PEOPLExpress Airlines Making a Comeback Based in Newport,VA

 

PEOPLExpress Airlines Making a Comeback Based in Newport,VA

The commercial airlines company, PeoplExpress, which was had some popularity as a low-fare innovator in the 1980's is going to be opening for business again soon and taking again to the skies. 

Currently, there are four major airline carriers--Delta, American, United, and Southwest. With no other large competitors, these four airlines have been able to corner over 85% of the air passenger travel. This has created an unenviable situation for air travelers by creating larger air fares and less choices for air carriers.

New PeoplExpress CEO Jeff Erickson, 69, has never worked for PeoplExpress but has been working in the airline business since 1968 as a performance engineer for Pan Am at JFK. He has since had stints as CEO of Atlas Air and Reno Air. 

"It was an iconic brand (PeoplExpress), noted for a culture of respect and customer service, and we are looking to capitalize on that, to recreate that culture, " Erickson said. "We're using their memory to try to recreate the culture with the young people we are hiring.

He recently moved to the Newport, VA area because thats where he thinks the revamped airline can receive a steady base of business after AirTran shut down in 2011. "AirTran established a nice base of travelers, then all of a sudden disappeared two years ago when Southwest pulled out," said PeoplExpress CEO Jeff Erickson.

PeoplExpress will begin flying June 30, offering service from Newport News to Boston, Newark and Pittsburgh. Four additional destinations -- West Palm Beach, Fla.; Atlanta; St. Petersburg, Fla. and New Orleans -- will be added by the end of August.

Tickets for some of the initial first flights of PeoplEpress have already gone on sale. The new airlines company will begin with just four days of weekly scheduled round-trip flights from it's main base at the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport. The initial destinations where flights will go include New York, Boston, and Pittsburgh. Later this summer, PeoplEpress will expand it's runs to Atlanta, New Orleans, West Palm Beach, and St. Petersburg.

It is hoped that by PeoplExpress greeting involved in the airlines industry other commercial carriers will come along and provide more competition in the air travel business. Many feel the added competition will end up being good for the hundreds of thousands of travelers every year who choose to fly.

 

 

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