Braniff, Inc Timeline
BRANIFF, INC.
TIMELINE
1983 - 1998
BRANIFF IN 1983
June 23, 1983
The Braniff/Hyatt Agreement is adopted, creating Hyatt Air, Inc., which is a subsidiary of Hyatt Corporation
July 15, 1983
The Further Amended and Restated Plan of Reorganization of Braniff Airways, Incorporated and Braniff International Corporation adopts the Hyatt Agreement for Hyatt Air, Inc., to obtain the assets of Braniff International Corporation and Braniff Airways, Inc., and specifically outlines the transfer of these assets to Dalfort Corporation
September 1, 1983
The US Bankruptcy Court Northern District of Texas confirms the Further Amended and Restated Plan of Reorganization dated July 15, 1983, along with the Hyatt Agreement dated June 23, 1983, which is consummated on December 15, 1983
October 15, 1983
Boeing Designer Bob Perlman is commissioned to create a new color scheme for the new Braniff airline company’s 30 leased Boeing 727-200 Trijets. The new design features a white fuselage with dark blue and pewter silver stripes and new Braniff font in red
October 15, 1983
Key Braniff management personnel designed the luxurious Boeing 727 interiors of the company’s jets that included seating for 146 passengers, with each seat covered in fine leather, which were spaced 35” apart. The center seats fold down for use as a table when not occupied
October 15, 1983
Braniff commissions Walter, Darwin, Teague Associates, a New York City-based industrial design firm to design the elegance of the Boeing jet interiors, which included leather seating in either bisque, taupe, gunmetal and navy blue, manufactured by Lackawanna in the super soft Nutra brand. Carpeting featured a small V pattern in taupe and bisque over a navy blue background
November 1, 1983
Braniff Airways, Inc., and Braniff International Corporation are reorganized and incorporated in the State of Nevada as Dalfort Corporation and a new airline subsidiary, Braniff, Inc., was formed to operate the new Braniff airline entity. Hyatt Corporation Chairman of the Board of Directors Mr. Jay A. Prizker is appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dalfort Corporation
November 15, 1983
Braniff announces that it has hired designer Mr. Gary Eschelbrenner of Dallas-based Brenner, Inc., to design the new Airline’s employee uniforms, which feature navy polyester and wool trimmed in scarlet and cream
November 29, 1983
Braniff, Inc., is formed as a wholly owned subsidiary of Dalfort Corporation and the new airline company’s first refurbished Boeing 727-200 is christened at Braniff’s Operations and Maintenance Base at Dallas Love Field by Mr. Jay A. Pritzker, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Braniff, Inc., and the Hyatt Corporation, Braniff’s new owner
November 29, 1983
Braniff, Inc., appoints J. Patrick Foley, Bruce C. Leadbetter, Troy Victor Post, Robert A. Pritzker, Thomas J. Pritzker and Captain Glenn Shoop as the company’s new Board of Directors. Captain Glenn Shoop was instrumental in bringing the Hyatt deal to fruition that put Braniff back in the air.
Photo: Mr. Troy Victor Post, whose company, Greatamerica Insurance Company, was the former owner of Braniff Airways, Incorporated, remained loyal to Braniff. He was honored to accept another position on the Board of Directors of the new Braniff, Inc.
December 15, 1983
Braniff Airways, Incorporated, and Braniff International Corporation are reorganized as Dalfort Corporation and the reorganized company is financed by Hyatt Hotels founder Jay A. Pritzker, who has invested $117.6 million USD in capital in the new entity and owns 80-percent of the company. Dalfort Corporation capitalizes Braniff, Inc., with $99.4 million USD of cash and other assets from Braniff Airways, Incorporated, and Braniff International Corporation, which are both now Dalfort Corporation. At that time, Braniff, Inc., current assets of $66.7 million USD and $64.4 million USD in cash
December 15, 1983
Braniff, Inc., appoints the following management personnel: Mr. William D. Slattery is appointed as president and director; Mr. Robert A. “Bob” Ferguson is appointed as treasurer and chief financial officer; Mr. W. Thomas Lagow as senior vice president-marketing; Mr. Jeff Warner becomes senior vice president-sales and service; Ms. Deborah J. Ethridge is appointed as corporate secretary; Mr. Robert L. Fornaro as vice president-marketing planning; Ms. Peggy Gottsacker as vice president-personnel; Mr. Harold S. Handelsman becomes vice president and a director; Mr. Donald N. Sorensen is appointed vice president-administrative; Captain Dale R. States is named vice president-flight operations and director and Mr. Steven S. Turoff is appointed vice president and controller
December 15, 1983
Braniff, Inc., enters into an agreement with Dalfort Corporation, to perform Braniff’s aircraft maintenance for the next five years
December 15, 1983
The Company leases 30 former Braniff Airways, Boeing 727-200 Trijet airliners from James W. Toren and The Wilmington Trust Company as Trustees for the BRNF Liquidating Trust, which was formed to benefit certain former secured creditors of Braniff Airways, Incorporated. The leased aircraft were some of Airways, Incorporated’s newest airliners
December 15, 1983
Braniff Airways, Incorporated and Braniff International Corporation officially vacate Braniff Place World Headquarters at Dallas/Ft. Worth Regional Airport. All operations are moved to the Braniff Operations and Maintenance Base at Dallas Love Field. Braniff Place remains today as the official address for Braniff Airways, Incorporated, and associated companies as agreed when the building was built in 1978.
GTE General Telephone Company immediately assumed Braniff’s long-term lease on Braniff Place. Certain modification and updates were made and after only one month of remodel, the cafeteria was reopened to begin serving building patrons as well as other employees at DFW Airport as it had since 1978
BRANIFF IN 1984
January 5, 1984
A Braniff jet takes to the sky for the first time since cessation of flight operations in May 1982 and flies over the skyline of Dallas. The jet is painted in the new Bob Perlman Braniff, Inc., color scheme and is followed by a sleek Learjet owned by Clay Lacy Aviation of Van Nuys, California, which is taking promotional photographs and filming the epochal first flight. Clay Lacy had photographed Braniff aircraft since the 1960s
January 14, 1984
Company pilots began flying Boeing 727-200 aircraft for landings and line checks according to Captain Ray Asay, Braniff’s Director-Flight Training
January 15, 1984
Braniff is relisted in the Official Airline Guide for the first time since May 1982
January 16, 1984
Braniff’s Training Department has completed Transition and Requalification Training for 95 Captains, 55 First Officers and 64 Second Officers.
Photo: Braniff, Inc., continued to use the Boeing 727 simulator at Braniff Place World Headquarters located on the west side of Dallas/Ft. Worth Regional Airport. Braniff’s DFW simulator operations remained in service until 2007. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
January 23, 1984
Braniff Boeing 727-227 Trijet registered as N460BN is the first former Braniff Airways jet to be fully repainted and refurbished and ready for scheduled operations. This jet starred in new advertising commercials and posed for promotional photos
January 24, 1984
Announces that Dobbs House and Marriott are selected to provide catering for Braniff, Inc. At DFW Airport Dobbs House, Inc., will provide aircraft catering and at Kansas City, Chicago, San Antonio, Philadelphia and New York La Guardia, while Marriott will serve the Company at Denver, Washington DC, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Detroit and Newark
January 23, 1984
Reservations opens for the first time and receives 231 calls over an eight hour period since opening at 830AM. The Reservations Department consists of 22 agents and is located at the Braniff Operations and Maintenance Base at Dallas Love Field
January 28, 1984
Ending the first six days since the opening of Braniff Reservations, the center takes in over 11,000 calls over its 1-800-BRANIFF number
January 30, 1984
Maintenance has completed painting 21 Boeing 727-200 Trijets in the new Braniff, Inc., Color Scheme designed by Bob Perlman
February 1, 1984
Trade publication advertising begins to promote special accommodations and convenient departure times for the business traveler
February 3, 1984
The 30th and last Braniff, Inc., jet is flown from DFW Airport to the Braniff Operations and Maintenance Base at Dallas Love Field to receive its new paint scheme and interior refurbishment.
Photo: A former Braniff Airways Boeing 727-200 is parked in Bay 6 at the Braniff Operations and Maintenance Base at Dallas Love Field on November 29, 1983. The jet is awaiting its new Bob Perlman Braniff Inc Color Scheme. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
February 9, 1984
The Civil Aeronautics Board notifies Braniff President William D. “Bill” Slattery that the Company has been granted its Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, which indicates that Braniff is “fit, willing and able” to resume air travel in March 1984, pending final approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Photo: Former Braniff International Boeing 727-200s have been stripped of their former 1978 Ultra Color Scheme for painting in the new 1984 Bob Perlman Braniff, Inc., Color Scheme. The jets are parked on the North Ramp at the Braniff Operations and Maintenance Base at Dallas Love Field on November 29, 1983. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
February 9, 1984
The world’s press previewed Braniff’s new paint scheme for its Boeing 727-200 Trijet aircraft and the luxurious interior with leather seating. In addition, the press also previewed the new employee uniforms
February 9, 1984
To support the March of Dimes, Braniff announces it will discount passenger tickets by 5 percent, which can be paid to the March of Dimes for each passenger that completes a special March of Dimes coupon. If the refund is given to the charity, Braniff matches the donation for a total of 10 percent donated. The promotion runs from March 1, 1984, through June, 15, 1984
February 13, 1984
New York City-based, N. W. Ayer, Inc., is appointed as Braniff’s consumer advertising agency. One of the agency’s earliest campaigns featured actual Braniff passengers praising the Airline’s exemplary service levels. Photo: Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
March 1, 1984
The new Braniff, Inc., inaugurates service from its Dallas/Ft. Worth Regional Airport hub to eighteen major US cities with 82 daily flights, making it the largest single-day airline startup in US history. A special ribbon cutting ceremony was held at The Braniff Terminal 2W Gate 13A at DFW Airport for the first flight of the new airline, which was Flight 200, a 650AM departure to New Orleans followed by Flight 131 to San Antonio and then Flight 720 to Newark and the fourth Flight 151 departed for Houston Intercontinental Airport.
