MORLAE AIRLINES (PTY.), LTD.: Australia (1928-1930). Following the shutdown of his Bulolo Goldfields Aeroplane Service (Pty.), Ltd. in late 1928, bush pilot Raymond “Battlin’” Parer, in partnership with P. J. Macdonald, forms Morale Airlines (Pty.), Ltd. Arriving at Port Moresby in his carry-over Bristol Fighter, Parer takes delivery at Port Moresby of a DH 9C before year’s end. Engaging pilot Charlie Pratt, the two aviators take the de Havilland to Lae in a route proving flight, the first over the Owen Stanley Range.
An unsubsidized, high-fare service is inaugurated from Port Moresby over the mountains to Lae in early 1929. The Bristol Fighter is wrecked in a Wau landing accident just three months after Morale’s start-up. On June 28, Parer undertakes a record number of six roundtrips from Lae to Wau. On-demand services are maintained and allow sufficient funds for the purchase of a second DH-9C.
During 1930, Sir Hubert Murray, Papua’s lieutenant governor, is offered a joyride over Port Moresby; Parer’s aircraft crashes while on takeoff, however, the unhurt and not displeased official believes the wreck a publicity stunt. Flights continue with the lone DH-9C, but the company ceases late in the year following a raucous disagreement between the partners.
MORNINGSTAR AIR EXPRESS, LTD.: Edmonton City Centre Airport, Box 14, 29 Airport Road, Edmonton, Alberta, T5G 0W6, Canada; Phone (780) 453-3022; Fax (780) 453-6057; Http://www. maei. ca; Code ME; Year Founded 1970. This concern is originally founded as the FBO Brooker Wheaton Aviation, Ltd. at Edmonton by its founders Dr. Bev Brooker and Don Wheaton Sr. in the summer of 1970. During the Alberta oil boom of the 1970s, the new concern not only serves as the local Cessna dealer and maintenance center but services the aircraft of others as well. It also flies piston-engine, on-demand air taxi services to local destinations. Late in the decade, 1 each Gates Learjet 36 and Hawker Siddeley HS-125 bizjets are acquired.
During the early 1980s, the small Cessna division is divested as the company expands further into the executive charter area. Also during these years, partner Wheaton becomes the sole owner. Courier services are added as the decade progresses and the fleet is enhanced by the addition of three Fairchild Swearingen Metro Ils, a Canadair 601 Challenger, and several Beech King Air 100s.
In July 1990, the concern acquires a contract to operate a pair of Boeing 727-22Fs on nationwide flights for Federal Express (FedEx). A Fokker F.27-100 Friendship freighter is also obtained in November 1991, again to operate cargo services on behalf of FedEx.
The company is jointly purchased by Don Wheaton Jr. and Kim Ward in January 1992 and is renamed with its present name. Operations continue apace during the remainder of century. Morningside continues to fly primarily under contract to Federal Express (FedEx), while taking on a number of independent freight charters of its own.
Airline employment at the beginning of 2000 stands at 100. The fleet now includes 2 B-727-22Fs and 1 each B-727-25F and B-727-116C. In addition, the carrier flies 3 Fairchild Swearingen Metro IIs, 1 of which is leased out, as well as 2 Cessna 208 Caravan Is and 1 each de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 and Fokker F.27-100 Friendship.
MORRIS AIR SERVICE: United States (1989-1993). June Morris, who had established her own business and government-oriented travel agency at Salt Lake City in 1970, begins to offer vacation packages in
1989. To accommodate these opportunities and transport purchasers to regional and international destinations, the businesswoman founds MAS with her son Richard Frendt.
During the next three years, flights, which eventually number in excess of 300 per week, are undertaken for Morris to Los Angeles, Hawaii, Las Vegas, and Mexico’s vacation destinations under contract by Ryan International Airlines, American Trans Air, and Sierra Pacific Airlines.
Morris and Frendt begin to offer some of their own revenue services in 1992 with 1 leased Boeing 737-3Q8 and 1 B-737-3T5.
Having selected Spokane as one of five finalists for a new heavy maintenance base, Alaska Airlines officials express displeasure with that city on May 8 when new entrant Morris Air Service begins daily nonstop roundtrips to that point from Seattle. Alaska Airlines and its Horizon Air affiliate, which had dominated the air corridor between Washington’s two largest cities and charged roundtrip fares of $190 to $380 per trip, are forced to match the $78 tariff of MAS.
In nondirect competition with Alaska Airlines, Morris, on June 1 and under the direction of new President David Needleman, launches daily Seattle-San Jose flights, along with twice-daily Seattle to Spokane roundtrips.
Coming as a result of a complaint from Alaska Airlines, the company is fined $200,000 by the DOT for marketing that holds that the Morris charter flights begun in June are scheduled, when they are actually provided under contract by Ryan International Airlines.
During the giving holiday, inner city youths are hired to check baggage. Traffic and financial statistics are not made available by the privately owned carrier.
Mrs. Morris, the only female CEO in the jet airline business, increases employment at her company in 1993 to 1,891 and her fleet is upgraded by the addition of 4 B-737-3A4s, 4 B-737-3G7s, 4 B-737-3Q8s, 1 B-737-3TO, 5 B-737-3T5s, 1 B-737-3YO, and 2 B-737-317s. Twelve of the aircraft are leased from ILFC. Scheduled low-fare operations, modeled on those of Southwest Airlines, are now undertaken to such destinations as Orange County, California, Portland, Oregon, and Seattle and Spokane.
After the fledgling makes a strong protest of situation, the DOJ begins an investigation on October 8 to determine whether Delta Air Lines commission agreements with Salt Lake City area travel agents and a threat to withhold them gives the major an unfair advantage over Morris’s upstart operation. On November 18, low-fare routes are started from Tucson to several California cities and Las Vegas. With 60% of its travelers booking directly through the airline, Morris is able to introduce ticketless flying, based upon a confirmation number, in December.
A total of 3,446,535 passengers are flown on the year and revenues total $229.2 million. Profits are made: $9.9 million (operating) and $4.47 million (net). On December 31, in a $130- million exchange of stock, Morris Air is acquired by Southwest Airlines (2). Arrangements call for amalgamation to be completed within a year as the six owned “Baby Boeings” are transferred to the new parent.
In the spring of 1994, Southwest begins visiting Morris’ former markets.
World History
