Airliner Classics - July 2018

Into the Sunset
The mid 1980s found the US’s major trunk airlines purchasing
regional airlines and securing routes, gates and aircraft while
seeking lucrative new markets.
AirCal was an obvious target and received initial interest from
Continental Airlines and USAir – the former wanting new
regional west coast services to pick up where its regional off-
shoot Continental West had failed in less than a year.
However, American Airlines was more aggressive and also
wanted a west coast presence. An announcement came on
November 17, 1986 that American would buy AirCal and
its parent company, ACI Holdings for $225 million. Robert
L Crandall, American’s chairman and CEO at the time said
after the announcement, “The AirCal acquisition will allow
American to fulfil its plans to develop its new hubs at Nashville,
Raleigh-Durham and San Juan while simultaneously developing
a substantial West Coast operation.”
AirCal was allowed to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 1987
before the takeover by American was completed and approved
by the Transportation Department on March 30.
Shortly afterwards the carrier started service to its

seventeenth and final city, Long Beach, California with a

service from Orange County and San Francisco. However,

AirCal ceased to exist as a separate entity on July 1, 1987 when

American Airlines officially merged the airline into its own

operations. American continued to fly many former AirCal

737s as well as the 146 – both of which were new types for the

American fleet. Most of the former AirCal employees were

retained by American and allowed to remain at their respective

AirCal stations.

Former AirCal employee Elsie Gonzalez who is now an

Operations Coordinator at San Diego International Airport

(SAN), summed up her feelings, “Starting my career in

aviation, AirCal was my first employer. SAN was a small

station and we were like closely knit family. My role at SAN

was customer service and I loved representing AirCal. The

737 was perfect for our passenger loads. We flew to Orange

County, Monterey, Oakland, Fresno and Lake Tahoe to name

a few. It was a great experience!”

AirCal had not only won the West, but left behind a legacy

that will live forever in the hearts and minds of its employees

and customers.

Lockheed Electra

N125AC is shown

departing Burbank,

CA. This Electra

served as the Los

Angeles Dodgers

baseball team’s travel

aircraft for ten years

during the 1960s

and later f lew with

American Airlines.

http://www.airlinerworld.com 67

AIRLINER Classics

http://www.airlinerworld.com 67

“A I R C A L was allowed to

celebrate its 20th anniversary

before the takeover by American

was completed”

service from Orange County and San Francisco. However,

seventeenth and final city, Long Beach, California with a

regional airlines and securing routes, gates and aircraft while

AirCal was an obvious target and received initial interest from

wanted a west coast presence. An announcement came on
November 17, 1986 that American would buy AirCal and
its parent company, ACI Holdings for $225 million. Robert

AirCal was allowed to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 1987
before the takeover by American was completed and approved

Lockheed Electra

N125AC is shown

departing Burbank,

CA. This Electra

served as the Los

Angeles Dodgers

County, Monterey, Oakland, Fresno and Lake Tahoe to name

a few. It was a great experience!”

and later f lew with

American Airlines.

a few. It was a great experience!”

AirCal had not only won the West, but left behind a legacy

that will live forever in the hearts and minds of its employees

and customers.

a few. It was a great experience!”

AirCal had not only won the West, but left behind a legacy

that will live forever in the hearts and minds of its employees

737 was perfect for our passenger loads. We flew to Orange

County, Monterey, Oakland, Fresno and Lake Tahoe to name

AirCal had not only won the West, but left behind a legacy

that will live forever in the hearts and minds of its employees

station and we were like closely knit family. My role at SAN

was customer service and I loved representing AirCal. The

737 was perfect for our passenger loads. We flew to Orange

County, Monterey, Oakland, Fresno and Lake Tahoe to name

Former AirCal employee Elsie Gonzalez who is now an

Operations Coordinator at San Diego International Airport

operations. American continued to fly many former AirCal

737s as well as the 146 – both of which were new types for the

seventeenth and final city, Long Beach, California with a

service from Orange County and San Francisco. However,

AirCal ceased to exist as a separate entity on July 1, 1987 when

ClassicsClassicsClassicsClassicsClassics

seventeenth and final city, Long Beach, California with a

AIRLINER

The mid 1980s found the US’s major trunk airlines purchasing
regional airlines and securing routes, gates and aircraft while