Photo: A special flight was flown from Braniff’s original headquarters at Oklahoma City to DFW, with family members of the original descendants of Braniff Airways cofounders Paul Revere Braniff and Thomas Elmer Braniff
March 1, 1984
Service was inaugurated from DFW Airport with the following number of nonstop flights to the following cities: Austin – 7; Chicago – 5; Denver – 5; Detroit – 2; Houston – 7; Kansas City – 3; Las Vegas – 4; Los Angeles – 5; Miami – 4; New Orleans – 5; New York – 4; Newark – 3; Oklahoma City – 6; Philadelphia – 2; San Antonio – 7; San Francisco – 4; Tulsa – 5 and Washington DC – 4.
Photo: Braniff’s former vendors were happy to have the airline back in the air. This full-page ad was purchased in the first issue of Braniff Inflight Magazine, dated March 1984. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
March 1, 1984
Braniff partners with United Airlines, Inc.’s, Mileage Plus Frequent Flyer Program to offer Braniff passenger’s access to benefits of the program
March 1, 1984
The company announces that all inflight cuisine will only feature food prepared from fresh ingredients and presented in the manner of a fine restaurant. Braniff’s inflight food is prepared by Dobbs House
March 1, 1984
Catering to business travelers, Braniff offers Business Cabin service in the forward cabin, where passengers will enjoy increase legroom and leather seats featuring center fold down seating along with complimentary newspapers and exemplary cuisine
March 1, 1984
In consideration for Dalfort Corporation’s initial contribution of cash and assets to Braniff, Inc., Dalfort purchases all of Braniff’s common stock. Dalfort now holds all of Braniff’s Series A preferred shares and approximately 84 percent of Braniff’s common stock
March 4, 1984
Flight Attendant Betty Engle was injured when a Company Boeing 727 encountered severe turbulence while operating as Flight 8 flying from San Antonio to DFW Airport. Also, injured in the incident was Flight Attendants Carolyn Epps, Dianne Gantka and Marge Cooper. All four crew members are recovering and will return to flying in the near future
March 4, 1984
Dallas Cowboys legendary Coach Tom Landry and his wife fly with Braniff during inaugural week. Photo: Copyright, Erich Schlegel
March 15, 1984
Braniff’s initial public offering for its common stock receives a very warm welcome for the 2,226,190 shares that are offered. Of these shares, which are initially offered at $10.50 USD per share, Dalfort Corporation, Braniff’s parent company, purchases 476,190 shares. The Company expects to receive approximately $14.1 million USD from the stock offering
March 22, 1984
Legendary Wilhoite’s Restaurant in Grapevine, Texas, hosts a welcoming party for Braniff employees with President Slattery on hand to thank the restaurant for their support. (Wilhoite’s still supports Braniff with luncheon events today!)
March 23, 1984
Reservations Newsletter Coordinator, Ms. Elaine Wagner, reports that Braniff employs 235 full-time and 12 part-time agents who are answering on average 9000 to 10,000 calls every day
March 25, 1984
Trammel Crow and his wife fly on Braniff. Mr. Crow is one of Dallas’s leading developers. Photo: Copyright, Mark Graham, New York Times
April 1, 1984
Country legend Mickey Gilley flies on the new Braniff. Photo: Copyright, Buddy Iahn
April 2, 1984
Braniff’s Tariff Department announces that a “V” fare category will be added for the new Business Class Cabin
April 2, 1984
A letter is sent to all Company employees from President William D. “Bill” Slattery where he stated, “Although only a few weeks have passed since launching, I think it is well to report to you on how we are doing. We did prove the skeptics wrong. On March 1, we had a very successful launch and I can report to you now that, based on traffic data to date, we appear to be ahead of our initial projections”
April 4, 1984
Company President William D. “Bill” Slattery addresses reports of improper activities of Braniff’s competitors at DFW Airport. Mr. Slattery is emphatic in that we must rise above these shenanigans and never respond with similar acts and confirmed that our primary concern is providing superb customer service for each and every passenger.
April 9, 1984
Braniff President William D. “Bill” Slattery hosted the first of an ongoing series of employee meetings, which are designed to make all employees aware of the progress of the new Braniff. The next meeting will be held on April 12, 1984. Over 150 employees attended the first meeting held in the Rotunda at the former Braniff Terminal of the Future at Dallas Love Field
April 12, 1984
The company opens its new Ticket by Mail Department and by May 17, 1984, 12,690 tickets had been mailed out representing $2,705,554 USD in Revenue generated
April 18, 1984
The first birth into The Braniff Family is Alexander Mark Nagy, whose parents are Alex and Carol Nagy of Dallas. Alex is a Customer Service Agent at DFW Airport
May 21, 1984
The Braniff Cafeteria at the Operations and Maintenance Base at Dallas Love Field opens for four meal services each day including breakfast, Continental breakfast, lunch and afternoon break
May 29, 1984
Actress Ruta Lee and her husband fly on the new Braniff, having been regular passengers on Braniff Airways flights. Photographer Unknown
June 1, 1984
Braniff reports that its May Load Factor was 35 percent, which was 50 percent higher than March and 41.5 greater than April 1984.
Photo: Braniff’s Operations Control Center at Dallas/Ft. Worth Regional Airport in The Braniff Terminal 2W was the hub of activity for Braniff’s daily operations. Photo: Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
June 1, 1984
Inauguration of service between Phoenix and Dallas/Ft. Worth brings Braniff’s total cities served to 20 with two flights in either direction every day
June 1, 1984
Dalfort Corporation, formerly Braniff Airways, Incorporated, and now Braniff, Inc.’s, parent company, has entered discussions with Levitz Furniture Company about the possibility of Dalfort and current Levitz management jointly acquiring the furniture company, which operates 89 stores in 25 states
June 4, 1984
Braniff creates a special independent trust, the Braniff Agency Trust, to hold money from travel agent ticket sales until the passenger actually takes their flight, according to Braniff Vice Chairman Patrick Foley. The new program will assure the 23,000 travel agents across the US to know that they can write tickets on Braniff and be assured of payment
June 8, 1984
First Quarter results report a Net Loss of $30.6 million USD or $2.74 per share from Revenues of $29.8 million USD for the period ending on April 30, 1984. These results also include the Company’s first two months of operation as an air carrier flying 231.1 (000) Revenue Passenger Miles and producing a Load Factor of 24.1 percent. Braniff’s Yield Per Passenger Mile was 11.63 cents and an Operating Cost Per Available Seat Mile of 6.27 cents and the Breakeven Load Factor was 51.8 percent
June 9, 1984
Braniff Vice Chairman Patrick Foley announces that Braniff reaches its first 60 percent Load Factor day and the following week the Load Factor was at over 50 percent for an entire week for the first time with at 51.1 percent
June 12, 1984
Neiman Marcus coiffure salons offer all Braniff employees a 20 percent discount on any beauty services. Neiman’s, Estee Lauder and Aramis are partners in Braniff’s Employee Grooming Program that promotes employees looking their best.
Photo: Braniff, Inc.’s, predecessor Braniff Airways, Incorporated enjoyed a long and warm relationship with Neiman Marcus. In 1957, Braniff Airways sponsored the Neiman Marcus South American Fortnight. The Airline flew Linda the Llama from Peru, to Dallas as the feature star at the event. She stayed in a special suite at the Statler Hilton Hotel in Dallas. Today, there is a chrome statue of Libby at the Statler swimming pool. Poster: The 1959 South American Fortnight featured this unique Texas-themed poster. Copyright, Neiman Marcus, Panagra and Braniff Airways
June 13, 1984
Service is inaugurated at Boston with three nonstop flights to DFW Airport and the same back to BOS. President William D. Slattery is talking with reporters aboard the inaugural flight to Boston in this photo. Braniff Airways first began serving Boston in 1979.
June 16, 1984
The Company records its highest Load Factor to date at 69 percent. Photo: Braniff and Hyatt continued their strong relationship with the fly and stay themed ads in Braniff Inflight Magazine in June 1984 and other publications.
June 30 to July 1, 1984
Braniff President Bill Slattery speaks at the March of Dimes Telethon that the Airline is a corporate sponsor of the event. The following day, Mr. Bruce Leadbetter, Braniff’s Chairman of the Executive Committee, addresses the telethon watchers. Photo: The consummate comedian and philanthropist Jerry Lewis, during a funny moment.
July 1, 1984
Braniff’s new Business Club VIP Club opens across from Gate 16 at The Braniff Terminal 2W at DFW Airport, which caters to business travelers providing an array of amenities while waiting for their flight
July 3, 1984
Company President Bill Slattery stated that the Company was within “striking distance” of achieving a profit this summer. Most analysts agree with Mr. Slattery noting that with “cost and breakeven Load Factors below industry average and daily aircraft utilization that betters the industry norm.”
