed but for the low fares who cared! All my memories of PEX are good!
People Express was the first airplane that I flew on. It was on Sunday the 22nd of July 1984, that my mother, my two brothers and I set of for Brooklyn New York. We had to purchase coach (bus) tickets leavingfrom Birmingham to London. The name of the coach company was Flights. I thought that was a funny name for a bus company, but anyway we go to London Gatwick Airport and arrived at Newark Airport in New Jersey. I was 14 years old at that time and wasTraveling with my 2 brothers and my mother. My father and sister were already in Brooklyn. It was a long 7-hour journey (for a 14 year old as you could imagine) All I could do was eat because I was so bored. However, I was excited to be traveling to a whole new world!! And the rest is history.
i seem to recall flying from st paul - minneapolis to los angeles for an unbelievably low fare, however, i was required ro fly through newark, where the terminal was crowded beyond capacity and was on the verge of chaos. ten to twelve hours compared to four.
Hey I just found your channel and I love these airline history videos! Could you maybe do one on the former Cincinnati based airline ComAir? 😉 Keep up the great work! 👍
I (in a moment of insanity I guess) went to a job interview with them at EWR. The three creepy people who interviewed me, were basically just interested as to whether or not I was a snitch. Perhaps the weirdest interview I ever went on, until thank God I got hired by a very stable and professional airline about a month later, and still happily employed after 37 years
As a pilot for peep’s I can honestly say we were a great airline flawed by corruption and mismanagement! Weekly large payment went off the books to the port authority and others while few employees stole from the very airline that gave them their jobs! If the ticketing had been taken off the airplanes and corporate hadn’t stole and bribed away funds weekly we would have been a great airline.
I am 42 ..I flew on a 737-200 peoples express when I was a kid from Bradley international to Newark with my parents to see New York city and flew back home..was my first flight ..as years past on my parents gave me a safety card of it and still have ....than when peoples express relaunched in 2014 i flew on it for a day trip of the inaugural flight of palm beach to Newark flight ..i got a few free bee things and a certificate of the flight and flew back home ..they were leased by vision airlines ..they luggage tags said it ..i took many pictures of them in palm beach when they were around in 2014..my experience of peoples express
I flew Frontier in June 1986 and people were PISSED about having to pay for things onboard. The flight attendant (stewardess then) kept saying, "Thank PeopleExpress."
I only flew them once at Christmas from DTW to PWM with a changeover at EWR. 727 out, I think and 737 on the second leg. I can’t speak to paying for the tickets on the flight, but I remember the Newark terminal was a zoo with all the people changing flights. As others have pointed out, it wasn’t much different from other flights at the time.
when you discarded your original strategy because you want everything, that's when everything starts to crumble all over you. the moral of this story is, eat what you can swallow
I flew PEOPLExpress a lot from Buffalo to Newark return from late 1984 through 1986. For a while, I was flying down every couple of weeks as it was a cheap way to visit NYC.
Very well done! It was American that 1st introduced revenue mgmt system that went after PE. They were the 1st airline to have a super computer to enable a complex fare structure.
People Express was a dead man walking the day American introduced STANDBY. A concept where a waiting passenger could buy a discount seat just before the airline left the gate where all premium seats had been sold leaving a few empty seats.The airline should have not fought this but simply wound up its assets and distributed its cash to its shareholders.
I flew on People Express from NY to Baltimore and back. I was less than 2 years old when that happened though. I don't remember anything about the airline or the experience.
The airline flew from Newark to San Francisco but flew into Oakland. They started service to Montreal but flew to Mirabel instead of Dorval/Pierre Trudeau, tried to get service to Toronto but could not get approved by the Ontario and the Canadian Ministry of Transportation
I once went to the airport and just bought a ticket and wound up in Florida. Lots of people would just go to see what was available then take a flight. Like taking Greyhound today.
I flew people distress a lot. It was not all sweetness and light. One flight was delayed from Florida to Newark and a passenger started yelling at the ticket agent. He screamed back that if fly on time to go to United. Another I saw the pilot fueling the plane and then he got on and starting handing out foil wrapped sandwiches. Then we were on hold for takeoff the stewardess yelled at him to shut the engines down because they wasting fuel. He eventually did and the plane turned into a sauna. So they opened the doors while we on the taxiway. So many more stories.
They accepted checks as payment. At the time I ran a collection agency and tried to collect on their bad checks. Some people had paid with bad checks multiple times, basically flying for free. They refused to compile a list and refuse to fly these people.
People Express ... best airline that ever existed! Newark to Fort Lauderdale for $79, and sometimes as low as $49 or even $39! Carry on your own bag and stash it behind the cargo net just inside the door. When I had no other plans, I would go fishing in Florida about a half dozen weekends every winter. While the current Newark airport was being built, People Express used the old "North Terminal" (built in the 1950s as the "new administration building" to replace the "old administration building" from the 1920s that is still there).
I've always felt bad about what I did to further the deline of People's Express. I stopped flying People's Express when American, Eastern ('the Wings of Man') and others matched People's Express rates. I enjoyed more luxurious flights for only a little while then watched in horror when the rates all rose after People's Express disappeared. Thanks, People's Express and sorry.
