Editing Western Airlines

{{Short description|Defunct airline of the United States (1925–1987)}}
{{About|the defunct California-based airline that operated from 1925 to 1987|the defunct Washington state–based airline that operated through 2007|Western (airline)|the Bahamas-based airline|Western Air}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}} {{Use American English|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox airline
| logo             = Western Airlines.svg
| logo_size        = 125
| alt              = The Western Airlines "W" trademark in red on a white background
| IATA             = WA
| ICAO             = WAL
| callsign         = WESTERN
| founded          = {{Start date and age|1925|07}}(100 years ago)<br />{{small|(as ''Western Air Express'')}}
| commenced        = {{Start date and age|1926|04|17|df=y|br=y}}<br />{{small|(as (99 years ago)''Western Air Express'')}}
| ceased           = {{End date and age|1987|04|01|df=y|br=y}}<br />{{small|(merged into [[Delta Air Lines]])}}
| aoc              = 
| bases            = 
| hubs             = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[Stapleton International Airport|Denver–Stapleton]]
  | [[Los Angeles International Airport|Los Angeles]]
  | [[Salt Lake City International Airport|Salt Lake City]]}}
| secondary_hubs   = 
| focus_cities     = 
| frequent_flyer   = [[SkyMiles]]
| lounge           = 
| alliance         = 
| subsidiaries     = 
| fleet_size       = 
| destinations     = 
| parent           = 
| headquarters     = [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], [[United States]]
| founder          = Harris Hanshue
| key_people       = 
| revenue          = 
| operating_income = 
| net_income       = 
| assets           = 
| equity           = 
| website          = 
}}

'''Western Airlines''' was a major airline in the [[United States]] based in [[California]], operating in the [[Western United States]] including [[Alaska]] and [[Hawaii]], and [[western Canada]], as well as to [[New York City]], [[Boston]], [[Washington, D.C.]], and [[Miami]] and to [[Mexico City]], [[London]] and [[Nassau, Bahamas|Nassau]]. Western had hubs at [[Los Angeles International Airport]], [[Salt Lake City International Airport]], and the former [[Stapleton International Airport]] in [[Denver]]. Before it merged with [[Delta Air Lines]] in 1987 it was headquartered at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).<ref>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1985/1985%20-%200991.html 131 "Western Airlines"]. March 30, 1985. ''World Airline Directory''. Flight International. Retrieved on June 17, 2009. "Head Office: PO Box 92005, World Way Postal Center, Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California 90009, USA."</ref> Throughout the company's history, its slogan was "Western Airlines...The Only Way to Fly!"

==History==
===Western Air Express===
[[File:Fokker F-10 van Western Air Express (2161 026717).jpg|thumb|left|A [[Fokker F-10]] aircraft operated by the airline's precursor, Western Air Express, in the late 1920s.]]
In 1925, the [[United States Postal Service]] began to give airline contracts to carry airmail throughout the country. Western Airlines first incorporated in 1925 as ''Western Air Express'' by Harris Hanshue. It applied for, and was awarded, the 650-mile long [[Contract Air Mail Route]] #4 (CAM-4) from [[Salt Lake City]], [[Utah]], to [[Los Angeles]]. On 17 April 1926, Western's first flight took place with a [[Douglas M-2]] airplane.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=AAHS Journal Table of Contents |volume=42  |date=1997|title=Maddux Air Lines 1927–1929|author=Ed Betts|url=https://www.aahs-online.org/tocb.php?year=1997 |publisher=American Aviation Historical Society |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020063137/https://www.aahs-online.org/tocb.php?year=1997 |archive-date= Oct 20, 2021 }}</ref> It began offering passenger services a month later, when the first commercial passenger flight took place at [[Salt Lake City International Airport|Woodward Field]]. Ben F. Redman (then president of the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce) and J.A. Tomlinson perched atop U.S. mail sacks and flew with pilot C.N. "Jimmy" James on his regular eight-hour mail delivery flight to Los Angeles.  By the mid-1930s, Western Air Express had introduced new [[Boeing 247]] aircraft. Western Air Express built and owned Vail Airport in  [[Montebello, CA]] from 1926 to 1930 and the [[Alhambra Airport]] in southern California from 1930 to 1931. Western Air Express operated a seaplane route out of [[Hamilton Cove Seaplane Base]] on [[Catalina Island, California]] from 1928 to 1930<ref name=ttimages/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.airfieldsfreeman.com/CA/Airfields_CA_LA_C.htm#vail|title= California, Central Los Angeles area|website=Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111030622/http://www.airfields-freeman.com/CA/Airfields_CA_LA_C.htm#vail |archive-date= Nov 11, 2023 }}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.airfieldsfreeman.com/CA/Airfields_CA_PacificIslands.htm#hamiltoncove|title= California: Pacific Islands|website=Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230611143808/http://www.airfields-freeman.com/CA/Airfields_CA_PacificIslands.htm#hamiltoncove |archive-date= Jun 11, 2023 }}</ref>

===Transcontinental & Western Air===
The company reincorporated in 1928 as Western Air Express Corp. In 1930 it purchased [[Standard Air Lines]], a subsidiary of Aero Corp. of Ca., founded in 1926 by [[Paul E. Richter]], [[Jack Frye]] and Walter Hamilton. WAE with [[Fokker]] aircraft merged with [[Transcontinental Air Transport]] to form [[Trans World Airlines|Transcontinental & Western Air]] (TWA, later known as Trans World Airlines).

