Not to get too off-topic but (this is starting to sound familiar) PA's biggest problem was that it started to get distracted from it's core product in the 1960's...between owning hotels, real-estate, training facilities, setting up other airlines PA had too much on it's plate. If memory serves me correctly PA never showed a profit after 1969.
By the time the late 70's rolled around, PA was cursed with an international system that had some real 'gems'...but also had some real 'dogs'. It's fleet was already getting old, and it's costs and efficiencies were way out of whack with US domestic (and most international) carriers.
PA never really stood a chance after the 1981-82 recession. By the time Pac-Div was pawned off to UA in 1987 the writing was on the wall. LHR and Lockerbie were just the 'denouement'. DL just got stuck with what no one else really wanted (including a black hole of loss-making operations that almost took DL down too).
PA just didn't have the capital resources or expertise to compete domestically...or to set up a network from scratch. PA didn't do any better with their PA Express feeder service in the NE than they did with improving on NA's own mediocre history.
It should have concentrated on what it did best (again, sounds familiar doesn't it?) and just set up a code share or alliance with an almost strictly domestic carrier at the time, like AA or UA. Unfortunately, it was about 15 years too early for that idea.
If PA had been blessed with visionary leadership in the late-70's/early-80's, instead of a mediocre and ego-laden one that was unable to understand the calendar did not say 1954, PA would probably still be around today.
By the time the late 70's rolled around, PA was cursed with an international system that had some real 'gems'...but also had some real 'dogs'. It's fleet was already getting old, and it's costs and efficiencies were way out of whack with US domestic (and most international) carriers.
PA never really stood a chance after the 1981-82 recession. By the time Pac-Div was pawned off to UA in 1987 the writing was on the wall. LHR and Lockerbie were just the 'denouement'. DL just got stuck with what no one else really wanted (including a black hole of loss-making operations that almost took DL down too).
PA just didn't have the capital resources or expertise to compete domestically...or to set up a network from scratch. PA didn't do any better with their PA Express feeder service in the NE than they did with improving on NA's own mediocre history.
It should have concentrated on what it did best (again, sounds familiar doesn't it?) and just set up a code share or alliance with an almost strictly domestic carrier at the time, like AA or UA. Unfortunately, it was about 15 years too early for that idea.
If PA had been blessed with visionary leadership in the late-70's/early-80's, instead of a mediocre and ego-laden one that was unable to understand the calendar did not say 1954, PA would probably still be around today.
