Northeastern International Airways

Northeastern International Airways

IATA QS ICAO QSA Callsign NORTHEASTER
Founded	1980
Commenced operations	1982
Ceased operations	1986
Destinations
Parent company	Northeastern International Airways, Inc.
Headquarters	Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Northeastern International Airways (IATA: QS, ICAO: QSA, Call sign: Northeaster) was a low-fare airline established in 1980 and based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Between 1982 and 1985, the airline offered flights from the northeastern United States to Florida, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada.

History

Northeastern International Airways was founded by Stephen Quinto and commenced operations on February 11th, 1982 between Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport using one Douglas DC-8-52 aircraft.^[1] In 1983, five Boeing 727-100s and four [[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-200s] aircraft were added, two of which were painted in a distinctive cloud color scheme. Northeastern again expanded in 1984, leasing several Airbus A300 aircraft in the beginning of that year.^[2]

During the first six months of 1984, the airline had the highest load factor of every airline in the United States - and the world - measuring 71.5 percent. In May of that year, it also became the 17th largest airline in the US as measured by revenue passenger miles.^[3]

The rapid expansion brought upon a financial crisis at the end of 1984^[1] when the A300s were recalled by the lessor: Airbus Industrie SA. Replacement by a fleet of Braniff 727s was refused by Braniff's Bankruptcy judge, whereupon the route network was scaled down and additional cutbacks followed. By January 1985, Northeastern, too, sought protection from its creditors by filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection,^[1] although it did try to add a single McDonnell Douglas MD-82 to its Certificate,^[4] but it never did manage to recover its operational stature throughout 1985. The company was liquidated during 1986.^[5]

Fleet

• 4 - Boeing 727-21
• 1 - [[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-035]
• 1 - [[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-247]
• 1 - [[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-264]
• 1 - Boeing 727-222
• 1 - Boeing 727-295
• 3 - Douglas DC-8-62
• 4 - Airbus A300B2

External links

• Boeing 727-21 in cloud livery
• Timetable images

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Airlines: A Highflyer Runs Out of Fuel". Time. 21 January 2010. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,956300,00.html. Retrieved 18 June 2010. 
2. ^ "Northeastern International Airways". Aerodacious. http://www.aerodacious.com/US025Northeast.HTM. Retrieved 1 October 2010. 
3. ^ "Article: Northeastern International Airways led the nation in average load factor.". Highbeam Research. PR Newswire. 24 July 1984. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-3360852.html. Retrieved 24 September 2010. 
4. ^ "Northeastern International Airways - Details and Fleet History". Planespotters.net. http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/Northeastern-International-Airways. Retrieved 1 October 2010. 
5. ^ Hengi, Bi. Airlines Remembered. Midland Publishing.