@@StevieWonder737 PEX was profitable with $19 fares before the acquisitions and the invasion of cities of the major carriers. Not a poor business model at all early on.
Their downfall mirrors that of many small start ups who overextend themselves when they try to compete with the big boys. The UK had a similar story with Laker Airways Skytrain a service that started small, although I guess you could say starting with a trans Atlantic service isn't small, but expanded quickly and soon became a threat to the established carriers. Those established airlines such as British Airways and British Caledonian did the same as the US carriers did in this case, in that they lowered prices while providing the same level of service. The UK also went through a major recession in the early 80s and both factors eventually brought down Laker.
I kept flying PeopleExpress during the price matching days of the legacy carriers. I knew that they were only interested in putting them out of business so I decided to not help them. Anyway, when Continental took them over it was an absolute shitshow and after a few flights, I switched to TWA. I ended back up with Continental in 1997 when I decided to give the "New Continental" a try, I was smitten and never looked back. Now, I exclusively fly United because it still reminds me of Continental, well sort of.
This country could use People Express again. I flew on Frontier Airlines just before People Express acquired it from Minot to Denver. It was the first model of the 737 without overhead bins. When flying over South Dakota, the jet hit an air pocket and fell a couple of thousand feet. When the jet grabbed air, the wings bent upwards and I thought we were going to die but the jet continued to Denver and we landed safely. The jet was put out of service for inspections and I don't know if it was severely damaged but the rescue people were lined up for us at Stapleton just in case. The pilots did a good job as far as I was concerned. When the big airlines get together in a conspiracy, they can afford to cut prices to put the little guy out of business and then raise them when they succeeded. Freddy Maker was also ahead of his time as well.
Yes, “paid for their fare while inflight”. I commuted with them between Rochester and Newark. Never forget when a college kid on board had no money to pay for the flight. Some guy volunteered to pass a hat around and passengers threw their spare change in to get the kid home. It worked!
I was wondering if a passenger whose credit card does not go through is handed a parachute and quickly escorted to the door!
@@brianarbenz1329 As I recall, payment on board was in cash.
@@gerardacronin334 This video shows a passenger handing them his American Express credit card.
@@brianarbenz1329 That does not mean they didn’t accept cash.
@@gerardacronin334 My comment was meant lightheartedly. That should be clear to readers.
Work for Peoples Express at Newark (EWR). I was working the ramp in zone 2 (The inside wings of the north terminal). The work there was great, the staff were all young and willing to work at what ever it took to get the job done, (I loaded baggage, Drove a pushback tug, worked inside when I had to). The only job I actually hated was working the lost baggage desk inside the terminal. When PE started to down slide (I refused to work with anything that had Frank Lorenzo involved in it)....I ended up going to work for Southern Air Transport (another great airline). And if you really need a story about PE.....(here goes)...I was working a 727 flight to MIA when I met a passenger on the ramp (we ended up getting married, and still are today......Thank You Peoples Express..
You were short lived but great fun to work for.
I flew people’s express to Europe and back in 1987. On the way over in a 747 there were like 50 passengers in the entire plane. I drank wine with a fake Catholic priest who brought it aboard in a 2 liter 7 up bottle. Many passengers flipped up the arm rests and slept laying across several seats. On the return flight was nearly full and when they came down the aisle collecting money, I didn’t have enough money for the return fare. They took what I had and when I got home they held my luggage while took a taxi to my house and got the money to pay them. I didn’t even have money for food on that long flight. The steward slipped me a free sandwich meal. The darned fees exchanging marks to francs to dollar ate up more than I thought it would. Wild times!
No wonder they went out of business
what a friggin story
As one of the founders of People Express I found this fairly accurate. I feel the portion on the reincarnation of People Express is misplaced as it has no place or meaning in the story of People Express.
I'm glad the history was up to speed. The portion of the 2012 People Express was just meant as a nod to where the brand has gone in recent years. I do this in all my airline history videos and explain how 3rd party companies will try and restart brands which (usually) are unsuccessful.
Yes, I was heart broken when they shut down. Remember there was no internet in those days - just phone reservations so finding cheap flights was a phone tedious endeavor with no guarantee of success. PE -you knew the time and the price.!! Loved it.
Flew PE many times between 1982 and maybe1987. Yes, I got some $19 flights, but mostly $29-$49. I never had an issue with paying for snacks or checked bags, as newly graduated engineer I simply did the math and understood the benefits of unbundled pricing. I remember flying PE to Burligton, VT as a gateway to Montreal until PE started service to Mirabel. I remember Newark's terminal C being so oversubscribed that I think PE had pressed exit doors to the tarmac into service as "gates". When I moved from California to New York for a new job, I flew PE and IIRC checked 5 bags for $15 total. I was chatting with a lady seated next to me, she asked where I lived. As I was actually moving using this flight, I simply said "Right now, I live on this airplane."