Photo: Braniff Inflight Magazine’s issue for July 1984 featured the American West and San Antonio as prized Braniff destinations for travel. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
July 6 to 8, 1984
Braniff is the official airline for the Dallas Grand Prix and employees are offered a 10-percent discount for tickets to the three-day event
July 12, 1984
During June, Braniff announces that Load Factor reached 50 percent as a result of its increased use of discount fares. This marked a 43 percent increase from the previous month
July 19, 1984
DFW People Magazine announces that Braniff is gaining ground on the “Big 2” (American Airlines and Delta Airlines) at DFW Airport. Braniff’s market share at DFW increased in May, while both American and Delta reported decreased market share during the same period. Braniff’s market share also increased during June 1984, which marked Load Factor increases for three months in a row, with 128,104 passengers flying Braniff at DFW Airport, bringing Braniff’s market share to an impressive 8.6 percent.
Photo: Braniff also announced that it would be feeding domestic passengers into British Caledonian’s flights to London rather than American’s. Once again, Braniff passengers could fly to London from DFW with a single ticket and connection in Dallas. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
August 1, 1984
To protect the company from losses incurred by returned checks, Braniff signs with Telecheck, which will reimburse the company for any returned check that was preapproved by Telecheck as being a solvent check
August 1, 1984
Braniff announces that for the Second Quarter of 1984, the company suffered an operating loss of $26.4 million USD compared to an operating loss of $31 million reported in the First Quarter of 1984. The Second Quarter net loss of $39.9 million USD included $14.1 million write off of the unamortized balance of certain preoperating costs as well as an adjustment to the carrying value of certain properties and equipment assets no longer usable in the Company’s operations. The net loss for the Company’s First Quarter was $30.6 million USD, while for the first six months ended July 31, 1984, Braniff reported a net loss of $70.5 million.
Photo: The August 1984 Issue of Braniff Inflight Magazine featured an Olympics Special coverage and featured Detroit as a prized Braniff destination. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
August 1, 1984
The Metroplex Club, Braniff’s frequent flyer program, has nearly 16,000 members with a goal of 50,000 members by the end of 1984
August 15, 1984
The Houston Oilers Football Team selects Braniff as its official airline during the 1984 and 1985 season
August 16, 1984
A company meeting is held at the former Braniff Terminal of the Future in the Rotunda with company officials to discuss the Airline’s new Benefit Buying Account, Health Care and Pass Policy.
Photo: Braniff International opened the fabled Terminal of the Future at the end of the Red/East Concourse at Dallas Love Field in December 1968. This served as Braniff’s primary terminal until the move to DFW Airport in January 1974. The round Rotunda was used for many Braniff events over the years and remained a property of Braniff Realty, Inc., until it was sold to American Airlines in 1996. The last Braniff event was held at the facility in the spring of 2015 just before the terminal was torn down. Photo: Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
August 17, 1984
Company Director Patrick Foley and Chairman Jay A. Pritzker addresses The Braniff Family through a letter printed in Braniff Update Employee Newsletter to address the hearsay concerning rumors that Braniff might be sold. Both executives assured all employees that Braniff was not for sale but that the company was looking for ways to “pump more traffic through the Dallas/Ft. Worth hub, although there have never been any serious talks (about a merger).”
August 17, 1984
Braniff reports that on-time performance continues to improve with 73.6 percent of all flights operating within five minutes of scheduled departure time in June 1984 and 80.4 percent during July 1984, while flights arriving within 15 minutes of scheduled departure time in June was 87 percent and 89.9 in July 1984. Photo: Copyright, Air Nikon
August 17, 1984
The Company’s frequent flyer program, The Metroplex Club, continues to show substantial increases in membership with 23,000 members at this time. Medallion level members will receive automatic upgrades in service, space available on Braniff flights, special rates at Hyatt hotels and Hertz rental car agencies and access to a special reservations phone line
August 22, 1984
Braniff begins semi-monthly meetings between company officers and selected members from each department, which will be called “Braniff Talks”
August 22, 1984
Braniff begins sharing one of its two gates at Chicago O’Hare Airport with People Express Airlines, with ground handling by Braniff. Photo: Copyright, Eric Lichtenstein
September 20, 1984
Braniff announces to its employees that it must change its strategy or its losses will continue. In a letter to employees in Braniff Update Employee Newsletter, President Bill Slattery outlined the Company’s new program for a return to profitability, which called for a change in pricing and service to gain market share at the DFW hub, which should bring Available Seat Mile costs down to 5.25 cents from the current 8.4 cents to 8.9 cents. For the other carriers at DFW to match Braniff would cause their costs to rise that they would need a 95 to 100 percent Load Factor, whereas Braniff could breakeven in the 60 to 65 percent range.
Braniff’s strategy to operate as a full service major carrier did not work once again. Those travelers had abandoned Braniff Airways during the early 1980s after the company’s critical feeds were cutoff over many of its bread and butter routes that served business travelers. Braniff, Inc., attempted to bring this key demographic back, however, by this time, the mega carriers had near control over this segment leaving Braniff Airways in 1981 and now Braniff, Inc., in 1984, with the prospects of becoming a low-cost carrier that primarily served business travelers looking for inexpensive flights and more importantly now, leisure travelers wanting low fares with or without convenience of scheduling times. The fare rather than service level became more critical at this time. Braniff Airways was at this exact crossroads in early 1981, after the company had been so badly bruised by the mega carriers moves on its system and feed beginning in 1978 and until 1982
September 30, 1984
Mr. Thomas H. Coulter, Braniff’s Assistant Treasurer, will retire from the Company after nearly 39 years of service. Mr. Coulter first began his airline career with Pan American Grace Airways, Inc., in 1946, at Lima, Peru. When Panagra merged with Braniff International in February 1967, Mr. Coulter continued with Braniff Airways
November 1, 1984
Mr. Ron Ridgeway is elected President of Braniff, Inc., replacing Mr. William D. Slattery, who left the company to become President of Air Via, a new West Coast startup carrier
November 5, 1984
In response to the Company’s sagging performance a new comprehensive redeployment and consolidation program goes into effect that includes:
reducing the size of the scheduled fleet from 30 jets to 10;
discontinuing service at Austin, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, New Orleans, Newark, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Philadelphia and Washington DC National Airport;
reduction in workforce consistent with the reduction in operations;
finalizing contract and service agreements with other carriers for surplus aircraft and flight crews and,
disposing of gates and/or facilities surplus to our needs
December 1, 1984
Braniff begins handling ground services for Western Airlines at Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Braniff handles 7 Western flights at OKC and 6 at TUL
BRANIFF IN 1985
January 1, 1985
Airline Logistics International, known as ALI, begins handling Braniff’s cargo operations under a turnkey cargo agreement. ALI provides all necessary cargo needs for a major airline, while Braniff’s only responsibility is to load the cargo aboard Company jets. ALI has also taken over the field services and accounting function of Braniff’s Pronto Package Service
January 1, 1985
Braniff’s Inflight Magazine, titled Braniff, will now be known as Braniff Destination Magazine
January 7, 1985
Inauguration of new service between Houston Hobby and New York LaGuardia; Miami/Ft. Lauderdale and Boston and Miami/Ft. Lauderdale and Washington DC Dulles
January 31, 1985
Braniff reports a net loss of $86.3 million USD on Revenues of $205.4 million USD for the first fiscal year ended January 31, 1985. Although a substantial loss, the company reworked and inaugurated a new airline and six months later completely reworked its operational and marketing strategy making this a disappointing loss but certainly not catastrophic. The new The Best Low Fare in the Air Braniff seemed to be working
April 28, 1985
Braniff begins new nonstop service from Kansas City to Chicago O’Hare, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York LaGuardia, Phoenix and Washington DC National
May 1, 1985
Braniff purchases point-of-sale computer terminals from TeleCheck for use at each airport station and for Ticket-by-Mail to verify and approve both check and credit card transactions
August 1, 1985
A new ticket counter is opened at DFW Airport featuring Braniff’s 1984 Burgundy Blue and Platinum Pewter Color Scheme. The new counter is located between Gates 9 and 10 at The Braniff Terminal 2W
August 12, 1985
Inflight Service Department staff moves to the new Distribution and Provisioning Center at DFW Stores on Royal Lane
September 1, 1985
The company contracts with the New Orleans Saints and Houston Oilers football teams and becomes their official carrier during the 1985 to 1986 season. The teams will be served hot meals on board their Braniff flights. Photo: Braniff Airways was also the official carrier of the New Orleans Saints
September 1, 1985
Braniff expands its schedule at Kansas City with three new flights to New York LaGuardia, Phoenix and Las Vegas, bringing the total number of daily flights from nine to twelve
September 4, 1985
Braniff Dining Service changes its name to Braniff Catering and Distribution Services. New menu selections are implemented in select markets with wine tasting flights from MCI to DCA to LGA and DFW to LGA to BOS and a new Hoagie deli sandwich is added to DFW to LGA to BOS flights
October 1, 1985
Veteran actor Wilford Brimley joins Braniff as the new star of the Company’s television commercials, which begin airing in the Kansas City market during October and November and new radio commercials, which will air in both Dallas and Kansas City
October 1, 1985
The DFW station implements two new innovative programs to assist passengers, which include curbside check-in and Pronto Package customers can now fill out their airway bills and drop off their packages at curbside check-in or at the Pronto counter
October 5, 1985
Las Vegas McCarran Airport completes Phase 1 of its $1 billion 20-year expansion and renovation program. Photo: Copyright, Ellis M. Chernoff
November 1, 1985
Airtron TM, Braniff’s new reservations computer system begins operation
November 1, 1985
Braniff introduces Thunder Tug at DFW Airport. The super tug is outfitted with a super strong magnet that can pick up metal objects off the airport ramp. Magnets were also sent to other stations for fitment to create other Thunder Tugs. DFW Supervisor Judy Tolle created the idea by salvaging magnets from DFW’s ill-fated Docutel Baggage System, which has been dismantled
December 1, 1985
Braniff introduces Braille Emergency Booklets on board the Company’s Boeing 727-200 Trijet aircraft. The booklet was developed with the help of the American Foundation for the Blind.