AirCal was an obvious target and received initial interest from
Continental Airlines and USAir – the former wanting new
regional west coast services to pick up where its regional off-

However, American Airlines was more aggressive and also
wanted a west coast presence. An announcement came on
November 17, 1986 that American would buy AirCal and
its parent company, ACI Holdings for $225 million. Robert
L Crandall, American’s chairman and CEO at the time said
after the announcement, “The AirCal acquisition will allow
American to fulfil its plans to develop its new hubs at Nashville,
Raleigh-Durham and San Juan while simultaneously developing

AirCal was allowed to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 1987
before the takeover by American was completed and approved
by the Transportation Department on March 30.
Shortly afterwards the carrier started service to its

seventeenth and final city, Long Beach, California with a

service from Orange County and San Francisco. However,

AirCal ceased to exist as a separate entity on July 1, 1987 when

American Airlines officially merged the airline into its own

operations. American continued to fly many former AirCal

737s as well as the 146 – both of which were new types for the

American fleet. Most of the former AirCal employees were

retained by American and allowed to remain at their respective

AirCal stations.

Former AirCal employee Elsie Gonzalez who is now an

Operations Coordinator at San Diego International Airport

(SAN), summed up her feelings, “Starting my career in

aviation, AirCal was my first employer. SAN was a small

station and we were like closely knit family. My role at SAN

was customer service and I loved representing AirCal. The

737 was perfect for our passenger loads. We flew to Orange

County, Monterey, Oakland, Fresno and Lake Tahoe to name

a few. It was a great experience!”

AirCal had not only won the West, but left behind a legacy

that will live forever in the hearts and minds of its employees

and customers.

Lockheed Electra

N125AC is shown

departing Burbank,

CA. This Electra

served as the Los

Angeles Dodgers

baseball team’s travel

aircraft for ten years

during the 1960s

and later f lew with

American Airlines.

AIRLINERAIRLINERAIRLINERAIRLINERAIRLINERClassicsClassicsClassicsClassics

The mid 1980s found the US’s major trunk airlines purchasing
regional airlines and securing routes, gates and aircraft while

AirCal was an obvious target and received initial interest from
Continental Airlines and USAir – the former wanting new

However, American Airlines was more aggressive and also
wanted a west coast presence. An announcement came on
November 17, 1986 that American would buy AirCal and
its parent company, ACI Holdings for $225 million. Robert
L Crandall, American’s chairman and CEO at the time said
after the announcement, “The AirCal acquisition will allow

Raleigh-Durham and San Juan while simultaneously developing

AirCal was allowed to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 1987
before the takeover by American was completed and approved
by the Transportation Department on March 30.
Shortly afterwards the carrier started service to its

seventeenth and final city, Long Beach, California with a

service from Orange County and San Francisco. However,

AirCal ceased to exist as a separate entity on July 1, 1987 when

American Airlines officially merged the airline into its own

operations. American continued to fly many former AirCal

737s as well as the 146 – both of which were new types for the

American fleet. Most of the former AirCal employees were

retained by American and allowed to remain at their respective

AirCal stations.

Former AirCal employee Elsie Gonzalez who is now an

Operations Coordinator at San Diego International Airport

(SAN), summed up her feelings, “Starting my career in

aviation, AirCal was my first employer. SAN was a small

station and we were like closely knit family. My role at SAN

was customer service and I loved representing AirCal. The

737 was perfect for our passenger loads. We flew to Orange

County, Monterey, Oakland, Fresno and Lake Tahoe to name

a few. It was a great experience!”

AirCal had not only won the West, but left behind a legacy

that will live forever in the hearts and minds of its employees

and customers.