===General Air Lines===
In 1934 Western Air Express was severed from TWA and changed its name to General Air Lines, returning to the name Western Air Express after several months. In a 1934 press release by the company, it called itself the Western Air Division of General Air Lines.<ref>Western Air press release photo, May 13, 1934.</ref> Its route map ran [[San Diego]] to [[Los Angeles]] to Salt Lake City.

===Western Airlines===
[[File:Douglas M2.jpg|right|thumb|Douglas M-2 Operated by Western Air Express]]
[[File:James, Jimmy (4728489137).jpg|thumb]]
In 1937 Western merged [[National Parks Airways]], which extended its route north from Salt Lake to [[Great Falls, Montana|Great Falls]], and, in 1941, across the border to [[Lethbridge|Lethbridge, Alberta]]. In 1941 Western Air Express changed its name to Western Air Lines and later to Western Airlines. (In 1967–69 Western called itself Western Airlines International.)

In 1944 Western acquired a controlling interest in [[Inland Air Lines]], which became a subsidiary with Inland's schedules in Western timetables until Inland was merged into Western in 1952.<ref name=ttimages/> Western started flying Los Angeles to [[San Francisco]] in 1943, so the Western/Inland route map was a W: San Francisco south to [[San Diego]], north from San Diego to [[Lethbridge, Alberta]] in [[Canada]], south to [[Denver]], and northeast to [[Huron, South Dakota|Huron]]. (It extended to [[Minneapolis]] in 1947.)

In 1946, Western was awarded a route from Los Angeles to Denver via Las Vegas, but in 1947 financial problems forced Western to sell the route, and [[Douglas DC-6]] delivery positions, to [[United Air Lines]]. In 1947 Western extended the left arm of the W north to [[Seattle]], and added San Diego to [[Yuma, Arizona|Yuma]] for a few years; in 1950 it extended the middle of the W north to [[Edmonton]]. It finally cut across the W in 1953 when DC-6Bs started a one-stop flight MSP-SLC-LAX; in 1956 it resumed flights west out of Denver, to San Francisco via Salt Lake. In 1957 it began Los Angeles to [[Mexico City]] nonstop DC-6Bs, and in December 1957 it began Denver-Phoenix-San Diego.

The airline's president was Terrell "Terry" Drinkwater. Drinkwater got into a dispute with the administration in Washington D.C. that hampered WAL's growth. Pressured in a famous phone call by President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] to "buy American made aircraft", Drinkwater reportedly responded: "Mr. President, you run your country and let me run my airline!" For years after this exchange, the federal [[Civil Aeronautics Board]] (CAB) would not award Western new routes while its competitors, including United and American, grew enormous even though all Western airliners were of U.S. manufacture while its competitors' fleets included aircraft produced in Europe. [[File:Western Airlines ticket book.jpg|right|thumb|Covers of a 1940s ticket book]]
[[File:Convair-240-color.jpg|right|thumb|Restored [[Convair 240]] in Western Airlines paint]]

In August 1953, Western was serving 38 airports; in June 1968 that number had grown to 42.

In June 1960, Western Airlines introduced [[Boeing 707]]s (707-139s) between Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. [[Boeing 720|720B]] nonstops MSP-SFO and MSP-LAX began in 1966, along with LAX-Acapulco. In 1967 WAL acquired '''Pacific Northern Airlines''' (PNA, the successor of [[Woodley Airways]]) based in [[Anchorage, Alaska]], its primary routes being Anchorage - Seattle nonstop as well as Anchorage - [[Juneau]] - Seattle and Anchorage - Juneau - [[Ketchikan]] - Seattle with PNA flying [[Boeing 720]] jetliners on these routes with the airline also operating nonstop [[Kodiak, Alaska]] - Seattle service with [[Lockheed Constellation]] propliners.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pacific Northern Airlines |url=https://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/pn6707.htm |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=www.timetableimages.com}}</ref> Also in 1967, Western added [[Vancouver]], and in 1969 it began nonstop flights between several California airports and [[Hawaii]].

In the late 1960s, Western aimed for an all-jet fleet, adding [[Boeing 707-320]]s, [[Boeing 727|727-200]]s and [[Boeing 737|737-200]]s to its [[Boeing 720|720B]]s. The two leased B707-139s had been sold in favor of the turbofan-powered Boeing 720B. [[Lockheed L-188 Electra]] turboprops were replaced with new 737-200s. In 1973 Western added nine [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10]]s, marketing its [[wide body aircraft|wide-body]] cabins as "DC-10 Spaceships". They were configured with 46 first-class seats, 193 coach, and a lower level galley.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uppiluften.tumblr.com/image/33322148509|title=DC-10 Spaceship promotional poster|website=uppiluften.tumblr.com|access-date=2016-04-24}}</ref> From 1976 to 1981 the DC-10s flew Los Angeles to Miami nonstop.