As a child born and raised in Buffalo, I remember PE very well. My family and I flew PE to our vacation home in Florida. I loved the plane and loved the airline. It truly was the predecessor to Southwest, only much better quality.
wait what
you made people express¿
Thanks for you video. I worked for PE from 1981-1987 until the merge with CO. The best job I ever had! Working with the best of the best people ever in my life and still keep in contact with many co-workers from more than 39 years ago. It was an amazing experience that I will cherish for ever. Thank you! Tim
PeoplExpress has been one of the most interesting airlines I've researched so far (just behind Midwest Express). The concept was so "out there" that many thought it wouldn't be profitable. Of course, they proved those folks wrong! Thankfully, they found the right formula to keep the dream alive (at least for a few years before they started losing money). Such a great airline that has earned it's place in airline history!
Great job to try to explain in 50 words or less. They will never really understand!
The most fun I ever had working. To this day, I couldn't think of a better,more fun job. Fly Smart.
@@devildogdad100 A job with no pay but a title ... "manager". A classic example of a concept with no managerial execution. Broke and didn't know it.
@@StevieWonder737 Can't please everyone. Always a whiner somewhere
Back in the Summer of 1983 I was just 17 and had just finished High School in Los Angeles. I wanted to visit friends and relatives near London, England, but funds were rather scarce as I hadn't yet entered the workforce. My mom always had a knack for finding a bargain and found two great ones: 1) Greyhound had a special fare of $50 round trip to anywhere in the continental US. 2) People Express had the bargain basement fare of $149 between Newark, NJ and London Gatwick, so I ended up making the 3-day trek on the bus from coast-to-coast, followed by the flight. The bus journey had to be completed within 30 days, so I stayed with friends for the better part of a month before making the reverse journey. My grandmother traveled with me on the first leg of the trip, but I traveled on my own on the returning leg - that was a bit scarier since it was the first time I hadn't been accompanied by any family members, but everything went well and I'm glad to have been able to see the sights along the way and have those memories.
I flew People Express back in the summer of 1986 on a 727 200 from Nashville to Newark. If I remember correctly the fare was only 49.00 each way. It was incredibly cheap. It was worth my 3 hour drive from Evansville, IN to catch the plane. I remember paying for the ticket on board the flight which was really cool. I was a travel agent at the time and if I recall correctly I was able to hand write the ticket using a People Express validation plate in our agency office. I remember they collected the flight coupon each direction coming down the aisle. it was certainly another world back then. I liked boarding out on the ramp as well, you don't get to do that today. If they came back I would certainly fly them again. Awesome experience!
My sister graduated HS in 1984--she wanted to attend college in the northeast so during Thanksgiving break,my family used PE from Houston to Portland ME via Newark,flying a 727-200,connecting to a 737-200--as I recall,fares were super cheap,$99 OW to Portland,what a deal! PE in my opinion,was a precursor to today's Spirit Airlines,everything after airfare you pay extra for. I still possess a PE onboard menu listing non-alcoholic drinks for 50 cents,the PE Snack Pack was $3--how i miss flying those 727's!
LOVED flying PeopleExpress! The took over the North Terminal at Newark and literally built the current Terminal C prior to the merger with Continental. Flew them countless times to Norfolk for as little as $19, as well as Boston and Pittsburgh. Ticketing was done on-board and you could buy a "snack box" for $3 and really good cheap coffee. Planes were always clean and the whole airline had a very cool, yet professional, vibe. Much of their fleet came from Lufthansa. Newark was a great choice, because it is so close to NYC and all of northern New Jersey. The merger on February 1st, however, was a disaster and it took Continental some time to get their act together. The new airline was operating shuttle flights to DCA and BOS out of the North Terminal, Terminal C and most everything else went out of a very cramped Terminal B. The revival airline in Newport News had nothing to do with the original PeopleExpress and bombed, because they had two planes and when both went down, so did the airline. However, the original PeopleExpress brand was very much loved, and missed, in the New York/New Jersey area.
And when Continental put the golden tail on these airplanes they created the best looking livery in history.
we had our golden tail on lots of different liveries in those days; People's, Muse Air, New York Air, Eastern, Frontier, Texas Air. I think I managed 12 different MD-80 specs and dispatched 34 different configurations and types including our once simple fleet of 727 and DC-10's. Soon we got our own MD-80s and all those brand new 737-300s, and then all these buyout birds. It was crazy for crews, maintenance, dispatch, and material management. But People's wasn't the original airline with their concept. It was Southwest with only one aircraft type and no bundled stuff and just peanuts, which would be an upgrade now. Frankly I was never a fan of the new crowd of passengers wearing cutoffs and thongs and acting like slobs on the plane.
@@gendaminoru3195
You are correct. We were modeled after Southwest, but Donald Burr gave us Southwest on steroids. It was great in the beginning, but it didn't last long, when all of us saw the proverbial writing on the wall coming. We had a blast while it lasted.
@@gendaminoru3195 They weren't acting like slobs ... they were slobs.
Back in those days we called it the ' Golden 🐦 Bird with the Brass A**!
