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The Insane Luxury Airline That Flew Hollywood - MGM Grand Air
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- čas přidán 3. 02. 2021
- Are you a rich coke-fueled 1980s millionaire? Do you want to rub shoulders with Hollywood celebrities and fly the world's most luxurious airline? With ticket prices starting from a mere $3,200 from fly Los Angeles to New York one way, you too might be able to get one of the 33 seats onboard MGM Grand Air!
The US 1980s market deregulation was a fascinating time. Because now ticket prices were totally unbundled, the industry in North America saw an explosion of carriers catering to many different niches, such as wacky low-cost operations like Peoples express, less-than-presidential shuttle service and even one that was smoker focused, as in every passenger got a free pack of cigarettes to enjoy onboard.
But no other airline is as strange as MGM Grand Air, an airline run by a casino that tried to combine trans-American service and the private jet experience - and ultimately, was a colossal failure. This is the MGM Grand Air story.
Kirk Kerkorian had plenty of experience operating aircraft, having flown them in the war, and had made a small fortune afterwards by selling old military aircraft in the early 1950s. His success led him to run his own charter airline called Trans International Airlines that focused on the very lucrative destination Las Vegas trade,. In the 1960s he sold the charter airline, rolled out his own Casino and would buy the famous Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie studio by 1969.
Kirks plan for an airline was as follows. It would operate between New York's JFK Airport and LAX in Los Angeles, with an occasional service between LAX and Las Vegas for particular high rollers. The airline would begin with a humble fleet of three Boeing 727s.
The planes would be fitted out completely in a first-class configuration, with only 33 passengers per aircraft, and five flight attendants to look after them - excessive but only the beginning for this carrier.
Passengers would be treated to leather swivel chairs and meals served on the very best china. There was a private business center with a fax machine, stand up cappuccino bar, oversized lavatories, sleeper recliners, and even staterooms that could convert into beds.
Passengers would be driven to the plane, wouldn't have to line up nor would they have to pay any extra for luggage. Every passenger would have their own VCR player and could watch whatever they wanted in the air, and access a telephone in their seat to talk to the ground at any time.
It would cost them $1,400 to fly from Los Angeles to New York, or $1,000 to fly between Los Vegas and New York, and $180 to fly between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The airline claimed that it was around the same price that passengers would pay for first-class on American Airlines and other carriers, but the experience of a private jet.
"Everything else should be called second class."
Taking off into the skies in September 1987, MGM Grand Air was an apparent success in the media, with the likes of many Hollywood celebrities using it to leap across the country.
But in reality... what passengers? You see, it quickly became apparent that in this age of deregulation a concept like MGM Grand Air wasn't really working as planned.
In an effort to remain competitive, added DC-8s to have an incorrectly named coach-class, with an additional 40 business class seats at the rear.
It couldn't' compete with other airlines that operate first-class services with more destinations, more daily flights, and frequent flyer programs. By 1994, the airline was suffering and it was costing too much money to operate. Further private jet aircraft sales finally drove the carrier bust.
At the start of 1995, MGM started to look for buyers and settled on a deal only six months later, with the brand becoming the renamed Champion Air - a venture that would cater to NBA sports teams.
From here, the MGM planes were traded again in 1997 to Northwest Airlines, and operated vacation operations with the Boeing 727s, still only carrying around 56 business class passengers. It would run for another ten years until 2007.
Then the last 20% of the business, the NBA contract was handled over behind closed doors, given the green light by the suspiciously all-northwest board of directors, with Northwest management themselves poaching several pilots from its sister company. Without any contracts, the charter airline faced a sever decline and was wound up.
On March 31, 2008, Champion President and CEO Lee Steele announced that "the company will cease all flight operations as of May 31, 2008." He cited high fuel costs and the inefficiency of their aging Boeing 727-200 fleet as some of the major reasons behind the shutdown.
MGM Grand Air was a fascinating airline that only exists thanks to deregulation and the dreams of those opulent few.
"That thing had more rooms than a mansion. And everybody was flying it - models and celebrities - so you'd always be running into people. There'll never be anything like it again."
*confused Ryanair noises*
Happy ryanair on time jingle plays
@Kevin Lee I fully agree with, and endorse this statement. This is just facts.
@Kevin Lee Yeah, just like Spirit or Allegiant in the USA, if you’re paying rock-bottom prices, expect the Airplane version of a CITY BUS!
While I never fly on the MGM 727, I did attend a cocktail party on one. It was something to see inside and you didn't want to leave.
Basically the US Emirates
Basically! Imagine if they had gotten big!
I mean no...emirate is great. but they have a full economy class as well. It is better than other airlines for a lot of things but not quite the same as this venture
"With the last 727s sold to Discovery Channel to be crashed into the desert"
What? You can't just mention that without telling where can I watch it
Edit; I FOUND IT, It is the first episode of the second season of the Discovery Channel show "Curiosity" and I found a clip czcams.com/video/B_fNxVyZCDo/video.html
Wait lemme look for the link
czcams.com/video/kJZ1eHU_JZg/video.html
That’s a fair point......
the experience of private jet - "I don't actually want to ride with 30 other people".
