PACIFIC INTERNATIONALAIRLINE: United States (1996). President Danny S. Wright’s Tucson-based Sportsflight Airways is renamed PIA in April 1996. The employee population numbers 100 and nonscheduled charter operations continue to be flown with three leased Boeing 737-233As. From a principal hub at Dallas (DFW), charters are undertaken throughout the U. S., Mexico, and Caribbean.
Traffic results are only reported through June and show combined enplanements of 142,000. The two Boeings continue service into the fall, during which months the company promotes the all first-class sleeperette seating of one of its jetliners normally based at Newark, New Jersey.
Unable to maintain the economic viability of his expanded carrier, CEO Wright, in November 1997, elects to close that operation and to resume operations from Newark as the reborn, if smaller, Sportsflight Airways.
PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES, S. A.: P. O. Box 1592, Zona 9-A, Calle 73, Panama City, Panama; Phone 26-3649; Fax 264012; Year Founded 1993. PIA is set up at Panama City in 1993 as a scheduled international air cargo carrier. Dr. Fernando Boyd Galindo is president and the concern begins revenue flights with a single owned Boeing 727-23F.
A second B-727-23F is leased in 1995 and, like the first, is employed to haul freight throughout the Americas.
Services are maintained during the remainder of the decade.
PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS OF ALASKA: United States (1931-1932). After expending nearly $250,000 and acquiring eight of the territory’s Star airmail contracts, this Alaska pioneer, formed in 1931, is purchased by Pacific Alaska Airways, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pan American Airways (PAA) on October 15, 1932.
At the time of its acquisition by the growing major, the company owns a hanger at its Anchorage base and has eight employees, including two pilots transferred into the new organization.
PACIFIC INTERSTATE AIRLINES (PIA): United States (19841988). Affiliated with the Riviera Hotel, PIA is formed at Las Vegas and opens an office in Los Angeles. Originally known as Pacific InterAir, the company changes its name before start-up. Employing 1 each Boeing 727-51 and B-727-225A, the company inaugurates scheduled services in June 1984 linking its Nevada base to Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Phoenix, and Denver. The company’s charter division undertakes group tours from a variety of U. S. cities, all destined for the Riviera. Enplanements total 23,000.
Passenger boardings skyrocket 257.1% in 1985 to 50,000. Enplanements continue to ascend in 1986, reaching a total of 62,400.
In cooperation with Bahamasair, Ltd. and a New Jersey tour operator, the carrier initiates Bahamas ExPress charters in 1987 from Newark to Freeport, in the Bahamas via Atlanta. Consequently, bookings climb another 20% to 78,000. Although revenues of $3.8 million are generated, $1.5 million is lost.
Operations continue until 1988 when the carrier goes out of business during the summer. Its assets are sold to Carnival Air Lines, which has plans to operate it as Fun Air. When that name proves to be unavailable, a new one is substituted and the reformed airline begins Fort Lauderdale to Nassau charters on November 15 as Majestic Air; it will later become Carnival Air.
PACIFIC ISLAND AIRWAYS: United States (1976-1983). John H. Brandenburg, owner of the Guam FBO Island Aviation, establishes this third-level operation at his base in 1976. Employing a Cessna 402, he undertakes new scheduled services to destinations in the Northern Marianas complementing the frequencies of Air Micronesia.
Operations continue apace in 1977-1978 and by 1979 enplanements are 32,343. The carrier earns an operating profit of $193,000, but suffers a net loss of 98,000.
Richard L. Brown is appointed new company president in 1980 and services are inaugurated to Cebu, Palau, and Truk.
Passenger boardings jump 27% to 44,305. Revenues advance by 71.6% to $1.55 million, but although an operating profit of $540,000 is turned, another net loss, $71,000, is suffered.
Schedules are maintained in 1981-1982, but flights cease in 1983.
PACIFIC ISLAND AVIATION: Box 318, Saipan, Mariana Islands, MP, 96950, United States; Phone (670) 234-3600; Fax (670) 234-3804; Http://www. pacificislandaviation. com; Code 9J; Year Founded 1988. Pacific Island is established by owner Bob Christian on Saipan in August 1988 to provide nonscheduled helicopter flights for Japanese day tourists. Two Cessna 402Cs are added in 1989. In 1991, scheduled Cessna passenger and cargo services begin throughout the Mariana Islands. Primary destinations are Guam and Rota.
Operations continue apace in 1992 as the airline adds a single Em-braer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante. The carrier achieves commuter airline status and in December becomes a code-sharing partner of Continental Micronesia, taking over the larger airline’s Rota flights.
In 1993, President Christian oversees a workforce of 70 and a fleet that is increased to include 3 Brazilian-made turboprops, 4 Cessna 402Cs, and 1 leased Cessna 208 Caravan I.
Frequencies are maintained without change in 1994.
When Continental Micronesia discontinues its services to Rota, Guam, and Saipan in February 1995, these are taken over by PIA, which now becomes a code-sharing partner of Northwest Airlines.
The fleet in 1996 includes 4 Cessna 402Cs, 2 EMB-110P1s, 1 Shorts 360-200, 1 PA-32, and 1 Bell 206 JetRanger. Passenger boardings total 148,278.
While taking off from Tinian on May 27, 1997, the control yoke of the PA-32, with a pilot and four passengers, freezes. The pilot aborts takeoff and the aircraft porpoises the remaining 1,500 ft. down the runway, collapsing its nose landing gear. No injuries are reported.
During the fall, the company receives U. S. Flag Carrier status from the Federal Aviation Administration. It is the first and only airline based in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to be so designated.
Customer bookings for the year fall 25% to 111,199. Still, there are profits: $670,000 (operating) and $626,000 (net).
The airline becomes a full “Northwest Airlink” partner in February 1998. Airline employment now stands at 92 and the fleet is increased by 3 Shorts 360-200s and 1 Bandeirante.
On October 1, a new direct service is opened to Tinian from Guam and Saipan.
Passenger boardings climb 9.9% during the 12 months to 168,000, even as revenues plunge 42.5% to $5.63 million. Costs are down 38.5% to $5.61 million, leaving an operating profit of $19,000. The net profit is a little better: $52,000.
Customer bookings inch up 1.4% in 1999 to 85,000. Revenues fall 8.8% to $5,136,000 while costs drop 10.8% to $5,003,000. The operating profit increases to $133,000, while net gain falls $1,000 to $51,000.
Airline employment at the beginning of 2000 declines 8.6% to 96. Twice-daily Shorts 360 roundtrips commence in September between Tinian and Guam. On November 10, Guam passenger arrivals and departures are moved from the old commuter terminal to the modern main terminal of Guam International Airport.
PACIFIC JET CHARTER: 14670 Cantova Way, Suite 200, Rancho Murieta, California 95683, United States; Phone (916) 354-3222; Fax (916) 354-3208; Year Founded 1988. PJC is established at Sacramento Mather Airport in California during 1988 to provide executive and small group passenger charters throughout the U. S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. Within a decade, the prospering concern employs 4 pilots and operates 1 each British Aerospace BAe (HS) 125-700 Hawker, Beech Super King Air 300, and Cessna 210 Centurion.
World History
