TriStar Airlines

For the defunct Egyptian cargo airline, see Tristar Air.
TriStar Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
T3[1] ? ?
Commenced operations July 17, 1995
Ceased operations January 1997
Operating bases McCarran International Airport (Las Vegas)
Fleet size 1
Destinations 2
Company slogan The better choice
Headquarters Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Key people
  • Donald Martin, CEO
  • Gary Dumas, CFO
Employees 160 (in June 1996)[2]

TriStar Airlines was an airline based at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. It launched operations in July 1995 with scheduled flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco and added more destinations later in the year. TriStar utilized British Aerospace 146 aircraft on its routes. In late 1996, the airline began to suffer financial difficulties, deciding to reduce its scheduled operations in favor of the charter industry. Although it settled a lessor dispute in November 1996, TriStar ended all flights not long after in January 1997.

History

TriStar Airlines began operations on July 17, 1995, with flights to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and the Grand Canyon. It had a marketing agreement with Japan Airlines and was connected to the airline's computer reservations system. Under this arrangement, TriStar Airlines transported Japan Airlines passengers on package tours to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. TriStar operated leased British Aerospace 146 (BAe 146) aircraft on all its routes.[3] In November 1995, the airline introduced flights to Reno and Eugene, Oregon;[4] flights to Aspen, Colorado, started the following month.[5]

TriStar Airlines signed a marketing agreement with Eagle Canyon Airlines in June 1996,[6] thereby ending flights to the Grand Canyon.[7] Faced with financial troubles and low passenger numbers, TriStar decided to shift its focus to the more lucrative charter industry in September 1996. It ended flights to Reno and Eugene and reduced operations to Los Angeles and San Francisco.[7]

In October 1996, British Aerospace terminated its lease to TriStar and sued for its aircraft's return, claiming TriStar owned the company US$3 million.[8] As a result, all four of the airline's aircraft were grounded on October 28. TriStar and British Aerospace negotiated for the return of three aircraft, allowing TriStar to resume operations nine days later with a single BAe 146.[9] At this point, TriStar only offered twice weekly Las Vegas–San Francisco flights, with charter operations reserved for the rest of the week.[10]

The airline ended operations in January 1997.[11]

Corporate affairs

TriStar Airlines was headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada,[2] It used the slogan The better choice;[12] and its logo, consisting of three stars and a color scheme of red, gray, black, and white, won the Award of Excellence For Logo Design in a 1996 American Corporate Identity competition.[13] Donald P. Martin served as the president and CEO, and Gary Dumas was the chief financial officer.[2]

Destinations

At the time it ceased operations, TriStar Airlines offered scheduled flights to the following destinations:[10]

The destinations below were terminated earlier:

Fleet

A TriStar Airlines BAe 146-200 on approach to McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas

TriStar Airlines was operating a total of four British Aerospace 146 aircraft in June 1996,[2] configured with 86 to 100 seats in an all–economy class layout.[lower-alpha 1] Following the settlement of a dispute with lessor British Aerospace, TriStar was allowed to retain a single BAe 146.[9]

Services

TriStar Airlines offered only one class of service, economy class.[10][14] It offered assigned seating and complimentary snacks and beverages.[2]

Notes

  1. ↑ Sources state TriStar Airlines' aircraft had 86 seats,[10] 100 seats,[8] or 86–100 seats.[14]

References

  1. ↑ "TriStar Airlines shoots for June start". Business and Commercial Aviation. May 1, 1995. Retrieved September 17, 2016. (subscription required (help)).
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Corporate Profile for TriStar Airlines, Inc., dated June 14, 1996". Business Wire. June 14, 1996. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Tri Star to start with BAe 146s". Flightglobal. July 12, 1995. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  4. ↑ Levy, Melissa (September 19, 1996). "TriStar to drop service to Eugene". The Register-Guard. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  5. ↑ "New Air Service to Eugene, Aspen". Los Angeles Times. October 22, 1995. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  6. ↑ "TriStar, Eagle Canyon Market Grand Canyon Tour Service". Aviation Daily. June 11, 1996. Retrieved September 16, 2016. (subscription required (help)).
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "TriStar cuts flights, jobs in bid for charters". Las Vegas Sun. September 25, 1996. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  8. 1 2 Levy, Rachael (November 5, 1996). "TriStar gets use of 1 jet". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  9. 1 2 "TriStar gets ready for major restructuring". Flightglobal. December 11, 1996. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "TriStar Airlines extends $49 fares on all seats between San Francisco and Las Vegas through Nov. 25". Business Wire. November 14, 1996. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  11. ↑ "DOT revokes TriStar Airlines' operating certificate under dormancy provisions". Aviation Daily. February 17, 1998. Retrieved September 17, 2016. (subscription required (help)).
  12. ↑ TriStar Airlines Flight Schedule. TriStar Airlines. 1996.
  13. ↑ "TriStar Airlines logo wins top honors in national design competition". Business Wire. May 9, 1996. Retrieved September 17, 2016.
  14. 1 2 "Tristar, Looking For 'More Focused' Schedule, Drops Eugene Flights". Aviation Daily. September 27, 1996. Retrieved September 16, 2016. (subscription required (help)).

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