I don't know how much it was to charter a private jet in the 80s, but if you're willing to throw over $1000 for the private jet experience, might as well get the whole jet to yourself.
And now i shall imagine what kind of opulence if MGM air got their hands on a boeing 747 or the _concorde_
And 747s were super cheap back then! Not to say Kirk was a billionare! He COULD have done it! a first class 747!! Can you imagine?
They wouldn’t have been able to use the Concorde as super sonic flight over the continental US was and still is banned outside of dedicated areas used by the military.
@@FoundAndExplained yeah. Awesome experience it will be 😁😘😂
@@punman5392
RE: "They wouldn’t have been able to use the Concorde as super sonic flight over the continental US was and still is banned outside of dedicated areas used by the military."
That banning of trans-US supersonic flight was a large contributing factor to the demise of the Concorde. In my humble opinion, the supersonic flight ban was stupid. During the '50s & '60s, I grew up hearing sonic booms from military aircraft all the time; there was no harm in it.
@@spaceman081447 You have a point, but when tests were conducted over major U.S Cities to test the so future highway of S.S.T’s over the U.S, and people complained about the noise and some even complained that it broke glass windows on high office buildings. ( Highly unlikely! )
Found and explained, it’s insane how with each video the quality get better and better. This is my favorite series on your channel. Keep up the amazing work!
Wow, thanks! your comment is super nice :)
First five seconds are awesome, this dc-10 looks so great
It really is!
That's a 727
@@valrabellkeys9867 oh yes i didn't saw t-tail
It's 727
Ok guys i made a mistake. Now i see that this is b 727. I didn't noticed t-tail
Emirates: WRITE THAT DOWN WRITE THAT DOWN
@Earth never gonna make you cry
never gonna say goodbye
I actually flew MGM’s DC8 to LAX. Memories. I’m surprised you haven’t done one on Air Atlanta of the 80’s
The CEO for MGM Grand Air came from it didn't he?
@@FoundAndExplained Possibly, I’m unsure to be honest.
Note the image of the MGM grand is the one built in the 90s. Not the one from earlier.
I could not get a photo of the MGM grand earlier without breaking copywrite.
Though the one built in the 90s is a big casino as well....
My company in New York used to fly us on MGM Grand all the time to LA
It was the same price as regular first class on other airlines -a great experience. It had a small dining room with a fun chef -and a several menus , breakfast, lunch or dinner anything you wanted all served with wonderful wines and vintage champagnes
As I recall, there were eight bedroom suites aft
that’s where the celebrities would be. I remember seeing a few enjoy each other’s company.
wanted to eat.
Are you a rich, coke-fueled 1980s millionaire? *Jordan Belfort has entered the chat*
Ohhh the famous clip of plane crashing Into a desert was of a 727 of MGM grand air wow.
Bro I love your Channel so much, you have gained sooooo many subscribers over the last weeks and I can see why, your content is AMAZING. You have taught me so much about aviation. Keep up the good work 😄👍
Dude yes what a wonderful comment! Just for that I’ll release another video this week about the forgotten 747 program
@@FoundAndExplained wow thanks 😊
MGM Grand Air: I am the most luxurious airline
Emirates first class: that's cute
These guys would love the Brabazon, Convair 990A, The Princess and A380.
The first MGM Grand was Reno & the second one in Vegas, is now Bally's.
Truly was a crazy airline! Amazing video, my favorite season ever!!!
When u early and see all the comments are herted :
I got you ram
An airline that hands out free packs of smokes? Sign me up! At least when my plane goes down I'll have my nicotine fix 😆
I flew to Vegas via SFO from NRT just after 911.
Most flights were empty then, but for the in and out flights to and from Vegas.
At 9:13, fellow CZcamsr @LoveJT8D (Philip Rushmore) is shown in his natural habitat! :)
Great video!
Great video as always
Glad you enjoyed
3:20 - Just for accuracy... The MGM Grand hotel shown in the video is actually the second MGM Grand, and has over 5000 hotel rooms. The one referenced in the video that Kirk Kerkorian opened first was on the center strip and was the location of the infamous 1980 Fire, and now the building is known as Bally's. (Soon to be rebranded the "Horseshoe".)
the intro is EPIC!
I'm pretty sure that MGM Grand Air also used these aircraft for comp travel to Vegas for their High Roller guests
For some reason I was thinking about Disneyland
nice vid keep it up👍
Appreciate it
Great video !! 👍👍👍
Thank you 👍
Seen one of the DC-8's on the ground in Sydney in the early 90's I think it was being used by a band perhaps guns and roses when they toured Australia.
It’s me or last time I saw your videos it was 2 weeks ago and now you got twice the amount of sub. Your really promising. Sorry for my spelling I speak French.
33 paX to one 727 is not first class. It's first class PLUS. An all-first 727 can carry 80 paX.
I d rather wait 10 years to be able to splurge on business class than to fly cattle class each year
The new intro is great but a little long. Maybe u can speed it up by 1.10x
I'll keep it in mind!