I remember taking PEOPLExpress to DCA from EWR for $19.00 each way. Ironically, they operated from the North Terminal at both airports. EWR was my hometown airport and it was nice to see how this airline put EWR on the map to help make it what it is today as beforehand, you could throw a bowling ball through the check-in area of the terminal and not hit a single person. Of course, I am exaggerating, but no one wanted to fly out of EWR unless you lived in NJ, that was until PEOPLExpress came into town. I really miss this airline. :-(
It was a great airline, you could never find another airline so cheap especially with how surprisingly good an experience they were for passengers. They were very successful until after 1984 when they got the major airlines nervous with more flights and creating stiffer competition
Flew them in the '80's Syracuse to NY. They had the coolest passenger handling I ever saw. Just like in the video - no tickets, no boarding passes, no seat assignments, just a herd rushing to get on the plane first come first served. The flight attendants worked their butts off trying to collect all the cash fares during taxi before takeoff. Surreal.
I know, I flew with them to London in 1984. The only thing missing was having standing passengers in the isle holding onto the rail like on a subway! 🤣
What are 'butts'? Sorry, but I think you mean bums [plural].
@@jslasher1 _"Butts"_ as in the slang terminology, shortened version of _"buttocks"_ as in posterior or French derived _"derriere"_ or Latin _"gluteus maximus"_ muscles.
I flew People's Express out of Newark a couple of times in the mid 80's, both times pretty much on a whim, last minute plans for a weekend trip to Florida. It was pretty much as described. I showed up, got in line got on and paid in cash for everything. Other than that, the actual flight was no different than any other full service airline I've flown. The staff were all very friendly and accommodating.
There were no reservations so no huge cost reservation system. The majors had reservations but you paid at the airport so they had many no shows and thus empty seats. Not people Express. Get in line until the plane is full. I commuted between Florida - New York - and Portland Maine. Fast and cheap. Very rarely did I have to wait for the next plane. I once flew ALONE from Sarasota, Fl to Newark - 727 - Tuesday nite 10 pm summer. No food service - the attendant gave me the free soft drink and said "we'll be up front if you need us, And turned out all the lights. A bit surreal.
Actually, there was a reservation system and center. PE used a reservation system called Bunkeramo (or something of that sort). The reservation center was at the Hanes building by route 1/9 in Elizabeth across from Newark airport. They also did hiring, training and admin there as well has have offices in the North Terminal. You paid for the ticket on-board, but you made a reservation by calling.. No PC's back then, so sometimes you had to wait very long to get through.
Hi Andrew- as a Customer Service Manager (CSM) from 1983-87, I lived through much of the PEx history you chronicled in your story. Very well done documentary! Sound corny but the people of People Express Airlines made it the success it was in the early years.
Thank you very much! I'm glad that came out accurate (enough) :D
CSM = flight attendant. Everybody was a manager with no management.
My memory of flying P.E. from Boston to Newark was that you didn't make a reservation, you just showed up at the departure area and if the plane filled before to got a seat, you waited for the next plane. Sort of like waiting for a bus.
Well you could have made a reservation, but what made them so unique, was that you paid on the plane.
It was like a bus ... Greyhound would have been an upgrade
I so wanted to work for PE but they were absorbed into Texas Air (along with Eastern, New York Air, etc) before i finished college. However I found a very similar business model at America West where I joined in 1989. We were cross-utilized and had a mandatory ESOP just like PE had. I was a huge fan of cross-utilization and loved every second of the five years I spent there.
Omg…People Express!! ..I worked there through college ..still maybe one of the best jobs I have ever had !!..I still have close friends from that job !!.. Omg the endless stories of great travel adventures are endless !!..thanks for telling the world that People Express airlines is probably one of the founding fathers of low frill airlines..they were great to work for !!..I could go on and on raving about them ..thanks again !!
...first airline I ever flew. Will never forget that. Paying homage!
Another great and well researched video, Andrew. Proud of you for how you're growing your channel. Keep hanging in there and keep doing a great job and you will see your channel flourish.
Thank you, I hope so too!
The culture of PEX was epic! We had a reunion in 2017 - 30 years after we merged with CO with over 1,000 people in attendance. Coming in 2021 - postponed 1 year due to Covid - is the 40 anniversary of the start of PEX - expecting a hugh crowd. If you ask anyone who was there - it was the best job they every had!
I took a PEX 747 from EWK to LAX, and the service was great. Although I paid for a coach seat, the ticket agent recognized me as a business traveler, and they put me in First Class. It was one of my best transcon experiences. I then boarded a PSA (another low-cost airline you might want to cover) 727 to SEA. On approach, I looked down and saw the Blue Angels do a starburst directly under our plane. They were staying under a 5K-foot cloud layer, and I saw them through a break in those clouds.
Before People Express I would drive to Newark airport, park in the drop off lane, go in to the terminal,
Buy a ticket (paper) and come back out.
Was the best airport in NYC area!
Was?
U wont be doing that today. All the NY T&LC cars (ubers) will be clogging that whole area up!
I was on that London flight service in June, 1983. First trip to Europe, and a bargain fare. Got a basket of assorted food and snacks for the flight and shared the excitement with many others like us…and with a very excited and welcoming cabin crew!
United’s Terminal C hub at Newark is due to PE. PE built the building too, but it became Continental’s before it opened.