Photo: Braniff’s Destination Inflight Magazine cover from the December 1, 1985, issue features American Retail Meccas at Christmastime. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
December 1, 1985
The company opens a new pilot and flight attendant base at Miami. Training of the new 35 new pilots and flight attendants began November 11, 1985, in Dallas
December 12, 1985
Young Ms. Jennifer (Jenny) Nelson of Hot Springs, Arkansas, traveled aboard a Braniff jet to New York for a special Christmastime visit. Seven-year-old Jenny is diagnosed with terminal cystic fibrosis and this special sightseeing trip was truly special to her and her family
December 15, 1985
The Catering Department implements a system-wide menu change, which upgrades several current snack items and also adds new upgraded snacks, which will be served in a new plastic box with Braniff’s logo printed on the cover
December 31, 1985
Braniff’s Training Department announces that it has completed training NASA pilots to fly their Boeing 747s that carry the Space Shuttle orbiters on top of the Jumbo Jet’s fuselages.
Photo: Braniff International Boeing 747-200 Redifon Simulator was installed at Braniff Place World Headquarters in 1980. The simulator remained in full operation until 2007. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
BRANIFF IN 1986
February 1, 1986
New Advance Purchase Discount Fares are introduced on all flights to and from DFW Airport and in all Braniff long-haul connect markets
February 1, 1986
Braniff introduces the “Dance with the One that Brung You!” commercial on both radio and television in the Dallas/Ft. Worth and Kansas City markets, which details Braniff’s road to bringing its customers the lowest fares possible
February 8, 1986
Braniff held its first employee makeover session in Phoenix, which gives employees the opportunity for a free makeover of their appearance. The successful program has been in operation since the summer of 1984
February 13, 1986
A special ceremony to honor Braniff’s flight attendant training staff was held at the Holiday Inn North in Dallas
March 1, 1986
Braniff begins new service between Detroit and DFW Airport
March 1, 1986
New nonstop service begins from Kansas City to Detroit, San Diego and San Francisco
March 2, 1986
Braniff inaugurates new Transcontinental Service from San Diego to Washington DC National Airport with an intermediate stop at Kansas City
March 12, 1986
The company hosts its second annual Kansas City area travel agent’s reception to express Braniff’s appreciation for our local agents and their support, which was attended by more than 500 agents. The event featured a Western-theme, which was warmly received
April 1, 1986
The company releases two new radio commercials that air in the DFW, Kansas City and Washington DC area. The commercials are “The Lowest and the Best” which emphasizes Braniff’s low fares and quality service and “Three Inches More” that touts the Company’s big leather seats and extra legroom
April 1, 1986
Since the Company resumed flying operations on March 1, 1984, Braniff reports it has accomplished its first profitable fiscal year. During 1985, the Airline flew 2.24 billion miles, which was an increase of over 18 percent from 1984, while Load Factor reached a remarkable 68 percent compared to 44.6 percent in 1984. The Company reports a Net Profit of $23 million USD for the fiscal year ending January 31, 1986, compared to the massive loss of $86.3 million USD for the previous year in 1984
April 1, 1986
Braniff continues to expand at Kansas City by leasing four additional gates plus the use of a fifth gate at International Airport, including Gates 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32
April 1, 1986
The Love Field Drive-In Ticket Window reports 737 tickets sold during the month of March 1986, generating $84,263 USD in Revenue.
Photo: Opened by Braniff Airways in 1967, the Drive-In Ticket Window at the Braniff Operations and Maintenance Base at Dallas Love Field was the first of its kind. The interior of the agent facility on the third floor of the Operations Base was rather small. The facility remained in service until November 1989 and the last television monitor and microphone unit was removed by Braniff Airways, Incorporated, in the summer of 2017 and placed in the Braniff International Heritage Archives. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
April 12 to 13, 1986
Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the appearance of Halley’s Comet, Braniff offered three one-time only flights so passengers could view the comet from a darkened jet cabin high above the earth. Three flights, with their numbers corresponding to the first sighting in 1910, the current in 1986 and the next in 2062, departed DFW Airport with 100 passengers on board and then climbed to 27,000 feet high above Rising Star, Texas, which is located halfway between Cisco, Texas, site of the first Hilton Hotel, and Brownwood, Texas, home of world-famous Underwood’s Steakhouse
May 1, 1986
Braniff’s average payout for denied boarding compensation is $206.00 USD per passenger during the month of April 1986
May 1, 1986
New Transcontinental Service is inaugurated from Seattle/Tacoma to New York City with an intermediate stop at Kansas City
May 1, 1986
Stirring Moments, a new cookbook compiled by the Clipped B’s, Braniff’s Association of Retired Flight Attendants, is released
June 1, 1986
A new flight crew base is opened at Kansas City, with 100 pilots and 150 flight attendants in residence.
Photo: Braniff Airways was building a significant hub at Kansas City International Airport. The Front Ticket Counter was handsome in the Braniff tradition. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
June 28, 1986
The 20th Anniversary of Braniff International’s Military Airlift Command Operations in both the Pacific and Atlantic celebration is held at the DFW Airport Marriott Hotel.
Photo: The Braniff International Military Airlift Command Route Map indicates how extensive Braniff’s transport service was for the Vietnam War effort. Today, Braniff Airways Foundation provides free assistance to Veterans that flew into Agent Orange areas aboard Braniff aircraft. For more information contact the Braniff Employee Service Center at info@braniffinternational.com. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
August 1, 1986
British Airways offers highly discounted fares to Braniff employees flying Concorde to London. The positive space fare is $403 per person for round trip travel that includes positive space on Boeing 747 return flights
August 31, 1986
The Love Field Drive-In Window sells 1250 tickets during the month of August. This yields $182,310 in revenue.
Photo: Braniff’s official spokesperson, Actor Wilford Brimley, is featured on the front cover of the August 1986 issue of Braniff Destination Inflight Magazine. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
September 1, 1986
Braniff introduces the Commuter Flight Pack program to increase Braniff’s share of commercial business traffic. Twelve one-way ticket for the price of eleven are included in the Flight Pack
October 1, 1986
Braniff begins an advertising campaign targeted at the both the business and leisure traveler with a new 30-day “penalty free” television commercial that airs in the Dallas/Ft. Worth and Kansas City markets. The new commercial also emphasizes Braniff’s inflight amenities and lets Braniff customers know that while we are a low-fare carrier, the company still offers quality service
November 1, 1986
Braniff inaugurates new nonstop service from Kansas City to San Antonio and Newark
November 1, 1986
The Company begins new nonstop service between San Antonio and Acapulco and Mexico City, Mexico, and between Dallas/Ft. Worth and Acapulco and Mexico City. Kansas City single-plane service to both Mexico cities via San Antonio is now offered
December 1, 1986
Joining with TWA Ambassador Clubs, Braniff begins offering its First Class passengers access to these exclusive VIP clubs. The Braniff Business Club is a Braniff operated VIP Club at DFW Airport and now joins the sharing program with TWA. In addition to the DFW Club, Braniff passengers can visit TWA Ambassador Clubs at Phoenix, Kansas City and New York La Guardia and soon Chicago and Los Angeles
December 7, 1986
Braniff begins using Sabre Reservations System for its reservations needs. The Airline’s schedules are also displayed in United Airlines Apollo, Texas Air’s System One, Delta Airlines Datas-II and Trans World Airlines PARS reservation system
December 15, 1986
Braniff Express begins operations as the regional feeder to Braniff’s mainline flights with Rio Airways, Inc., at DFW Airport and Capital Airlines, Inc., at the Kansas City hub
December 20, 1986
Braniff once again begins serving Oklahoma City, where the Airline’s first service began in 1928. Nonstop service from Oklahoma City to Dallas begins
December 20, 1986
Braniff inaugurates new nonstop service between Kansas City and Baltimore
BRANIFF IN 1987
January 31, 1987
Braniff reports Operating Revenues of $239.4 million USD and a loss of $9.0 million USD for the year ended January 31, 1987. This is compared to a net profit of $23.0 million USD on Operating Revenues of $244.3 million USD for the same period in 1986
February 6, 1987
Tucson once again joins the Braniff route system with new service to Kansas City
February 16, 1987
Braniff’s new Kanas City Learning Center opens with a Customer Service Agent SABRE Training Class. The facility is located at 10801 North Amity, two miles from Kansas City International Airport
March 1, 1987
New on-time goals are established to enhance schedules including the start of early flights 95 percent of the time; 85 percent of departures leave on schedule and 75 percent of arrivals operate on schedule
April 1, 1987
Braniff’s Drive-In Ticket Window at the Dallas Love Field Operations and Maintenance Base sells 1,169 tickets that generated $154,305 USD in Revenue
April 1, 1987
The Company introduces its new Get It All Vacations packages program to 21 of the most popular cities and resorts in the US and Mexico
April 1, 1987
Braniff chooses Coca-Cola as its soft drink supplier on all flights
April 1, 1987
The company commissions a study titled Who is Flying Braniff, which is conducted by students from the University of Dallas lead by Professor John R. Deegan. The study focused on Braniff’s passenger attitudes, buying patterns and characteristics, which found that overall that airline fliers and travel personnel were indifferent toward the airline overall. However, it was found the company was an in odd situation where it was required to compete with some of the largest airlines in the world.