Starting in 1968 future billionaire [[Kirk Kerkorian]] was a major investor in Western Airlines. Kerkorian had previously controlled [[Trans International Airlines]], making his first fortune by selling it to insurance conglomerate [[Transamerica Corporation]] earlier in 1968. Kerkorian built a large stake in Western from 1968 to 1970 and took control of the board, reshaping management (including side-lining Drinkwater) and, among other changes, cancelling Western's orders for [[Boeing 747]]s, helping Western minimize the impact of the [[widebody]]-driven capacity glut of the early 1970s. He remained a power at Western until 1976, when he sold his remaining stock back to the company.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia
| last = Tilford| first = Earl H., Jr.
| editor-last = Leary| editor-first = William M.| title = Kirk Kerkorian (June 6, 1917– )| encyclopedia = Encyclopedia of American Business History and Biography| volume = The Airline Industry
| pages = 255–257| publisher = Bruccoli Clark Layman and Facts On File| location = New York| date = 1992|url=https://archive.org/details/airlineindustry0000unse}}</ref>

In 1969, Western Airlines opened negotiations to merge with [[American Airlines]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1969-10-06 |title=American Airlines Reported in Talks On Western Merger |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1969/10/06/archives/american-airlines-reported-in-talks-on-western-merger.html |access-date=2022-04-17 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> However, the merger was opposed by rival airlines such as Continental Airlines and the [[United States Department of Justice Antitrust Division]] under [[Richard Wellington McLaren]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lydon |first=Christopher |date=1971-07-11 |title=American‐Western Merger Proposal Termed Vital Test for Airline Industry |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/07/11/archives/americanwestern-merger-proposal-termed-vital-test-for-airline.html |access-date=2022-04-17 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> President [[Richard Nixon]]'s attorney [[Herbert W. Kalmbach]] suggested that the antitrust suit would be dropped in exchange for a $75,000 campaign contribution to the [[Committee for the Re-Election of the President]], which American Airlines CEO [[George A. Spater]] agreed to.<ref>Graff, Garrett M. (2022). ''Watergate: A New History'' (1 ed.). New York: Avid Reader Press. pp. 146-147. {{ISBN|978-1-9821-3916-2}}. {{OCLC|1260107112}}</ref> However, the merger was nonetheless rejected in a 4–1 decision by the Civil Aeronautics Board in July 1972.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shanahan |first=Eileen |date=1972-07-29 |title=American‐Western Air Merger Rejected |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/07/29/archives/americanwestern-air-merger-rejected-big-airline-deal-rejected-by.html |access-date=2022-04-17 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
[[File:Western Airlines B-720 N93147.jpg|thumb|[[Boeing 720|Boeing 720B]] in old livery at Seattle 1972]]
[[File:Western Airlines B-727 N2806W.jpg|thumb|[[Boeing 727]]]]

Western was headquartered in Los Angeles, California. After the [[Airline Deregulation Act]] in 1978, the airline's hubs were reduced to two airports: [[Los Angeles International Airport]] and [[Salt Lake City International Airport]]. Before deregulation, Western had small hubs in [[Anchorage, Alaska]], [[Denver]], [[Las Vegas]], [[Minneapolis]]/[[Saint Paul, Minnesota|St. Paul]] and [[San Francisco]].<ref>Wadley, Carma. "Utahns were quick to embrace aviation and help achieve mastery of the skies." ''Desert Morning News'' Thursday, December 4, 2003.</ref> In spring 1987, shortly before Western was acquired by [[Delta Air Lines]], the airline had two hubs, a major operation in Salt Lake City and a small hub in Los Angeles.

At its peak in the 1970s and 1980s, Western flew to cities across the western United States, and to Mexico ([[Mexico City]], [[Puerto Vallarta]], [[Acapulco]], [[Ixtapa]]/[[Zihuatanejo]] and [[Mazatlán]]), [[Alaska]] ([[Anchorage]], [[Fairbanks]], [[Juneau]], [[Ketchikan]], [[Kodiak, Alaska|Kodiak]] and other Alaskan destinations), [[Hawaii]] ([[Honolulu International Airport|Honolulu]], [[Kahului]], [[Kona District, Hawaii|Kona]], and [[Hilo]]), and Canada ([[Vancouver]], [[Calgary]] and [[Edmonton]]). [[New York City]], [[Washington, D.C.]], [[Boston]], and [[Miami]] were added on the [[East Coast of the United States|east coast]] as well as [[Chicago]] and [[St. Louis]], and cities in [[Texas]] ([[Austin, Texas|Austin]], [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex|Dallas/Ft. Worth]], [[El Paso, Texas|El Paso]], [[Houston]] and [[San Antonio]]), and New Orleans in the south. Western had many intrastate flights in [[California]], competing with [[Pacific Southwest Airlines]] (PSA), [[Air California]]/[[AirCal]], Air West/[[Hughes Airwest]] and [[United Airlines]]. In addition, Western operated "Islander" service with [[Boeing 707-320]]s, [[Boeing 720B]]s and [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10]]s to Hawaii from a number of cities that previously did not have direct flights to the 50th state. In 1973, Western flew nonstop between Honolulu and Anchorage, Los Angeles, Oakland, California, San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose, California and one-stop between Honolulu and Las Vegas, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Phoenix, Sacramento and Salt Lake City.<ref name=depart/> In 1981, the airline also flew nonstop DC-10s between Vancouver, British Columbia and [[Honolulu]].<ref name=depart/>

One of the smallest jet destinations was [[West Yellowstone, Montana]], near [[Yellowstone National Park]]. Western flew [[Boeing 737-200]]s to [[West Yellowstone Airport]] in the summer, replacing [[Lockheed L-188 Electra]]s. In the 1970s and 1980s, Western served a number of small cities with 737-200s including [[Butte, Montana]], [[Casper, Wyoming]], [[Cheyenne, Wyoming]], [[Helena, Montana]], [[Idaho Falls, Idaho]], [[Pierre, South Dakota]], [[Pocatello, Idaho]], [[Rapid City, South Dakota]] and [[Sheridan, Wyoming]]. The 737 replaced Electras to all of these cities. In 1968 the airline was operating nonstop Boeing 720Bs between the [[Annette Island Airport]] (serving [[Ketchikan, Alaska]]) and Seattle in addition to 720Bs between [[Juneau]] and Seattle, and in 1973 was flying 720B nonstops between [[Kodiak, Alaska]] and Seattle.<ref name=ttimages/><ref name=depart/>