Yup! PeoplExpress practically made EWR what it is today. The airport went from only having a handful full-service and a bunch of low cost/regional airline flights to the United empire it is now.
But Continental paid for it. PE was flat ass broke.
@@StevieWonder737 Very bitter poster, here.
@@frankanderson4176 I guess the truth is found to be bitter by some
I have such great memories of People Express , flying outta Newark to London Gatwick with mom and my brother and sister, or down to DC for day trips and up to Buffalo to see family loved people express was sad to see em go. Thanks for the great documentary!
My first flight (to Syracuse, for college!) and my mother's favorite all-time airline. I remember having to board on the tarmac. But you knew that it was a matter of time, before the big birds got together to put them outta business....!
Anyone remember the highjackings? I sold a ticket on the Midnight Flyer, otherwise known as the roach coach, and it landed in Florida and then off to Havana. The next morning one came in from SMF and landed in SFO with 3 highjackers with guns. One customer got shot by the bad guys. Lots more detail which I posted before. If anyone wants more info let me know.
Holy smokes!
@Sky Honkler Because of course nobody is allowed to hijack a plane unless they have a beef with Israel 🙄
Interesting corner of aviation history!
Comment your PEOPLExpress experiences and which airlines you'd like to see analyzed next!
Lakers Skytrain please. 🙂
Aloha Air?
O flew PEX a few times. Never had any issues with them. Would like to see a report on Republic Airlines (The one that Merged with Northwest in the mid 80s)
Thank you for this awesome trip down travel memory lane. Columbia SC (CAE) remains without a low fare carrier since PEOPLExpress and...remember this one?...AirSouth. I flew to Newark several times. I won't forget the on board ticketing, friendly crews, first time fliers and all that cigarette smoke in that 737 cabin. It was the 80's!
@@theirishvideos Funnily enough, whilst I was waiting at EWR for a PeopleExpress flight to LGW in 1984, I saw several of Laker's Skytrain DC10s still parked there, after they'd gone bust a couple of years earlier.
Thanks for the video! I worked making reservations under a college program from Columbia U. I loved going to Newark Airport in the day and being close to aviation. The terminal was bare bones, but it was exciting. I remember finishing my shift and observing the stand-bys being called for the London flight! It was like watching a game show! The big carrier out of Newark, however, was Empire...loads of flights. PeopleExpress itself was not a bad in flight experience. Loved the 727s!
Great story, thanks for sharing!
October 1984 - I flew one way Newark to Gatwick - $99US!!!!!!! $6 for my meal and $1 beer PRICELESS!!!!
Excellent production sir. I work in the travel industry and ask my age co-workers, "Remember Peoples Express?" They say, "Huh?" What I remember most, is working as a night clerk at an airport hotel that PE had a few daily flights to New York from. Some outbound passengers would come to the desk and ask me for a large plastic garbage bag, because the one they had packed as their carry on had broken open. Swear.
David, it is People Express! Peoples Express was a trucking company in NJ! :-)
I remember flying out of Newark to Jacksonville Florida, our original flight was supposed to go to Daytona. Flight was cancelled and we jumped on the one to Jacksonville. I’ll never forget the plane took off and then they started asking for tickets, they we’re also taking credit cards and taking the imprint of them with the it with old credit card machines. Cheap flight and they beat the crap of the other airlines, this is what we need today..... real competition.
Very interesting story! It would be nicer to have some old airlines back, but rising fuel prices, aggressive CEOs, and price wars killed many great airlines without a chance for returning.
@@andrewsaviation7792 Rising prices have raised airline fares but when fuel prices dropped the fares did not. Aggressive CEO's have also maintained high fares and extra fees so they can achieve larger bonuses. Maybe after this pandemic and airlines are back on their feet, reasonable prices will be back.
@@scottsosss Very true, especially considering that the demand for travel has decreased substantially within the past year. It's possible that airlines WILL keep prices low for a while to attract leisure travelers again, but also to fill as many seats as possible.
I have that exact same PEOPLExpress flight schedule & one other. In the 80's after high school & into the 90's I had tried to get on with an airline. In June 2001 I had an interview or was a group interview in Austin, Texas at the airport with America West Airlines but was not hired. Then I eventually gave up which might've been a good thing now. Thank you for sharing!
I remember flying them from LA to Newark in first class on PE. As a starting high school student, I thought it was really cool. My family and I moved because of my dad's promotion that included the move to New Jersey. The flight attendants were great and friendly. I remembered they skipped me on the salad course of the meal, but came by and apologized for it. I felt like a king.
I remember flying out of Newark in either 1982 or 1983 out of the old North Terminal. I flew to Detroit Wayne County. My dad went to see me off as he wanted to come in the old terminal. It definitely was a bit like Greyhound and we were telling Belkin Airlines jokes from the Odd Couple episode. I remember going out and boarding the aircraft up the steps like back in the 50s. It was a really nice flight though. I didn’t do a return, as I decided to go to Boston from there to see another friend at college and flew Northwest Orient, which was quite different (they gave us a meal).
Another good one Andrew. Thank you. This one hits close to home.