The study determined that the company must commit substantial financial resources to advertising the company and its services to the public in general. Further, it was found that Braniff’s typical customer is 25 years of age, with at least a college degree with an average income of $30,000 to $45,000 and married
May 4, 1987
Denver-based Midcontinent Airlines joins the Braniff Express network. The Airline serves Kansas City, Yankton, Grand Island, Norfolk, Columbus and Omaha using 19 passenger EMB Bandeirante twin-engine turboprops
May 14, 1987
Braniff begins new service between Phoenix and Tucson
May 14, 1987
Minneapolis/St. Paul joins the Braniff system once again with nonstop service to Kansas City
July 1, 1987
Altus Airlines, based at Altus, Oklahoma, and Havasu Airlines, based at Lake Havasu City, Arizona, joined the Braniff Express regional airline system
September 15, 1987
Braniff inaugurates new nonstop service between Kansas City and St. Louis
September 16, 1987
Braniff’s introduction of improved inflight service includes new salad selections along with varied fresh fruit combinations on our breakfast menus. In addition, service is further enhanced with the addition of mints and hot and cold towels. Young passengers will enjoy coloring books, crayons and pin-on wings to add to their inflight entertainment
October 1, 1987
Braniff reveals a new newsletter titled Straight Talk to increase communication between Braniff and our travel agents. The newsletter will keep agents better informed about products, prices and services that Braniff offers to consumers.
Photo: The September 1987 issue of Braniff Destination Inflight Magazine featured Washington, DC, another exciting Braniff destination. Copyright, Braniff Airways. Incorporated
November 1, 1987
Braniff introduces its new frequent flyer program called Encore tailored for business and leisure travelers, which requires fewer mileage points than most other programs
November 15, 1987
New Federal Aviation Regulations limit the size of passenger carry-on luggage and requires flight crews to ensure that all bags are stowed in overhead bins or under seats before closing the door in preparation for taxi. Braniff implements the new regulations on this day
November 23, 1987
For the first time since May 21, 1979, Braniff began training a new pilot class consisting of 28 men and one woman at DFW. The new class will be trained as flight engineers on the Boeing 727 Trijet. A second class of 22 also began training on this same date
December 11, 1987
Braniff, Inc., enters into an Agreement and Plan of Merger with Braniff Acquisition Corporation and Florida Express Airlines, Inc
BRANIFF IN 1988
January 5, 1988
Braniff Reservations received a record number of bookings for any single day since the Company returned to service in March 1984. More than 34,000 bookings were taken with many for the new Florida markets that the company would begin serving in mid-January 1988
January 6, 1988
More than 400 travel agents from all over Florida came to meet Braniff at the Stouffer Orlando Resort Hotel in anticipation of Braniff’s new service at Orlando
January 10, 1988
The Company operates 84 daily departures from its Kansas City hub with nonstop service to 30 destinations. At Braniff’s Orlando hub, the Airline operates 34 daily departures with nonstop service to 16 destinations with through-plane or connecting service to 40 cities
January 15, 1988
Braniff’s pending merger with Orlando-based Florida Express Airlines, with Braniff as the surviving carrier, begins with a Joint Marketing, Ground Handling and Services Agreement, which called for at cost billing at Orlando. Florida Express operates a fleet of BAC One-11 Twinjets (some of these are former Braniff Airways One-11s) and begins feeding Braniff at Orlando with service to Akron/Canton, Birmingham, Cincinnati, Columbus, Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Meyers, Indianapolis, Louisville, Nashville, Nassau, Bahamas, Orlando, Sarasota/Bradenton, Tampa/St. Petersburg and West Palm Beach. With the pending merger with Florida Express, Braniff, Inc., adds Orlando as its third major hub along with Kansas City and Dallas/Ft. Worth and the combined carriers plus Braniff Express Commuter now serve 45 cities in the US and the Bahamas.
As of June 30, 1987, Florida Express employed 966 people including 144 management members, 125 flight crew members, 97 flight attendants, 78 in maintenance and 324 other full time personnel and 198 part-time employees.
January 15, 1988
The first of four of ten newly leased Boeing 737-200 Twinjets begin service with two additional scheduled online during February, two in March and the final two in April 1988
January 15, 1988
Braniff begins new nonstop service between Orlando and Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport using Boeing 737 Twinjets
January 15, 1988
Braniff begins new nonstop service between Orlando and Chicago, Detroit, New York JFK and Washington DC with two nonstops daily between Orlando and each city
January 15, 1988
Braniff unveils its new frequent flyer program Get-It-All, which was previously called Encore
January 20, 1988
Braniff’s Washington DC National Airport station set a record for carrying freight on one single flight 15,182 pounds of cargo on Flight 543 operating from DCA to Kansas City
January 21, 1988
Braniff was granted an exemption from the Department of Transportation from the full hearing process specified in the review of the acquisition of Florida Express Airlines, Inc. Florida Express has already been feeding Braniff flights operating as Braniff Express. Once the DOT approves the merger, then Florida Express flights will be listed with BN flight number designators
January 31, 1988
The Company reports a loss of $12.2 million USD on Revenues of $297.4 million USD for the fiscal year ended January 31, 1988. This is compared to a loss of $9.0 million USD on Revenues of $239.5 million USD during the same period in 1987
February 1, 1988
Braniff begins new nonstop Boeing 737 service between Cleveland and Orlando
February 1, 1988
The Company inaugurates new Braniff Express BAC One-11 Fastback Jet service between Atlanta and Orlando
February 12, 1988
A new flight attendant training class begins primarily to train crew members for the arrival of additional Boeing 737 aircraft
February 15, 1988
Braniff Express begins the only single-plane service between Atlanta and St. Petersburg/Clearwater Airport with continuing service from ATL to and from Indianapolis
March 18, 1988
Braniff has chosen Cooper Aerobics Clinic in Dallas, Texas, as the site for training its new flight attendant classes and the first class begins training at the Clinic on this date
April 15, 1988
Braniff offers 24 code-sharing regional airline flights operating from Kansas City
April 19, 1988
Florida Express Airlines, a Florida-based regional airline is purchased by Braniff, Inc., and is formally merged with Braniff, which is the surviving carrier. Florida Express was merged into Braniff Acquisition Corporation, a newly-formed wholly owned subsidiary of Braniff, Inc
April 19, 1988
Braniff begins new service from Denver to Kansas City and Albuquerque to Kansas City with Boeing 737 Twinjets
April 23, 1988
The Federal Aviation Administration has banned all smoking on commercial domestic airline flights of two hours or less in duration
May 1, 1988
The Company’s Drive-In Ticket Window at Dallas Love Field announces that it sold 1,376 tickets during the month of April 1988, which generated $197,697 in Revenue
May 27, 1988
Nonstop service from Kansas City to Seattle/Tacoma, is inaugurated by Braniff
June 1, 1988
Braniff, Inc., held an open forum meeting at Orlando, Florida, for employees to attend to ask questions about the recent purchase of Florida Express Airlines, Inc. The meeting, first of many scheduled throughout the system, featured a question and answer period for employees to ask Company management about the merger. The meeting was hosted by Mr. Larry Hughes, Senior Vice President Operations; Mr. John Olson, Vice President Flight Operations; Mr. Bill Oliver, Vice President Customer Service; Mr. Kirk Mueller, Vice President Personnel and Mr. Brian Olds, Vice President Marketing and Engineering. Over 150 employees were in attendance and were able to ask questions with Mr. Hughes acting as moderator
June 6, 1988
The 4th Annual Branflex Golf Tournament is held at the Wedgefield Country Club at Orlando
June 15, 1988
Braniff begins new service from Kansas City to Milwaukee, Omaha, Tulsa and Wichita
June 15, 1988
New Braniff nonstop service between DFW Airport and Denver begins
June 25, 1988
From Dallas, Texas, Braniff, Inc., announces that the Company’s shareholders have approved the purchase of the Airline by BIA-COR Holdings, Inc., an investment firm based in Philadelphia. The company features investors from both New York City and Philadelphia, and is headed by Mr. Jeffrey A. Chodorow, Chairman and CEO of CoreGroup and Mr. Arthur G. Cohen, a New York investor who shares ownership of BIA-COR with CoreGroup and Paine Weber, which served as an advisor to BIA-COR, will retain an equity interest in the Company.