In 1978, Western Airlines and [[Continental Airlines]] agreed to merge. A dispute broke out over what to call the combined airline: Western-Continental or Continental-Western, prompting an infamous coin toss. [[Robert Six|Bob Six]], the colorful founder of CAL, demanded that Continental be "tails" in deference to its marketing slogan "We Really Move Our Tail for You! Continental Airlines: the Proud Bird with the Golden Tail". The coin flip turned up "heads". Six was so disappointed he called the merger off.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://internationalaviationhq.com/2020/07/22/western-airlines-ruled-sky/|title=Western Airlines: How California Ruled The Sky|website=International Aviation HQ|date=22 July 2020 |access-date=2020-07-26}}</ref>

From October 1980 to October 1981, Western flew Honolulu to Anchorage to [[London Gatwick Airport]] with a single [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30]];<ref name=depart/> for less than a year starting in April 1981 it flew LGW to Denver, continuing to Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Another international route was Los Angeles to Miami to [[Nassau, Bahamas|Nassau]], in [[the Bahamas]] for a year in 1980–81. Western extended its network to New York City, Washington, D.C. and Boston, as well as to Chicago and St. Louis in the midwest, [[Albuquerque International Sunport|Albuquerque]] and [[El Paso]] in the west, and [[Houston]], [[Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport|New Orleans]], [[Miami]] and [[Fort Lauderdale]]. In 1987 Western had four [[Boeing 737-300]] round trips between Boston and New York [[LaGuardia Airport]], and a major hub at [[Salt Lake City International Airport]] and a small hub at [[Los Angeles International Airport]].<ref name=depart/>

===Western Express===

In 1986, Western entered into a [[code sharing]] agreement with [[SkyWest Airlines]], a commuter airline. SkyWest (Western Express) [[Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia]]s and [[Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner]]s connected to Western mainline flights at Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Diego, and other Western mainline destinations.<ref name=depart/> In spring 1987 SkyWest/Western Express served 36 cities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. Western entered a similar code-sharing agreement with Alaska-based South Central Air, a small commuter airline that operated as Western Express as well, connecting to Western flights at Anchorage. Several cities in southern Alaska including Homer, Kenai, Soldotna were served by South Central Air operating as Western Express.<ref name=depart/> After the acquisition of Western by [[Delta Air Lines]], SkyWest became a [[Delta Connection]] code sharing airline.<ref name=depart>{{cite web|website=DepartedFlights.com |title=Departed Flights |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |url=http://www.departedflights.com |publisher= |access-date= |quote=}}</ref>

===Delta Air Lines merger===
[[File:Delta Boeing 737-200 N236WA at PDX (24856232376).jpg|thumb|A Boeing 737 in a hybrid Western/Delta livery]]
In the early 1980s [[Air Florida]] tried to buy Western Airlines, but it was able to purchase only 16 percent of the airline's stock. On September 9, 1986, Western Airlines and [[Delta Air Lines]] entered into an agreement and plan of merger.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cole |first1=Robert J. |title=Delta and Western Airline Merger Agreed To In A $860 Million Deal |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/10/business/delta-and-western-airline-merger-agreed-to-in-a-860-million-deal.html |work=The New York Times |issue=46893|volume=135 |date=10 September 1986}}</ref> The merger agreement was approved by the [[United States Department of Transportation]] on December 11, 1986. On December 16, 1986, shareholder approval was conferred and Western Airlines became a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta. The Western brand was discontinued and the employee workforces were fully merged on April 1, 1987. All of Western's aircraft were repainted in Delta's livery, including twelve [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aircraft By Type |url=https://www.deltamuseum.org/delta-history/aircraft-by-type/jet/douglas-dc-10 |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=www.deltamuseum.org}}</ref> Delta eventually decided to eliminate the DC-10s from its fleet as it already operated [[Lockheed L-1011 TriStar]]s, a similar type. Delta retained Western's hubs in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City; both remain major gateways and hubs for Delta.

==Destinations in 1987==
[[File:Western Airlines DC-10 1 Tilt Corrected.jpg|thumb|300px|Western DC-10. Like [[American Airlines]] "DC-10 LuxuryLiners", Western Airlines marketed its DC-10s "Spaceships" for its widebody comfort, while [[Eastern Airlines]] promoted its [[L-1011 Tristar]]s as "Whisperliners"]]
This mainline destination list is taken from Western's March 1, 1987, timetable shortly before the merger with Delta Air Lines.<ref name=depart/> The airline's main hub was [[Salt Lake City International Airport]] with a smaller hub at [[Los Angeles International Airport]].