I loved Peoples Express. Flew them from Pittsburgh PA to Burlington VT and back several times. Flights were always great. Yep, no frills, paid for ticket in the air and got stuff from the beverage cart. Crew was always fantastic. Most memorable trips of my life. Miss them.
I flew from L.A to Newark for $99/each way. No hassle, no complex rules… just show up and board and pay while on the plane on your way. The only problem I had once was that my connecting flight out of Newark got cancelled, so I had to bus-it the rest of the trip. Even with that, air travel was SO MUCH BETTER than what we have now. Why does every good thing have to get ruined.
February 1987- Newark to Burlington. Circled above Burlington for 45 minutes in fog, then returned to Newark. Stranded in the slum of a terminal for 16 hours.
The first time I flew Peoples Express in the fall of 81, I drove from Dayton to Columbus for a $29.00 flight from CMH to EWR. When they made the general boarding call for the flight I looked over at the empty TWA counter also flying to NYC. After the Peoples boarding announcement
,I saw the TWA agent pick up the microphone and say "you call that an airline?" they really shook up the industry.
Had the best aerial tour of NYC compliments of them, took off from Newark, around the Statue of Liberty and then up right along Central Park. The sightseeing was spectacular!!! Still remember it clearly and that was close to 40 years ago.
Great piece. Very parallel to the history of America West Airlines. From labor costs, employee stock buy in, cross utilization and acquiring a KLM 747 for Hawaii and Nagoya Japan. Best 5-yrs of my life.
LOL I was at HP from 89-94. Remember we named one of the four 747’s “Christine” from the Stephen King novel for its ability to flick the interior lighting completely at random.
I was working on airport noise issues in the mid-1980s and it was explained to me that airports where they had a lot of flights immediately had an upsurge in complaints from the public about noise. The older planes they flew, especially the 727s were particularly noisy. I worked on a noise study for Houston Hobby, but they didn't have many flights there, so, not so much of an effect.
Jerry, I worked for Braniff as a mechanic back then. Worked on a few PE 727s. I remember the noise abatement issues back then. The JT8D engines on the 727 was music to my ears. Who was there first? ,, the airport or the neighborhood?
Really love these videos. You have a talent for explaining clearly why these airlines succeeded then failed
Thank you very much, I can't express enough how much I appreciate your compliment. I'll have some more videos coming out once my final exams are finished. :)
Flying PEX was fun, especially for a travel-starved, travel loving college freshman! CMH - NYC, $29, yeah baby!
The whole thing was predicated as a bus service. Pay as you go , down the aisle. The concept was glorius, no complicated res systems, and the journey was always a buzz. Flew Boston - Newark many many times and Pgh as well. One time they missed me entirely in the row and never collected my fare.
Pretty much! Also, you're so lucky :D
Remember one flight on a PeoplExpress 747 out of Newark. The pilot must have woken up that day believing her queen of the skies was a fighter. Had no clue a fully loaded 747 could climb out so aggressively. Even so, they were nice folks and offered some great pricing.
Very cool 👍. Gotta love cheap fares on the 747!
I flew them from Brussels. I remember paying like $150 for it in cash. I also flew a predecessor, I don't know if you discussed: Laker Airways from JFK to Gatwick, I think. The "terminal" was this weird place on Queens Boulevard. Then you'd get driven to JFK in busses. I think it was $100 or so in the 70s.
I flew PEOPLExpress from Baltimore Washington International to Newark in August 1981. The novelty was the cheap price. As a student, I could afford to take the plane rather than hitchhike. It was a great concept and there was a buzz about PEOPLExpress because they were pioneers. Today I often fly with another pioneer low cost airline - Ryanair.
Very good video once again! Could you make another about Branniff?
Thank you! Spoiler: Braniff's actually the next vid :)
I flew on one of the very last flights that PeoplExpress operated from Burlington, VT to Newark after visiting a friend of mine who
moved up there to be a ski bum. Paid $29 one way and it was actually a Continental plane that flew us back as they had already bought
PE out. You couldn't beat that deal.
I have a coworker/friend who worked at People Express. They still get together and many of them worked at Continental and United.
So People Express is essentially an American 1980s equivalent of Norwegian?
In a very generalized way, yes! The overall concept of each of airline is very similar.
Well not exactly. PE was modeled after Southwest.
I remember taking PE from Oakland CA to Norfolk VA while in the Navy in the mid 80s. There was a big crowd of people moving around that Newark terminal. I had to go outside to catch some air, and that's when I saw the NY city skyline
This is a very good, interesting, timeless series. Think you've found a really nice niche for yourself. There are so many notable defunct airlines that it will take you years to run out of material. And then... there's COVID-19 fallout!
I'm so happy you enjoyed these little history lessons! I'll definitely be making more when I find the time. :)
Thank you for doing this series. Nice way to revisit these airlines and learn fun facts. Would love to see one of these on Eastwind Airlines, Midway Airlines and USAir.
More of these videos will come soon, and there's a lot of airlines requested (Including the ones you've mentioned). Once I have time, I'll restart the series again :)
Thank you for using some of the commercials from my channel - and citing me.
Your channel should be listed in the google doc I have posted in the description (might be buried around a few other video lists) If it's not there please let me know and I will make changes.