With a name like MGM it would have made more sense ferrying people in and out of Vegas than it would to focus on la-ny. High rollers and those pretending to be would probably paid more for MGM to ferry them the whole way to the hotel and back home. Just my thoughts
Fascinating!
I saw Ryan Bomar! Hail Nick!
believe it or not such a full service bespoke airline sounds a lot more realistic in present day & time (compared to the air travel industry of the mid 1980s) and can be realized as well inspite of the worldwide pandemic!!! a fleet of 13 brand new B747-8i, 11 B787-9 & 5 B777-300 ER will do the job with an average 90% - 93% occupancy!!!
Donald J Trump vehemently disagrees! His shuttle service was the most luxurious! His aircraft boasted expensive 3 inch thick carpeting which impeded the movement of refreshment trolleys, to which his response was "tell them to push harder". The genius even insisted on real marble as part of the decor until the engineers pointed out that the resulting issues with weight wouldn't likely play out very well for the safety of the passengers. Trump also committed aviation sacrilege by (falsely, btw) attacking the safety record of a competitor (Pan Am). Few weeks later one of his planes had the nose gear collapsse on landing due to maintenance issues. You can't make this stuff up.
I was a flight attendant for MGM Grand Air the best experience of my life
Plz shoutout and heart m8
ofcourse MGM Grand Air was a MGM Grand failure for investors!!! their first mistake making an already expensive full service airline an even more expensive one!!! and back in the 1970s air travel was still not very affordable to a major chunk of the population!!! secondly operating a fleet of only 3 B727-200 narrow body jets on transatlantic routes!!! operating the B727-200 on long transatlantic routes which it was never designed to do & not to mention the B727-200 was a total guzzler!!! this resulted in equipping the B727-200 with auxiliary fuel tanks in the wing centre box!!! & finally the third reason was rapid auctions of tickets on very very slim margins!!! MGM forgot the airline is no casino!!!
amg be like
Emirates CEO will be taking notes while watching this !
I understand the seats, the bars, the service... but "oversized lavatories"?!
When is the next one? We need more!!!
These first/business class airlines come and go but they have one thing in common they usually don't succeed.I think that there's one just started between Paris and New York City.... probably last a year or two?
Very interesting
Met a few Champion pilots... Nice folks. It was never seen as such a conspiracy at nwa though i think
Good to know! It all happened a long time ago and I fear I didn’t speak to anyone on the ground at the time
dang imagine if 1 of those crashes
Technically, one did! czcams.com/video/kJZ1eHU_JZg/video.html
I like it.
This is low cost premium class
4:08 nice blueprint 👍
Thanks! I made it :)
Pretty nice airline.
Do the 4th us carrier next with US Airways
Those huge baggy 80's suits ! Urrggh
Having the words "80s Emirates carrier" implies the airline is from the UAE which is a false and misleading title for the video.
I thought so, I’ll change it so it makes more sense
So according to the thumbnail, there’s beds in the vertical stabilizer somehow, and there’s a golden toilet in the cockpit???
I waa so confused by those arrows too!
Has my perfect dream I will to flight right one days
6 Ads in an 11 minute video? Serious?
I thought that was Ladeco? :)
id like to see the video of them crashing that 727 lol I didn't know the discovery channel did that
Theres a full video of it on youtube, look it up. "Discovery Channel Plane Crash" around 40 to 50 minutes long and tires to explain how some people might could survive and some not.
Hollywood has an elite? :)
Yes.
I flew with them once form LA to NYC there were movie stars on bord
Are we going to notice how the thumbnail literally says that there are beds in the vertical stabilizer
Well.. where would you put them?
I thought they were three DC-8's etc..
Is that Jerry Seinfeld sitting down at around @5:00 ?
It might be! It was the same era
ชีวิตเราควรจะมีความผ่อนคลาย ในมุมการทำงาน ถ้าทุกๆที่สามารถหารายได้ ได้ทุกๆที่ เพราะคนที่ไม่มีใบประกาศ จะได้รู้สึกว่าไม่ได้ไร้ค่า ในสังคม
WTF is “Loss Angeleez?”
Next airline: Marz Air and they only have scedules around mars
Owned by: Elon Musk
33rd
สวัสดีครับ
How did they get beds in the tail of a 727 in the thumbnail? 🤔
Sideways
@@FoundAndExplained 😛
When they said “we have flat beds. Try finding that on any airline.”
Me: *coughs* Emirates.
First
@Thomas and railfans avgeeks third
@@FoundAndExplained L O l
5th
10:35
Hey, it's the same Boeing 727 in this video: czcams.com/video/kJZ1eHU_JZg/video.html , noice 👌🏽
Correct! I really wanted to feature the crash but I couldnt as its owned by Discovery
SECOND
Finally, a fan got a heat! Thanks! . And also you make amazing videos!
*heart
No your not second
thanks so much for watching!
@@martin1732 Then I can be third atleast
The speaker is like a sleeping pill, totally exaggerating slow-speaking and well-pronouncing. Very uncomfortable and boring to listen to.
for me , English not being my native language, it s pretty pleasant and easy to understand
Much better than some narrations with robot voices where you have to turn down the speed to understand a thing. Suggestion for everyone annoyed: Turn up the speed