* [[Acapulco|Acapulco, Mexico]]
* [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]]
* [[Anchorage, Alaska]] (ANC): [[Anchorage International Airport]]
* [[Austin, Texas]] (AUS): [[Robert Mueller Municipal Airport]]
* [[Billings, Montana]]
* [[Bismarck, North Dakota]]
* [[Boise, Idaho]]
* [[Boston|Boston, Massachusetts]] (BOS): [[Logan International Airport]]
* [[Bozeman, Montana]]
* [[Burbank, California]] (BUR):  [[Hollywood Burbank Airport]], then Burbank/Glendale/Pasadena Airport
* [[Butte, Montana]]
* [[Calgary|Calgary, Alberta, Canada]] (YYC): [[Calgary International Airport]]
* [[Casper, Wyoming]]
* [[Cheyenne, Wyoming]]
* [[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]] (ORD):  [[O'Hare International Airport]]
* [[Colorado Springs, Colorado]]
* [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex|Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas]] (DFW): [[Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport]]
* [[Denver|Denver, Colorado]] (DEN): [[Stapleton International Airport]]
* [[Edmonton|Edmonton, Alberta, Canada]] (YEG): [[Edmonton International Airport]]
* [[El Paso, Texas]]
* [[Fairbanks, Alaska]]
* [[Fresno, California]]
* [[Great Falls, Montana]]
* [[Guadalajara|Guadalajara, Mexico]]
* [[Helena, Montana]]
* [[Honolulu|Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii]] (HNL): [[Honolulu International Airport]]
* [[Houston|Houston, Texas]] (IAH):  [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport]]
* [[Idaho Falls, Idaho]]
* [[Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International Airport|Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Mexico]]
* [[Jackson, Wyoming]]
* [[Juneau, Alaska]]
* [[Kansas City, Missouri]]
* [[Kahului, Hawaii|Kahului, Maui, Hawaii]]
* [[Kalispell, Montana]]
* [[Las Vegas|Las Vegas, Nevada]] (LAS): [[McCarran International Airport]]
* [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, California]] (LAX):  [[Los Angeles International Airport]] - Secondary hub
* [[Mazatlán|Mazatlan, Mexico]]
* [[Mexico City|Mexico City, Mexico]]
* [[Minneapolis–Saint Paul|Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota]] (MSP): [[Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport]]
* [[Missoula, Montana]]
* [[New York City|New York City, New York]] (JFK):  [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]]
* [[New York City|New York City, New York]] (LGA):  [[LaGuardia Airport]]
* [[Oakland, California]] (OAK):  [[Oakland International Airport]]
* [[Oklahoma City|Oklahoma City, Oklahoma]]
* [[Omaha, Nebraska]]
* [[Ontario, California]] (ONT):  [[Ontario International Airport]]
* [[Orange County, California]] (SNA):  [[John Wayne Airport]]
* [[Palm Springs, California]]
* [[Pasco, Washington]] ([[Tri-Cities, Washington|Tri-Cities area]])
* [[Phoenix, Arizona]] (PHX): [[Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport]]
* [[Portland, Oregon]] (PDX): [[Portland International Airport]]
* [[Puerto Vallarta|Puerto Vallarta, Mexico]]
* [[Rapid City, South Dakota]]
* [[Reno, Nevada]]
* [[Sacramento, California]]
* [[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, Utah]] (SLC):  [[Salt Lake City International Airport]] - Primary hub
* [[St. Louis|St. Louis, Missouri]] (STL): [[St. Louis Lambert International Airport]]
* [[San Antonio|San Antonio, Texas]]
* [[San Diego|San Diego, California]] (SAN): [[San Diego International Airport]]
* [[San Francisco|San Francisco, California]] (SFO):  [[San Francisco International Airport]]
* [[San Jose, California]] (SJC): [[Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport]]
* [[Seattle-Tacoma, WA Combined Statistical Area|Seattle/Tacoma, Washington]] (SEA): [[Seattle–Tacoma International Airport]]
* [[Sioux Falls, South Dakota]]
* [[Spokane, Washington]]
* [[Tucson, Arizona]]
* [[Tulsa, Oklahoma]]
* [[Vancouver|Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada]] (YVR): [[Vancouver International Airport]]
* [[Washington, D.C.]] (IAD):  [[Washington Dulles International Airport]]
* [[Washington, D.C.]] (DCA):  [[Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport]]
* [[Wichita, Kansas]]

Western had a flight between IAD in Washington, D.C., and DCA at one point in 1985.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Western Detail Map |url=http://www.airtimes.com/cgat/usc/western/detail/mapwa850904.jpg |website=airtimes.com}}</ref> In 1987 the airline had four round trip flights a day between Boston and New York LaGuardia.<ref name=depart/>

==Former destinations==

Western timetables from the 1940s to the 1980s list service to the following at different times:<ref name=ttimages>{{cite web|url=http://www.timetableimages.com|title=Airline Timetable Images|website=TimetableImages.com |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231209002703/http://www.timetableimages.com/ |archive-date= Dec 9, 2023 }}</ref><ref name=depart/>

* [[Alliance, Nebraska]]
* [[Baltimore|Baltimore, Maryland]] (BWI): [[Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport]]
* [[Brookings, South Dakota]]
* [[Cedar City, Utah]]
* [[Cordova, Alaska]]
* [[Cut Bank, Montana]]
* [[El Centro, California]]
* [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]] (FLL): [[Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport]]
* [[Grand Junction, Colorado]]
* [[Homer, Alaska]]
* [[Hot Springs, South Dakota]]
* [[Huron, South Dakota]]
* [[Juneau, Alaska]]
* [[Kenai, Alaska]]
* [[Ketchikan, Alaska]]
* [[King Salmon, Alaska]]
* [[Kodiak, Alaska]]
* [[Lethbridge|Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada]] (''first international destination'')
* [[Lewistown, Montana]]
* [[Logan, Utah]]
* [[London|London, England]] (LGW):  [[London Gatwick Airport]] (''nonstop DC-10 service to Anchorage and Denver, one stop service to''   ''Honolulu via Anchorage and direct to Las Vegas and Los Angeles via Denver'')
* [[Mankato, Minnesota]]
* [[Miami|Miami, Florida]] (MIA): [[Miami International Airport]]
* [[Nassau, Bahamas]] (''one stop DC-10 to Los Angeles via Miami'')
* [[New Orleans|New Orleans, Louisiana]]
* [[Ogden, Utah]]
* [[Prudhoe Bay, Alaska]]
* [[Rochester, Minnesota]]
* [[Scottsbluff, Nebraska]]
* [[Spearfish, South Dakota]]
* [[Twin Falls, Idaho]]
* [[West Yellowstone, Montana]] (''served on a seasonal basis primarily during the summer months'')
* [[Yakutat, Alaska]]
* [[Yuma, Arizona]]