The new owner group agreed to no layoffs during the first three years of ownership and that basically there would be no changes to the basic structure of Braniff, which employs 3600 people including those from Florida Express Airlines, Inc., which Braniff purchased in April 1988
July 1, 1988
Mr. Jay A. Pritzker wrote a letter to company employees announce the sale of Braniff, Inc., to BIA-COR Holdings, Inc. Mr. Pritzker praised everyone for working so hard to bring Braniff out of reorganization just four years earlier and building into a major airline once again. The letter was published in the July 1, 1988, issue of Braniff Update Employee Newsletter
July 31, 1988
Braniff, Inc., announces the purchase of its first new aircraft since 1979, the Fokker F-100 twin-engine jetliner with a seating capacity of 107 passengers. The Company has purchased 12 Fokker F-100s with the first scheduled for delivery in September 1989 and the remaining 12 by December 1990. The new Stage III jet can fly with a full load from Kansas City to any state in the Continental US
August 1, 1988
The Company announces that 14 stations achieved 100 percent on-time departure performance with Palm Beach International Airport at number 1 along with 13 other stations and Indianapolis International Airport reported in second place
August 1, 1988
Captain Billy J. Self is named Employee of the Month. Captain Self joined Braniff in 1956 after service in the US Air Force. During his 32 years with Braniff, he has served as line pilot, check pilot and Boeing 747 Base Manager
August 1, 1988
The Company announces a new management group to guide the company forward as it grows, which includes Mr. William G. McGee as President and Chairman of the Board of Braniff, Inc., and formerly held the same positions at Piedmont Airlines, Inc.; Mr. W. Howard McKinnon as Executive Vice President-Finance, formerly with Piedmont Airlines, Inc.; Mr. Richard L. James appointed Executive Vice President-Planning, also formerly with Piedmont Airlines and Mr. Don McGuire as Vice President-Public Affairs, another Piedmont Airlines executive
August 15, 1988
Braniff appoints new officers including Mr. Robert T. Pike as Vice President-Public Relations and Personnel; Mr. Mike S. Schneider as Vice President-Planning and Revenue Development; Mr. Thomas J. Volz a Vice President-Marketing and Mr. Charles D. Gibbs as Vice President-Scheduling and Route Development
Mr. Ronald G. Kiripolsky is appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer of Dalfort Aviation Services. Mr. Kiripolsky brings 20 years of aviation experience to the Company having worked previously for Continental Airlines and Pacific Southwest Airlines and Pacific Southwest Airmotive.
Mr. Dale States will continue to serve as a consultant to Dalfort Corporation, while serving as President Astraea Airline Services
September 1, 1988
Flight Attendant Floyd Corsey, who joined Braniff on May 18, 1974, is named Employee of the Month. A Braniff manager commented about Floyd, “If we could package Floyd’s enthusiasm, we could sell the surplus to the competition and make a fortune.”
September 12, 1988
Braniff opens its new Kansas City Hub with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony held at Gate 29, with Company Chairman and President Bill McGee and Kansas City Councilman Frank Palermo and KC Aviation Director Del Karmeier sharing the ceremonial duties. Mr. Jeffrey Chodorow, Chairman of BIA-COR Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Braniff, Inc., and Florida Express Airlines, Inc., departed on the inaugural flight to Philadelphia along with KC Councilman Bob Lewellen and Braniff’s Tom Volz, Vice President-Marketing. All were met in PHL by Mr. Brian Olds, Braniff’s Vice President-Maintenance and Engineering
September 15, 1988
Air Midwest joins Braniff’s regional feeder system, dubbed Braniff Express, offering Kansas City passengers 90 daily code-sharing feeder flights
September 23, 1988
Effective this date, passengers must check baggage at the airport at least 20 minutes prior to scheduled departure time but they cannot check luggage more than 4 hours before scheduled departure time. In addition, cabin seats purchased for luggage fares were reduced from 100 percent to only 75 percent of the applicable full fare while the charge for a single personal pet traveling in the cabin increased from $25 to $30 USD
October 1, 1988
The Company announced that September 1988 traffic increased by 25 percent to 347.1 million Revenue Passenger Miles from 278.6 million Revenue Passenger Miles, while capacity increased 47.1 percent to 600 million Available Seat Miles from 408.3 million ASMs in September 1987. Braniff’s Load Factor dropped 10.8 points to 57.8 percent in September 1988 from 67 percent in September 1987
October 1, 1988
Braniff increases service at the Kansas City Hub bringing the number of daily departures to 82, which was an increase of six flights. New nonstop service was inaugurated to Orlando, Tucson and Tulsa, Boston, Philadelphia, Houston and Oklahoma City, while additional flights were added to Los Angeles and Atlanta. The company offered 29 daily nonstop flights from Kansas City, according to Braniff Regional Sales Director Mr. Terry Steele
October 6, 1988
Braniff appoints Mr. Rick Boubelik as Director-Pricing and Revenue Management and will report to Mr. Richard L. James, Executive Vice President-Planning. Prior to his arrival at Braniff, Mr. Boubelik was employed with Republic Airlines and then its successor Northwest Airlines Company
October 8, 1988
The Braniff Running Club takes part in the 7th Annual World Airline Road Race in Washington DC. Over 5000 airline employees and their families take part in this 5K and 10K race event
October 10 to 11, 1988
Sixty Braniff managers of airport services, representing every station on the route system, met in Kansas City to review the coming winter season and share presentations from other departments within the Company. The meeting was led by Vice President of Customer Service Mr. Bill Oliver
October 15, 1988
Mr. David R. Murchison is appointed as Vice President General Counsel. Prior, to his arrival at Braniff he worked for Piedmont Airlines, ATA and at the Civil Aeronautics Board
Mr. Robert Shelton is appointed to the position of Staff Vice President-Technical Services. Employed with Braniff since 1966, his most recent position was as Director-Quality Control and his first job with the Company was as an aircraft electrician.
Photo: Braniff Destination Magazine featured the Braniff destination Chicago on the front cover for the October 1988 issue. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
October 19, 1988
Braniff’s Joint Dispatch Office, currently located at the Braniff Operations and Maintenance Base at 7701 Lemmon Avenue at Dallas Love Field, is moving to the new Northbrook Atrium Office Building located at 2351 Northwest Highway to the west of Love Field
October 25, 1988
Braniff selects Fashionaire to produce its airport service group employee uniforms
November 1, 1988
Braniff Reservations at MCO and DAL reported that they received 706,840 calls during the month of October 1988 and that 693,095 of the calls were answered. The DAL Drive-In Ticket Window sold 720 tickets generating $85,656 USD in Revenue during the same month
November 1, 1988
October traffic increased 64 percent to 461,007 passengers compared to 281,320 in October 1987 and Load Factor increased .06 of a point to 58.5 in October 1988 from 57.9 in October 1987
November 1, 1988
Braniff enters into an agreement with tour wholesaler Funway Holidays and Funjet, Inc., to provide Braniff customers with a package vacation program for Florida vacations to Orlando, the Florida beach cities including Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Meyers, Tampa/St. Petersburg and West Palm Beach, plus Nassau, in the Bahamas, from 11 Midwest cities and Washington DC. Prices will be as low as $189.95 and including Braniff air fare, hotel and rental car over a 3 day stay
November 1, 1988
The company announces it has signed an agreement with Greif Company, to supply new flight attendant uniforms. The company is already supplying Braniff’s pilot uniforms
November 21, 1988
Braniff Express commuter carrier, Midcontinent Airlines, unveils their new Swearingen Metro III twin-turboprop airliner at Kansas City. The new Metros will feature seating for 20 passengers and are painted in the new Braniff Express Color Scheme
November 29, 1988
Braniff announces that it is moving the Royal Lane Stores Department in Dallas, to the new facility near Kansas City International Airport during the month of December.
Photo: Braniff, Inc.’s, predecessor Braniff Airways, was building a significant presence at Kansas City International Airport beginning in 1979
December 1, 1988
Braniff inaugurates its own in-house air freight program to compliment the Airline’s current Pronto Package Services. A new Air Cargo Service Center is set up to handle calls and answer questions
December 1, 1988
The company discontinues service at Sarasota, Florida; Louisville, Kentucky and at Washington Dulles Airport. Fifteen days later, on December 15, 1988, Braniff inaugurates new nonstop service between Kansas City and Miami
December 8, 1988
The company-wide Christmas Party is held at the DFW Airport Hyatt Hotel with over 1000 employees in attendance, while Kansas City held its party and 750 employees attended. Parties were also held at Orlando and Houston
December 13, 1988
Braniff has purchased advertising time during the Super Bowl for the Kansas City market. Two new television commercials featuring Braniff employees will be aired during the football event
December 20, 1988
Braniff takes delivery of its eleventh used Boeing 737-200 Twinjet aircraft and the company signs an agreement with CORE Leasings, Inc., for 23 additional Boeing 737 Twinjets including 15 Series -200s and 8 Series -300s for delivery during 1989
December 30, 1988
The Company enters into an agreement with Pan American World Airways, Inc., for Pan American to sign over to Braniff, Inc., Pan Am’s rights under and aircraft purchase agreement to purchase 16 new Airbus A320-231 Twinjet airliners with an option to purchase 34 additional aircraft. The 150-passenger jet can fly 3000 miles nonstop with a two-pilot crew
BRANIFF IN 1989
January 1, 1989
Braniff’s fleet consists of 24 Boeing 727-200 Trijets; 18 BAC One-11 Twinjets and 11 Boeing 737-200 Twinjets
January 1, 1989
The first issue of the renamed and redesigned Braniff Inflight Magazine is placed in seatback pockets throughout the fleet. The magazine is now titled Braniff Magazine
January 2, 1989
The company announces that it has acquired the leases for 16 additional gates at Kansas City International Airport, which represents a $22 million investment for the Airline
January 4, 1989
Braniff Chairman of the Board of Directors Mr. William G. McGee announces that the company has placed an order with Airbus Industrie for the firm delivery of 50 new Airbus A320 twin-engine jet airliners with an option for 50 additional aircraft. The first ten are scheduled for delivery in July 1989. A consortium of entities purchased the aircraft for Braniff and leased them to Braniff
January 10, 1989
Braniff’s first Boeing 737-200 Twinjet begins regularly scheduled service
January 12, 1989
The advertising agency, McKinney-Silver, of Raleigh, North Carolina, has been retained by the company to develop a new advertising plan for Braniff.
