Morris Air was a low-fare airline in the Western United States, based in Salt Lake City, Utah. It began scheduled operations in 1992, and was sold to Southwest Airlines in December 1993 for over $120 million in stock.History: Morris Air Service The airline officially became part of Southwest in the autumn of 1994. Morris Air was the first airline in the world to invent e-ticket (ticketless) travel based on the suggestion of Stuart Thatcher, an employee at the time. Although Southwest Airlines is often credited with offering the first e-ticketing system, it was in fact created and implemented by Morris Air and later integrated into Southwest Airlines after Southwest purchased Morris Air.
History
The airline began charter operations as Morris Air Service in 1984. It was launched by Utah businesswoman June Morris, who also founded Morris Travel in 1970, and David Neeleman who also co-founded WestJet and JetBlue. Neeleman worked with Southwest for a short period and when his non-compete agreement expired, he founded JetBlue Airways. June Morris sat on the board of directors of Southwest Airlines until she retired at the annual shareholders' meeting on May 17, 2006.
Charter flights were operated by Ryan International Airlines during 1992, and by both Ryan International and Sierra Pacific Airlines with some flights being operated with Boeing 737-200 jets before 1992.
Morris obtained its own FAR 121 operating certificate in December 1992 and then began operating as its own carrier.
The airline was based at Salt Lake City International Airport where it operated a hubhttp://www.departedflights.com, Morris Air route maps and flew many routes primarily in the western U.S. using Boeing 737-300 aircraft. In late 1993, it operated over 1,000 flights per week with a fleet of 21 planes.
Destinations
The following destination information is taken from Morris Air route maps with the airline not serving all of these airports at the same time.http://www.departedflights.com, Summer 1992, Feb. 1993, Jan. 17, 1994, & June 6, 1994, Morris Air route maps
Alaska Anchorage – Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
Arizona Bullhead City – Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport Phoenix – Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Tucson – Tucson International Airport
California Fresno – Fresno Yosemite International Airport Los Angeles – Los Angeles International Airport Oakland – Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport Ontario – Ontario International Airport Palm Springs – Palm Springs International Airport Sacramento – Sacramento International Airport San Diego – San Diego International Airport San Jose – San Jose Mineta International Airport Santa Ana – John Wayne Airport
Colorado Colorado Springs – Colorado Springs Airport Denver – Stapleton International Airport
Florida Orlando – Orlando International Airport (seasonal)
Hawaii Honolulu – Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (seasonal)flights to and from Hawaii operated on behalf of Morris Air by American Trans Air (ATA)http://www.departedflights.com, Feb. 1993 Morris Air route map
Idaho Boise –Boise Airport Twin Falls – Magic Valley Regional Airport
Nevada Las Vegas – Harry Reid International Airport Reno – Reno–Tahoe International Airport
Oregon Eugene – Eugene Airport Portland – Portland International Airport
Utah Salt Lake City – Salt Lake City International Airport
Washington Seattle – Seattle–Tacoma International Airport Spokane – Spokane International Airport
Mexico (seasonal) Cancún – Cancún International Airport Cabo San Lucas – Los Cabos International Airport Mazatlan – Mazatlán International Airport Manzanillo – Playa de Oro International Airport Puerto Vallarta – Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport
Fleet
21 - Boeing 737-300
See also
List of defunct airlines of the United States
References
External links
AirTimes: Morris Air