==Revenue passenger miles==

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Revenue Passenger Miles in Millions
|+(Scheduled Flights Only)
|-
! !! Western !! Pacific Northern Airlines !! Inland Air Lines
|- align="right"
! scope="row" | 1951
| 216 || 138 || 41
|- align="right"
! scope="row" | 1955
| 514 || 123 || (merged into Western in 1952)
|- align="right"
! scope="row" | 1960
| 1027 || 116
|- align="right"
! scope="row" | 1965
| 2040 || 198
|- align="right"
! scope="row" | 1970
| 5072 || (merged into Western in 1967)
|- align="right"
! scope="row" | 1975
| 6998
|- align="right"
! scope="row" | 1980
| 8790
|- align="right"
! scope="row" | 1985
| 10422
|}

==Advertising==
{{More citations needed section|date=December 2011}}
Western contributed to popular culture with its 1956 advertising slogan, "It's the oooooonly way to fly!"<ref>https://www.swizzlestickcollectors.com/post/true-confession-my-love-for-wally-bird My Love for Western Airlines Wally Bird</ref> Spoken by Wally Bird,  an animated bird hitching a ride atop the fuselage of a Western airliner, and voiced by veteran actor [[Shepard Menken]], the phrase soon found its way into animated cartoons by [[Warner Bros.]] (''[[Crow's Feat]]'') and [[Hanna-Barbera]]. Another famous advertising campaign by the airline centered on ''[[Star Trek]]'' icons [[William Shatner]] and [[Leonard Nimoy]]. Some of the carrier's last television ads, shortly before the merger with Delta, featured actor/comedian [[Rodney Dangerfield]].

In the 1970s Western called itself "the champagne airline" because champagne was offered free of charge to every passenger over age 21. (Actor [[Jim Backus]] uttered the "It's the only way to fly!" phrase while piloting an airplane, somewhat inebriated, in the [[1963 in film|1963]] film ''[[It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World]]''.)

Western Airlines was famous for its "Flying W" corporate identity and [[aircraft livery]]. Introduced in 1970, the scheme featured a large red "W" that fused into a red [[Aircraft livery#Cheatline|cheatline]] running the length of an all-white fuselage.<ref name=fyoffi>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XHFkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=q30NAAAAIBAJ&pg=2800%2C4154446
|work=Calgary Herald |location=(Alberta) |agency=(advertisement) |title=Fifty years of firsts |date=January 10, 1976 |page=43}}</ref> This new corporate identity was the subject of litigation by [[Winnebago Industries]], which contended the new "Flying W" was too similar to its own stylized "W" logo. In the 1980s Western Airlines slightly modified the scheme by stripping the white fuselage to bare metal, retaining the red "Flying W" (with a dark blue shadow). This color scheme was known as "Bud Lite" due to its resemblance to a popular beer's can design.

Western Airlines was a favorite first class carrier for Hollywood movie stars and frequently featured them in its on board magazine, "Western's World". [[Marilyn Monroe]] and many other silver screen actors were frequent flyers and the airline capitalized on it. Western had a famous flyer out of Seattle: Captain "Red" Dodge. Red worked previously as a helicopter test pilot, and got involved with flying for the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] ([[CIA]]) in his later years when he wasn't flying as captain on the DC-10. The movie ''[[Breakout (1975 film)|Breakout]]'' starring [[Charles Bronson]] was based on his daring airlift of a CIA operative out of the courtyard of a Mexican prison. The Mexican government tried to extradite Dodge back to face charges. Red became wealthy leasing government storage units with unlimited government business but never again flew to Mexico.

The airline was promoted in [[the Carpenters]] promotional video for the track "[[I Need to Be in Love]]", released in 1976. The video shows exterior footage of a DC-10 in takeoff and landing shots, as well as seating promotions for Western's FiftyFair seating product, with shots of a cabin setting depicting what looks like business class of the DC-10.

During the 1980s, destination flights aboard Western Airlines were featured as prizes on televised game shows, including ''[[The Price Is Right (American game show)|The Price Is Right]]'' and ''[[Pyramid (game show)|The $25,000 Pyramid]]''.

==Fleet==
[[File:Western Airlines Boeing 737-200 N4520W Marmet.jpg|thumb|Boeing 737-200 landing in Salt Lake City]]

===Fleet in 1986===

In 1986 Western Airlines' fleet was 78 jets:<ref name=WorldAirlineDirectory1986>{{cite web|title=World Airline Directory 1986|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1986/1986%20-%200796.html|publisher=Flight International|access-date=11 December 2011|date=March 29, 1986}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"

|+ Western Airlines Fleet in 1986
|-
! Aircraft !! In Service !! Orders
|-
| [[Boeing 727#727-200|Boeing 727-200]] || align=center|46 || —
|-
| [[Boeing 737#737-200|Boeing 737-200]] || align=center|19 || align=center|40
|-
| [[Boeing 737 Classic#737-300|Boeing 737-300]] || align=center|3 || align=center|14
|-
| [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10]] || align=center|10 || —
|-
| '''Total''' ||align=center| '''78''' || align=center|'''54'''
|}

* Western used a [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30]] starting in 1981 to serve London, England, United Kingdom. The DC-10-30 was the largest plane type ever flown by Western.