@@andrewsaviation7792 No - I am thanking you. You did cite me in your work. Many don't lol
@@AviationCommercials Oh, my apologies! For some reason I thought your comment was sarcastic and telling me to do something I hypothetically didn't do haha. You have an absolutely wonderful channel btw. So many clips that have been lost to airline history have been preserved. :D
@@andrewsaviation7792 Thank you for the kind words about the channel. I enjoyed your PSA video too - my favorite airline. Message me if you ever need one of my vids and I can just email you the raw file. Best-
@@AviationCommercials Thank you for your generosity, I really appreciate it. I might just take you up on that offer sometime soon. There are many more airlines to explore!
Flew with PeoplExpress from Gatwick to Newark in 1984, I still have my old ticket stub, along with a Laker Aiways ticket stub too. I knew someday these budget airlines would be a back story to some of the airlines operating today.
I got a maintenance call for 737 of PE. The aircraft had 11 MEL’s and worst yet there was a note in the logbook written on a napkin for the crew to visually look at flap position before takeoff. Take-off warning was inoperative. I refused to sign the airworthiness release. Worse yet it was flying unpressurized at 10,000 feet back to Newark. FAA did nothing.
Oh goodness, 11 Minimum Equipment Lists?! Somehow, I hate to say that I don't find it that surprising that PE would do something like that. From your perspective, I don't think I would have signed that airworthiness release either (and not just because I don't have an A&P haha)
Good video, but strange to see some out-of-place clips, such as modern laptops and aerial shots of Panama City, Panama.
I flew PEX Quite often BDL-EWR-CMH and reverse! I have to say you couldn't beat the fares and I do not recall
being delayed one time! The 737s generally were packed but for the low fares who cared! All my memories of PEX are good!
People Express was the first airplane that I flew on. It was on Sunday the 22nd of July 1984, that my mother, my two brothers and I set of for Brooklyn New York. We had to purchase coach (bus) tickets leavingfrom Birmingham to London. The name of the coach company was Flights. I thought that was a funny name for a bus company, but anyway we go to London Gatwick Airport and arrived at Newark Airport in New Jersey. I was 14 years old at that time and wasTraveling with my 2 brothers and my mother. My father and sister were already in Brooklyn. It was a long 7-hour journey (for a 14 year old as you could imagine) All I could do was eat because I was so bored. However, I was excited to be traveling to a whole new world!! And the rest is history.
I used to fly this plane. From ftlauderdale fla to newerk nj for 55 each way. For a two and a half HR flight.
Having a stake in the business you work for is brilliant! We need more co-operative set ups like this.
i seem to recall flying from st paul - minneapolis to los angeles for an unbelievably low fare, however, i was required ro fly through newark, where the terminal was crowded beyond capacity and was on the verge of chaos. ten to twelve hours compared to four.
Hey I just found your channel and I love these airline history videos! Could you maybe do one on the former Cincinnati based airline ComAir? 😉 Keep up the great work! 👍
I (in a moment of insanity I guess) went to a job interview with them at EWR. The three creepy people who interviewed me, were basically just interested as to whether or not I was a snitch. Perhaps the weirdest interview I ever went on, until thank God I got hired by a very stable and professional airline about a month later, and still happily employed after 37 years
Probably for the best, since you're "snitching" on them now by sharing your experience. hahahaha >
@@ElDukeAy Good one ! ;)
Jackie Brown experience hehe.
As a pilot for peep’s I can honestly say we were a great airline flawed by corruption and mismanagement! Weekly large payment went off the books to the port authority and others while few employees stole from the very airline that gave them their jobs! If the ticketing had been taken off the airplanes and corporate hadn’t stole and bribed away funds weekly we would have been a great airline.
I am 42 ..I flew on a 737-200 peoples express when I was a kid from Bradley international to Newark with my parents to see New York city and flew back home..was my first flight ..as years past on my parents gave me a safety card of it and still have ....than when peoples express relaunched in 2014 i flew on it for a day trip of the inaugural flight of palm beach to Newark flight ..i got a few free bee things and a certificate of the flight and flew back home ..they were leased by vision airlines ..they luggage tags said it ..i took many pictures of them in palm beach when they were around in 2014..my experience of peoples express
I flew Frontier in June 1986 and people were PISSED about having to pay for things onboard. The flight attendant (stewardess then) kept saying, "Thank PeopleExpress."
I only flew them once at Christmas from DTW to PWM with a changeover at EWR. 727 out, I think and 737 on the second leg. I can’t speak to paying for the tickets on the flight, but I remember the Newark terminal was a zoo with all the people changing flights. As others have pointed out, it wasn’t much different from other flights at the time.
when you discarded your original strategy because you want everything, that's when everything starts to crumble all over you. the moral of this story is, eat what you can swallow
Well said.
And if it ain't broke don't fix it.
I flew PEOPLExpress a lot from Buffalo to Newark return from late 1984 through 1986. For a while, I was flying down every couple of weeks as it was a cheap way to visit NYC.
Very well done! It was American that 1st introduced revenue mgmt system that went after PE. They were the 1st airline to have a super computer to enable a complex fare structure.