Photo: Braniff is the official carrier of the Kansas City Royals Baseball Team. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
January 31, 1989
Braniff, Inc., reports Operating Revenues of $125.4 million for the first three months ended on this day, which is up $79.2 million over the same period 1988. The company reported a loss of $13.2 million during the same period compared to a $7.2 million loss in 1988
For the fiscal year ended January 31, 1989, Braniff reported a loss of $24.6 million on Revenues of $479.4 million compared to a loss of $12.2 million on Revenues of $297.4 million during the previous year of 1988. Losses were contributed to the April 1988 purchase of Florida Express Airlines, Inc., and expansion of the hub at Kansas City, Missouri
February 1, 1989
Braniff flights are on-time 71.4 percent during January 1989 compared to number 1 Eastern Airlines at 81.7 and last United Airlines at 68.1.
Braniff’s new inflight magazine, dubbed Braniff Magazine, features Houston on the front cover for February 1989. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
February 6, 1989
The Company purchases the leaseholds of Eastern Airlines at Kansas City International Airport for 20 gates in Terminal A. The City of Kansas City indicates that it will finance the purchase with a city bond offering
February 9, 1989
Braniff announces that it is moving its corporate offices from Dallas, Texas, to Orlando, Florida.
Photo: The iconic Braniff International Operations and Maintenance Base at Dallas Love Field served as the company’s operations and maintenance headquarters from 1958 to 1989 and as Braniff, Inc.’s main headquarters from 1983 until 1989. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
February 15, 1989
Inauguration of nonstop service from Kansas City to Tampa/St. Petersburg
March 1, 1989
Braniff’s Dallas Reservations Center celebrates its 5th year of service. The center is located on the third floor of the Braniff Operations and Maintenance Base at Dallas Love Field. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
March 1, 1989
The company announces that Revenue Passenger Miles increased by 29 percent during February 1989 from 331,152 (000) RPMs compared to the same month in 1988 of 256,667 RPMs. Available Seat Mile increased 23.1 percent from 451,259 in February 1988 to 555,790 in February 1989 and Passenger Enplanements were up 65.5 percent from 274,511 to 405,634. Passenger Load Factor increased by 2.8 points from 56.8 in February 1988 to 59.6 in February 1989.
Braniff’s largest single expense is fuel, which it burns 14,500,000 gallons of jet fuel per month. A one-cent change in jet fuel changes Braniff’s operating costs by $1,740,000 USD per year. In March 1989, fuel was .59 cents per gallon compared to .70 cents ten years earlier in March 1979
March 1, 1989
Braniff’s Drive-In Ticket Booth at the Dallas Love Field Operations and Maintenance Base sold 450 tickets during February 1989, generating $76,630 USD in Revenue. Photo: Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
March 1, 1989
Braniff purchases the leaseholds for 8 gates in Terminal B at Kansas City International Airport. The City of Kansas City indicates that it will finance the purchase through a city bond issuance. However, this does not materialize for this purchase as well as the 20 gates purchased on February 6, 1989, leaving Braniff with a significant financial shortfall
March 1, 1989
Braniff Express, operated by Air Midwest, Inc., and Midcontinent Airlines, Inc., increases Braniff’s identity with service to 32 cities that connect with Braniff mainline flights at Kansas City. In February 1989, Braniff Express flew 18,000 connecting passengers generating $2 million in revenue
April 1, 1989
Braniff expands its Kansas City hub to offer passengers nonstop flights to 34 domestic US cities with 93 jet departures every day
April 2, 1989
Braniff begins new nonstop service between Kansas City and Washington Dulles airports
March 6, 1989
The first company management pilots depart for Miami, Florida, to begin training on the new Airbus A320-231 Twinjets. Airbus’s new state-of-the-art training facility was recently opened in the Miami area
April 15, 1989
Braniff’s fleet consists of 24 Boeing 727-200 Trijets, 15 Boeing 737-200 Twinjets and 18 BAC One-11 Fastback Jets and employs 4700 people represented by four union agreements
April 22, 1989
A special day to honor former Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Tom Landry, dubbed Landry Day, is held in Dallas, Texas. Braniff took part in the day with a special giant football float featured in the Landry Day Parade through downtown Dallas. At Dallas City Hall, Braniff presented Mr. Landry with a 1/60 scale Braniff Boeing 727-200 model by Westway of London that was inscribed with his name on each side of the cockpit. This model is housed in the Braniff International Heritage Archives, which is the official historical repository of Braniff International and Braniff, Inc. The corporate and historical records and memorabilia of Braniff, Inc., are housed in this Archive
April 28, 1989
Braniff inflight instructors begin training for the new Airbus A320-231 at the Airbus Toulouse, France, Plant. Additional, training will be conducted at Airbus’s training facility at Miami, Florida. Braniff hopes to train all 900 of its flight attendants for service on the new jet
May 1, 1989
With the move of its headquarters from Dallas, Texas, to Orlando, Florida, Braniff becomes the only major airline headquartered in Florida. Besides the new headquarters building, a 110,000 square foot maintenance facility will house 400 maintenance and operations employees
May 1, 1989
In Kansas City, the company remodels and reopens its old Reservations Center and begins construction on a 110,000 square foot maintenance facility that will be ready for occupancy in early 1990. In addition, the company expands Terminal A, which gives the airline 35 gates. During the peak summer period the company operates 105 daily jet departures
May 1, 1989
Braniff inaugurates nonstop service between Kansas City and Ontario, California, and Newark.New nonstop service also begins between Dallas/Ft. Worth and Orlando, and new nonstop service is inaugurated between Kansas City and Newark.
Braniff and Braniff Express serve 78 cities in the US and the Bahamas
May 1, 1989
Braniff serves 34 destinations from Kansas City and 16 from Orlando and employs more than 4000 people that includes 440 pilots. At Kansas City, the Company employs 2,000 people, 1,165 in Orlando and 450 at Dallas/Ft. Worth
May 1, 1989
For the First Quarter ended April 30, 1989, Braniff reports a net loss of $21.2 million USD on revenues of $139.9 million USD. However, load factors remained stable while operating revenues, available seat miles and yield per revenue passenger mile continued to climb.
The loss was attributed to continued expansion of the Company and high costs associated with the operation of the BAC One-11 twinjet fleet. During the same period in 1988, the Company reported a loss of $8.1 million USD on revenues of $93.9 million USD
May 1, 1989
Braniff line pilots leave for initial training on the new Airbus A320-231, at the Airbus Plant in Toulouse, France, with additional training conducted at Airbus’s facility at Miami, Florida. The Company plans to train 80 crews for the first 16 aircraft that will go into service
May 5, 1989
Braniff closes its office at the Braniff Operations and Maintenance Base at Dallas Love Field, which the Company had occupied since it opened in October 1958. However, Braniff’s offices at the Northbrook Atrium (shown) remain open and in operation
May 8, 1989
The Company moves into its temporary headquarters building at 9955 Benford Road, the former International Arrivals Building at Orlando International Airport, which will house the executive offices. More than 125 Braniff employees will work at the new building. More than 700 are employed in the Orlando area. In addition, new temporary space is also leased at Airside Commerce Park on Tradeport Drive near the Benford offices, which will house the Print Shop, Catering, Recruiting, Security and the Flight Attendant Management Group as well as maintenance support staff
May 8, 1989
Braniff announces that its 842 pilots have ratified a new contract. The company has also reached agreements with its customer service agents and clerical personnel represented by the Teamsters and its flight dispatchers represented by the Flight Dispatchers Association
May 24, 1989
The first 10 pilots sent for initial A320 training have completed training
June 7, 1989
Company President William G. “Bill” McGee and Mr. John Wyckoff, Executive Director of the Greater Orlando Airport Authority host a special open house at Braniff’s new headquarters at 9950 Benford Road at Orlando International Airport. Mr. McGee and Mr. Wyckoff both cut the ceremonial grand opening ribbon
June 25, 1989
A new Aircraft Maintenance and Technical Services Agreement entered into with Dalfort, Inc., the Company’s former holding company, in 1988, is amended for Dalfort to provide heavy maintenance service on its Boeing 727-200 and Boeing 737-200 aircraft
July 1, 1989
The Company begins new nonstop service between Orlando and Newark
July 1, 1989
Braniff introduces a new awards program called Braniff Bottom Line. The new program is designed to reward companies, their employees and travel agents and is based on the number of flights that its employees take and then accumulate Braniff’s Get It All frequent flyer program awards. At each company’s predetermined trip level, a free Braniff ticket is awarded
July 1, 1989
Twenty-eight-year industry veteran Captain D. D. McLean joins Braniff as Senior Vice President – Flight Operations and is tasked with a smooth transition into the new Airbus A320-231. Captain McLean comes from Piedmont Airlines where he was Vice President of Flight Training
July 1, 1989
Braniff adds two daily nonstop flights between Orlando and Newark and second nonstop is added from Orlando to Dallas/Ft. Worth. In addition, a third daily nonstop was added between MCO and Tampa/St. Petersburg, which gives Braniff passengers a total of 31 daily jet departures to 14 nonstop destinations from Orlando
July 13, 1989
The company accepts its first new Airbus A320-231 at the Airbus Plant at Toulouse, France. The jet is flown to Orlando, Florida, where it arrives two days later by Braniff Captain Wendell A. Stephens, Manager of A320 Training
July 15, 1989
Braniff’s first new Airbus A320-231 is delivered from Toulouse, France, and arrives at the Orlando Base. For the week following the delivery, the aircraft are inspected and service at company maintenance
July 24 to 28, 1989
Maintenance runs with the new Airbus A320 begin with pilot touch and go operations at Orlando, followed by a ferry flight from Orlando to Kansas City and back to Orlando
July 24, 1989
Braniff opens a new City Ticket Office at 1600 Baltimore Avenue in downtown Kansas City. This was a Braniff Airways Headquarters Building in the 1950s and is a Braniff Trail Historical Plaque site
July 27, 1989
Braniff announces that an agreement has been reached with the Texas Trust and its aircraft will be repainted in a modified 1978 Braniff Ultra Color Scheme
July 31, 1989
The Company reports a loss of $43 million for the first six months of its fiscal year, which ends on January 31. The current losses were in line with the growth that the company was experiencing and only a year earlier the merger with Florida Express occurred, which began the string of moderate losses. Braniff’s capacity was high, which mean’t it was not balancing capacity with demand but was using an older model of “chasing demand.” An exaggerated example of this would be to put a 747 at Oklahoma City, and fly it to Chicago, in hopes that this would create the necessary demand to become profitable, instead of putting a better suited A320 on the route, which would be balancing capacity with demand
August 1, 1989
Braniff announces that it will begin First Class service on all aircraft including the Boeing 727, Boeing 737 and then new Airbus A320 jets. The new plan will be phased in beginning in September 1989 with the addition of 2 First Class seats in both Boeing jets and 4 installed aboard the A320. By October 1989, 737s will features 4 seats; 727 5 seats and 17 seats on A320 and by the completion of the program in March 1990, Boeing 727s and 737s will feature 19 seats and the new Airbus will offer 16 First Class seats.