===Fleet in 1970===
In 1970 Western Airlines operated 75 aircraft:<ref name=WorldAirlineDirectory1970>[http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200559.html World Airline Directory] Flight International. 26 March 1970</ref>

* 5 [[Boeing 707|Boeing 707-320C]] (not included were 5 [[Boeing 707-347C]] ordered (assigned registration N1506W through N1510W) that were cancelled and acquired by the [[RCAF]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=R.W.R. |date=14 July 2006 |title=Canadian Military Aircraft, Serial Numbers, Canadian Armed Forces, CC-137 detailed list |url=https://walker.skycabinet.com/CF_CC_137.html |access-date=21 Jan 2023}}</ref>).
* 29 [[Boeing 720]] (720 turbojet and 720B turbofan models; the 720s were ex-Pacific Northern)
* 6 [[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-200]]
* 30 [[Boeing 737|Boeing 737-200]]
* 5 [[Lockheed L-188 Electra]] (included passenger, freighter and passenger/freighter [[combi aircraft]] versions. Only turboprop type operated by the airline)

===Earlier piston fleet===
{{unreferenced section|date=December 2016}}
Western used a variety of piston-powered airliners including [[Boeing 247D]]s, [[Convair 240]]s, [[Douglas DC-3]]s, [[DC-4]]s, [[Douglas DC-6|DC-6]]Bs and [[L-749 Constellation]]s. The Constellations had been operated by Pacific Northern Airlines and served smaller Western Airlines destinations in Alaska such as Cordova, Homer, Kenai, King Salmon, Kodiak and Yakutat from Anchorage or Seattle in the late 1960s.