Yeah, Braniff blamed American’s use of that computer as what drove it out of business.
@@markodom3841 It’s all in the book Hard Landings. Read it a long time ago.
People Express was a dead man walking the day American introduced STANDBY. A concept where a waiting passenger could buy a discount seat just before the airline left the gate where all premium seats had been sold leaving a few empty seats.The airline should have not fought this but simply wound up its assets and distributed its cash to its shareholders.
I'd forgotten all about them
Great video!
I flew on People Express from NY to Baltimore and back. I was less than 2 years old when that happened though. I don't remember anything about the airline or the experience.
Me and my friends used to drive from Richmond to Norfolk to fly up to NYC because it was quicker and cheaper than taking the train.
The airline flew from Newark to San Francisco but flew into Oakland. They started service to Montreal but flew to Mirabel instead of Dorval/Pierre Trudeau, tried to get service to Toronto but could not get approved by the Ontario and the Canadian Ministry of Transportation
I once went to the airport and just bought a ticket and wound up in Florida.
Lots of people would just go to see what was available then take a flight.
Like taking Greyhound today.
I like watching your videos and I was wondering you'll ever do a story on Air Cal or Virgin America?
I flew people distress a lot. It was not all sweetness and light. One flight was delayed from Florida to Newark and a passenger started yelling at the ticket agent. He screamed back that if fly on time to go to United. Another I saw the pilot fueling the plane and then he got on and starting handing out foil wrapped sandwiches. Then we were on hold for takeoff the stewardess yelled at him to shut the engines down because they wasting fuel. He eventually did and the plane turned into a sauna. So they opened the doors while we on the taxiway. So many more stories.
Nice fake story.
They accepted checks as payment. At the time I ran a collection agency and tried to collect on their bad checks. Some people had paid with bad checks multiple times, basically flying for free. They refused to compile a list and refuse to fly these people.
People Express ... best airline that ever existed! Newark to Fort Lauderdale for $79, and sometimes as low as $49 or even $39! Carry on your own bag and stash it behind the cargo net just inside the door. When I had no other plans, I would go fishing in Florida about a half dozen weekends every winter. While the current Newark airport was being built, People Express used the old "North Terminal" (built in the 1950s as the "new administration building" to replace the "old administration building" from the 1920s that is still there).
It was nice to see Panama City, Panama in the video
Flew them many times. Great prices. The short commuter flights were fine, but the transcontinental 747 was a nightmare. Crowded and stinky.
I've always felt bad about what I did to further the deline of People's Express. I stopped flying People's Express when American, Eastern ('the Wings of Man') and others matched People's Express rates. I enjoyed more luxurious flights for only a little while then watched in horror when the rates all rose after People's Express disappeared. Thanks, People's Express and sorry.
Because NOBODY could make money at $19. Exceptionally poor business model.
@@StevieWonder737 PEX was profitable with $19 fares before the acquisitions and the invasion of cities of the major carriers. Not a poor business model at all early on.
I was a travel agent in CO in the 80s. It was horrible when People's Express took over Frontier.
I flew PE out of Greensboro NC a couple of times in the 80s as a college kid. It wasn't bad at all
Flew to L.A from Newark on it when they first started those flights
They bought too many airlines in a short period of time. Sadly, they should have grown Organically like they did their first several years.
Ah! Hindsight -
I flew it back in the day from NYC to Florida.
Love it bro!!
Thanks for the compliment 🙏
Their downfall mirrors that of many small start ups who overextend themselves when they try to compete with the big boys. The UK had a similar story with Laker Airways Skytrain a service that started small, although I guess you could say starting with a trans Atlantic service isn't small, but expanded quickly and soon became a threat to the established carriers. Those established airlines such as British Airways and British Caledonian did the same as the US carriers did in this case, in that they lowered prices while providing the same level of service. The UK also went through a major recession in the early 80s and both factors eventually brought down Laker.
I think in the Laker case BA, Pan Am and others colluded to take Laker out of business.
Wow, a time when even a "Budget Airlines" had a true 747 International First Class!
I kept flying PeopleExpress during the price matching days of the legacy carriers. I knew that they were only interested in putting them out of business so I decided to not help them. Anyway, when Continental took them over it was an absolute shitshow and after a few flights, I switched to TWA. I ended back up with Continental in 1997 when I decided to give the "New Continental" a try, I was smitten and never looked back. Now, I exclusively fly United because it still reminds me of Continental, well sort of.
This country could use People Express again. I flew on Frontier Airlines just before People Express acquired it from Minot to Denver. It was the first model of the 737 without overhead bins. When flying over South Dakota, the jet hit an air pocket and fell a couple of thousand feet. When the jet grabbed air, the wings bent upwards and I thought we were going to die but the jet continued to Denver and we landed safely. The jet was put out of service for inspections and I don't know if it was severely damaged but the rescue people were lined up for us at Stapleton just in case. The pilots did a good job as far as I was concerned. When the big airlines get together in a conspiracy, they can afford to cut prices to put the little guy out of business and then raise them when they succeeded. Freddy Maker was also ahead of his time as well.
Nice video!