Photo: The luxurious Coach Class interior of Braniff’s first new Airbus A320-231 Twinjet featured wide aisles and big roomy seating. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
August 4 to 7, 1989
Proving runs with the new Airbus A320 begin for a total of 52 hours flight time. On August 4, the first flight flew from Orlando to Los Angeles departed at 805AM and arriving LAX at 1630 with stops at Kansas City and San Francisco. On August 5, the flight returned to Kansas City departing at 5AM and arriving at 1005 with touch and go operations until 1105AM. At that time, the flight continued to Washington National Airport where it arrived 214PM and then departed back to Kansas City. A flight is conducted on August 6 from Kansas City to Boston to Kansas City to Dallas/Ft. Worth and the following day from DFW to Kansas City and then to Seattle and then back to Kansas City, ending the proving run series
August 10, 1989
Four Braniff flight attendants, Dorcas Robinson Taylor, Yvonne Crum, Karen Aubry and Val Piburn, are featured in a full-page advertisement in USA Today Newspaper to emphasize the Airline’s highly seasoned and experienced cabin crew members. All four flight attendants service combined equaled 100 years.
The same four legends gathered again in August 2018 for a reshoot of the same photograph with all three handily proving that Braniff Flight Attendants never age
August 15, 1989
Braniff begins service with its new Airbus A320-231 twin-engine jetliner. With this luxury jet, Braniff will introduce First Class once again with full seating for 148 passengers in two classes of service. The jet can fly 3000 miles nonstop with a full payload and its cabin interior is seven inches wider that Braniff’s Boeing jet fleet and it has the largest overhead bins of any airliner on the market today.
The new airliner is a first for Braniff and the aircraft itself features the first Fly-By-Wire side stick installation in a commercial aircraft; the first to be wholly designed by computer aided design processes and Airbus is the first aircraft maker to use metal to metal bonding, the superplastic forming and diffusion bonding process and 3-D wing-skin milling and the company is the first to subject its products to full-scale fatigue testing to prove reliability.
Braniff planned to initially operated 1 Airbus in August 1989, followed by 4 (total) in September, 8 in October, 9 by November, 10 by December and 12 in January 1990.
The Airbus plan was a good move for Braniff and it would have enabled it to remove the highly inefficient BAC One-11 Fastback jets from the fleet, which had been previously removed from Braniff Airways scheduled service since 1973.
Photo: Braniff, Inc., Airbus A320-231 registered as N903BN is pushed back at Las Vegas McCarran Airport in August 1989. Copyright, Frank C. Duarte, Jr
September 15, 1989
Braniff issues the October 1989 inflight magazine, which featured the first use of the new modified Ultra Font on the cover and throughout the magazine. This becomes the next to the last issue of the five year old publication. The October 1989 issue featured Painting the Hunt Country
September 27, 1989
Braniff begins canceling flights at select locations. Specific financing that the company had depended on was still in negotiation, causing the initial shutdown of service.
Photo: Braniff, Inc.’s, last full-color System Timetable is dated September 1, 1989, and featured a phone to call your travel agent to book travel on Braniff
September 28, 1989
Citing excessive debt caused by the Company’s leveraged buyout in 1988, Braniff, Inc., files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy reorganization with 3000 of its 4800 employees laid off but limited operations continue with only 12 aircraft including two for charter flights. In the filing, the Company reports assets or $326 million USD and debts of $347 million USD
However, the Company intends to continue operating on a limited basis. Braniff’s Vice President Mr. Don McGuire indicates that while reorganizing under Chapter 11 protection the Airline will operate four flight segments on this day that includes a round trip between Kansas City and Dallas/Ft. Worth and Kansas City and Orlando.
Photo: Braniff, Inc.’s, last full-color printed timetable from the September 1, 1989, System Timetable. Copyright, Braniff Airways, Incorporated
October 2, 1989
Braniff begins operating 40 flights across its route system
November 7, 1989
Braniff, Inc., ceases operations and temporarily cancels all scheduled flight operations.
Photo: Braniff, Inc.’s, fleet of new Airbus A320-231 Twinjets are parked on the ramp at Goodyear Airport near Phoenix, Arizona, in early 1990. Copyright, Air Nikon
November 19, 1989
Braniff hires investment banker Merrill Lynch Capital Markets to begin searching for a buyer for the Airline and its 28 gates at Kansas City International Airport and 52 aircraft, which are valued at approximately $300 million USD
November 28, 1989
The Company meets with its creditors in Orlando, Florida, and they are informed that Braniff is operating a limited charter operation with 15 pilots that is losing money, according to Mark Osterberg, Braniff’s senior vice president finance. Mr. Osterberg indicated that the Airline has approximately $500,000 USD in cash on hand with monthly expenses of $1.7 million USD, which includes $1 million in payroll costs for the 300 employees still working for the company.
Braniff’s attorney Howard T. Glassman of Philadelphia, stated that the company has received a positive ruling in a court case brought by several aviation companies that were attempting to cancel Braniff’s contracts for the long-term lease and purchase for 50 Airbus A320-231 Twinjets. US Bankruptcy Judge C. Timothy Corcoran concluded in his ruling that the contracts are valid and that the aviation companies must deliver the aircraft as scheduled
1990 to 1998
BRANIFF IN 1990
January 18, 1990
Merrill Lynch Capital Markets, Braniff’s investment banker, withdraws from its mission to find a buyer for the company
April 23, 1990
The bankruptcy court handling the liquidation of Braniff, Inc., the successor of Braniff Airways, Inc., approves the transfer of Braniff’s Inc’s., operating certificate and only the tradename “Braniff” to BN Air, Inc., for $313,000 USD. This did not include the trademarks of Braniff Airways, Incorporated, which were sold to the private Texas Trust in 1983 and 1984
May 18, 1990
Sales to liquidate the assets of Braniff, Inc., are held simultaneously in Dallas, Kansas City and Orlando.
The private Texas Trust purchases certain assets of the company during the asset liquidation sales
May 18, 1990
Braniff moves its headquarters back to Dallas, Texas, to the Northbrook Atrium Office Building on Northwest Highway near Dallas Love Field to conduct the remaining affairs of the company during its bankruptcy proceedings, which last until 1998
BRANIFF IN 1998
1998
Braniff, Inc., closes its office at Northbrook Atrium in Dallas, Texas, and the affairs of the corporation are concluded. Ms. Heather K. Wyman served as the last President of Braniff, Inc. Ms. Wyman’s personal Braniff papers and memorabilia are housed in the Braniff International Heritage Archives in Dallas, Texas
BRANIFF IN 2003
May 2003
Braniff Airways, Incorporated, contacts the City of Dallas Department of Aviation after the closure of the Braniff International Operations and Maintenance Base, after Dalfort Corporation ended operations. Braniff contacted the Department of Aviation to request that the Airline be allowed to remove all of Braniff’s records that were still stored in the building. The request was never answered until 2015
BRANIFF IN 2015
April 2015
After many years of requests to remove Braniff’s records and other materials from the Operations and Maintenance Building, the Department of Aviation finally answers our request. The Department denied the request and stated that we could purchase the records once the contents of the building were sent to the City for them to be auctioned. Braniff responded that the City did not have ownership of these materials and therefore did not have the authority to sell the records and materials.
BRANIFF IN 2017
June 2017
The corporate and historical records of Braniff Airways, Incorporated, and Braniff, Inc., are fully recovered from the Braniff International Operations and Maintenance Base at Dallas Love Field, after 14 years of advocating for their return. The facility is scheduled for a full remodel and Braniff Airways, Incorporated, was able to remove the records of Braniff, Inc., as well as the remaining corporate and historical records of Braniff Airways, Incorporated, and its associated companies