PEOPLE EXPRESS AIRLINES HISTORY FACTS AND PICTURES (PEOPLExpress)

People Express Airlines (aka PEOPLExpress) was a low-cost carrier that operated from 1981 to 1987.

The company was started by Don Burr, who resigned from Frank Lorenzo's Texas International in order to do so: Burr was influenced by Freddie Laker 's forays into low-cost air travel during the 1970s. Terminal space was leased at Newark Airport's long abandoned North Terminal. The upper levels were used as corporate headquarters in order to save money.

People Express was launched on April 30 , 1981 with service from Newark to Buffalo, NY , Columbus, OH , and Norfolk, VA . Despite an accident at a neighboring Conrail freight yard that year, which caused an evacuation of the North Terminal and shut down the airline's operations on July 22 , People Express grew rapidly, adding flights to Florida by the end of the year. On May 26, 1983, PEOPLExpress began non-stop service from Newark to London's Gatwick airport with a leased Boeing 747-227B previously operated by Braniff. Flights were priced at $149 each-way and upon launch, became an instant success with all flights sold-out for several months within 24 hours of being offered.

In 1985, People Express bought out Denver based Frontier Airlines. The combined company became the United States' fifth largest airline, with flights to most major U.S. cities, as well as an additional transatlantic route to Brussels. However, the purchase of Frontier ultimately destroyed People Express, as the two airlines had operated very differently in the past. In addition, other airlines were now matching the company's low fares.

Continental Airlines purchased People Express on February 1, 1987.