Lockheed Electra

N125AC is shown

departing Burbank,

CA. This Electra

served as the Los

Angeles Dodgers

baseball team’s travel

aircraft for ten years

during the 1960s

and later f lew with

American Airlines.

AIRLINERAIRLINERClassicsClassicsClassicsClassicsClassics

American fleet. Most of the former AirCal employees were

retained by American and allowed to remain at their respective

AirCal stations.

Former AirCal employee Elsie Gonzalez who is now an

Operations Coordinator at San Diego International Airport

seventeenth and final city, Long Beach, California with a

service from Orange County and San Francisco. However,

AirCal ceased to exist as a separate entity on July 1, 1987 when AirCal ceased to exist as a separate entity on July 1, 1987 when

American Airlines officially merged the airline into its own

The mid 1980s found the US’s major trunk airlines purchasing
regional airlines and securing routes, gates and aircraft while

AirCal was an obvious target and received initial interest from

wanted a west coast presence. An announcement came on
November 17, 1986 that American would buy AirCal and
its parent company, ACI Holdings for $225 million. Robert

AirCal was allowed to celebrate its 20th anniversary in 1987
before the takeover by American was completed and approved

aviation, AirCal was my first employer. SAN was a small

Lockheed Electra

N125AC is shown

departing Burbank,

CA. This Electra

served as the Los

Angeles Dodgers

was customer service and I loved representing AirCal. The

737 was perfect for our passenger loads. We flew to Orange

County, Monterey, Oakland, Fresno and Lake Tahoe to name

a few. It was a great experience!”

and later f lew with

American Airlines.

737 was perfect for our passenger loads. We flew to Orange

County, Monterey, Oakland, Fresno and Lake Tahoe to name

a few. It was a great experience!”

AirCal had not only won the West, but left behind a legacy

that will live forever in the hearts and minds of its employees

and customers.

737 was perfect for our passenger loads. We flew to Orange

County, Monterey, Oakland, Fresno and Lake Tahoe to name

a few. It was a great experience!”

AirCal had not only won the West, but left behind a legacy

that will live forever in the hearts and minds of its employees

was customer service and I loved representing AirCal. The

737 was perfect for our passenger loads. We flew to Orange

County, Monterey, Oakland, Fresno and Lake Tahoe to name

AirCal had not only won the West, but left behind a legacy

that will live forever in the hearts and minds of its employees

aviation, AirCal was my first employer. SAN was a small

station and we were like closely knit family. My role at SAN

was customer service and I loved representing AirCal. The

737 was perfect for our passenger loads. We flew to Orange

County, Monterey, Oakland, Fresno and Lake Tahoe to name

Former AirCal employee Elsie Gonzalez who is now an

Operations Coordinator at San Diego International Airport

operations. American continued to fly many former AirCal

737s as well as the 146 – both of which were new types for the

American fleet. Most of the former AirCal employees were

seventeenth and final city, Long Beach, California with a

service from Orange County and San Francisco. However,

AirCal ceased to exist as a separate entity on July 1, 1987 when

American Airlines officially merged the airline into its own

ClassicsClassicsClassicsClassicsClassics

seventeenth and final city, Long Beach, California with a

service from Orange County and San Francisco. However,

AirCal ceased to exist as a separate entity on July 1, 1987 when

AIRLINER

seventeenth and final city, Long Beach, California with a
The mid 1980s found the US’s major trunk airlines purchasing service from Orange County and San Francisco. However,
regional airlines and securing routes, gates and aircraft while

November 17, 1986 that American would buy AirCal and
its parent company, ACI Holdings for $225 million. Robert

before the takeover by American was completed and approved
by the Transportation Department on March 30.

737s as well as the 146 – both of which were new types for the

American fleet. Most of the former AirCal employees were

retained by American and allowed to remain at their respective

AirCal stations.

Former AirCal employee Elsie Gonzalez who is now an

Operations Coordinator at San Diego International Airport

(SAN), summed up her feelings, “Starting my career in

retained by American and allowed to remain at their respective

Former AirCal employee Elsie Gonzalez who is now an