==Accidents and incidents  ==
* December 15, 1936: Seven died when a [[Western Air Express#Western Air Express|Western Air Express]] [[Boeing 247]]<ref name=CrashReport>[http://ntl1.specialcollection.net/scripts/ws.dll?file&fn=8&name=*S%3A\DOT_56GB\airplane%20accidents\websearch\121536.pdf "Aircraft Accident Report."] ''Department of Commerce.''</ref> crashed just below Hardy Ridge on [[Lone Peak (Utah)|Lone Peak]] near Salt Lake City, Utah.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120125033113/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,757991,00.html "Confetti on Lone Peak."] ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', June 21, 1937.</ref> The major parts of the aircraft were hurled over the ridge and fell over a thousand feet into a basin below.<ref name=CrashReport />
* January 12, 1937: [[Western Air Express Flight 7]], a [[Boeing 247]] flying from [[Salt Lake City]] to [[Burbank, California|Burbank]], crashed near [[Newhall, Santa Clarita, California|Newhall, California]], killing five of the 10 persons on board, including adventurer and documentary filmmaker Martin Johnson of [[Martin and Osa Johnson]] fame.
*  December 15, 1942: A Western Airlines transport crashed near [[Fairfield, Utah]], approximately 50 miles south of Salt Lake City, Utah, on the way to Los Angeles, California. The plane took off at 1:05&nbsp;a.m. and was reported missing approximately 15 minutes later. Of the 19 passengers and crew aboard, 17 died.<ref>{{cite news |title=17 Out Of 19 Die in Airliner Crash |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1942/12/16/archives/17-out-of-19-die-in-airliner-crash-one-marine-and-a-civilian.html |work=The New York Times |agency=Associated Press |issue=31007 |volume=92|date=16 December 1942}}</ref>
* November 13, 1946: Western Airlines Flight 23 crashed into the mountains 12 miles south of [[Gorman, California]], while descending towards Burbank Airport. All 11 on board were killed.
* December 24, 1946: [[Western Air Lines Flight 44]] crashed into the [[Laguna Mountains]] while descending towards [[San Diego]]. All 12 on board were killed. The [[Civil Aeronautics Board|CAB]] investigation determined that the pilot misjudged his position relative to the mountains, and flew too low to clear terrain.<ref>{{cite news |title=Plane Lost with 12 Reported A Wreck |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1946/12/26/archives/plane-lost-with-12-reported-a-wreck-search-craft-sends-word-of.html |work=The New York Times |issue=32478|volume=96 |date=26 December 1946}}</ref><ref>{{ASN accident|id=19461224-0|title=Douglas DC-3A, Western Air Lines, NC45395, San Diego|access-date=May 9, 2012}}</ref>
* April 20, 1953: [[Western Air Lines Flight 636]], flying in the night, on the last leg of a Los Angeles-San Francisco-Oakland itinerary, descended below the prescribed minimum altitude of 500&nbsp;ft and crashed into the waters of [[San Francisco Bay]], killing eight of ten people aboard the [[Douglas DC-6]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/335374 | title = Accident Douglas DC-6B N91303, Monday 20 April 1953 | work = Aviation Safety Network | accessdate = 3 October 2024}}</ref>
* February 26, 1954: [[Western Air Lines Flight 34]], a [[Convair CV-240 family|Convair CV-240-1]] crashed near [[Wright, Wyoming]], killing 6 passengers and 3 crew members.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/335156 | title = Loss of control Accident Convair CV-240-1 N8407H, Friday 26 February 1954 | publisher = Aviation Safety Network | accessdate = 27 September 2024}}</ref>
* February 25, 1971 – [[Western Air Lines Flight 329]], a [[Boeing 737]], was hijacked by a passenger, demanding to be taken to Cuba but instead landed in Canada.<ref>{{ASN accident|id=19710225-1|type=Hijacking}}</ref>
* March 31, 1971 – [[Western Air Lines Flight 366]], a [[Boeing 720-047B]] flying from Los Angeles to [[Ontario International Airport|Ontario]], California, on a pilot proficiency check flight, yawed and rolled out of control, and crashed while in the process of executing a 3-engine missed-approach from a simulated engine-out instrument approach. The five crew members and only occupants died in the crash.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR7218.pdf|title=Aircraft Accident Report Western Air Lines, Inc. Boeing 720-047B, N3166 Ontario International Airport Ontario, California March 31, 1971|date=June 7, 1972|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|id=NTSB-AAR-72-18|access-date=September 19, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{ASN accident|id=19710331-1|title=Boeing 720-047B N3166 Ontario International Airport, CA}}</ref>
* May 5, 1972 – [[Western Airlines Flight 407]], a [[Boeing 737]], was hijacked by a man demanding to be taken to [[North Vietnam]]. After refueling in [[Tampa, Florida]], the plane went to Cuba.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unlawful Interference Boeing 737-200 , Thursday 25 February 1971 |url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/330860 |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=asn.flightsafety.org}}</ref>
* June 2, 1972: Western Airlines Flight 701 from [[Los Angeles]] to [[Seattle]] was hijacked by Willie Roger Holder, a [[Vietnam veteran|Vietnam War veteran]], and his girlfriend Catherine Marie Kerkow.<ref>{{cite web|title=Interpol: Kerkow, Catherine Marie|url=https://www.interpol.int/notice/search/wanted/2010-11142|website=www.interpol.int|access-date=22 October 2017|quote=Wanted by the Judicial Authorities of United States}}</ref> The hijackers claimed they had a bomb in an [[attaché case]] and demanded $500,000 and that [[Angela Davis]], who was then on trial, be freed.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Saxon|first1=Wolfgang|title=Ex-Black Panther Extradited to U.S.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/07/27/nyregion/ex-black-panther-extradited-to-us.html|work=The New York Times|date=27 July 1986|issue=46848|volume=135}}</ref> After allowing half the passengers to get off in San Francisco and the other half to get off in New York on a re-fueling stop, they flew on to [[Algeria]], where they were granted political asylum, joining the International Section of the [[Black Panther Party]]. It was and still remains the longest-distance hijacking in American history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/07/17/brendan-i-koerner-the-golden-age-of-skyjacking/ |title=Brendan I. Koerner: The golden age of skyjacking |work=National Post |author=Brendan I. Koerner |author-link=Brendan I. Koerner |date=July 13, 2013 |access-date=July 17, 2013}}</ref> Later, $488,000 of the ransom money was returned to American officials.<ref>{{ASN accident|id=19720602-0|title=Boeing 727 registration unknown Algiers}}</ref>
* March 31, 1975: Western Flight 470 was landing at [[Casper–Natrona County International Airport|Casper Airport]] when it overshot the runway, and struck a shallow irrigation ditch before stopping about 800 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. Weather conditions at the time were at minimum visibility with light snow. The Boeing 737-200 was written off beyond repair. Four passengers suffered various injuries.<ref>{{ASN accident|id=19750331-0|title = Boeing 737-247 N4527W Casper Airport, WY (CPR)}}</ref>
* July 31, 1979: [[Ferguson v. NTSB|Western Airlines Flight 44]] departed [[Los Angeles International Airport]] en route to [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]], [[Colorado]], and [[Billings, Montana|Billings]], [[Montana]], via several other intermediate stops and then mistakenly landed at [[Buffalo, Wyoming]], instead of [[Sheridan, Wyoming]], which was the intended destination. No injuries occurred and the only damage was to the ramp at the airport, which was not designed to support the weight of the [[Boeing 737-200]] jetliner. The incident prompted a legal battle and subsequent landmark aviation ruling of ''[[Ferguson v. NTSB]]''.<ref>[http://openjurist.org/678/f2d/821/ferguson-v-national-transportation-safety-board-m "678 F2d 821 Ferguson v. National Transportation Safety Board."] ''Openjurist,''  2012. Retrieved: May 9, 2012.</ref>
* October 31, 1979: [[Western Airlines Flight 2605]] crashed while landing at [[Mexico City International Airport]] in [[Mexico City]], killing 72. The crew landed the DC-10 on a closed runway and it collided with construction vehicles during the attempted [[go-around]].<ref>{{ASN accident|id=19791031-0|title=McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 N903WA Mexico City-Juarez International Airport}}</ref>

==References==
;Notes
{{reflist}}
;Bibliography
{{Refbegin}}
* Pearcy, Arthur. ''Douglas Propliners: DC-1 – DC-7''. London: Airlife, 1995, p.&nbsp;14. {{ISBN|1-85310-261-X}}.
{{Refend}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |author=Brendan I. Koerner |title=The Skies Belong to Us: Love and Terror in the Golden Age of Hijacking |year=2013 |publisher=Crown Publishers |isbn=978-0-307-88610-1 }} - about the Flight 701 hijacking

==External links==
{{Commons category|Western Airlines}}
* [http://www.airtimes.com/cgat/usc/western.htm Historical timetable covers]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070206015030/http://www.slcairport.com/28.asp Salt Lake City International Airport]
* [http://www.earlyaviators.com/ejames.htm Early Aviators]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060106204049/http://airlines.afriqonline.com/airlines/724.htm History of Western Airlines and the planes it operated] - archive.org copy of now-defunct page

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