Though best known for being the brains behind the Hughes Aircraft Company or his holdings in TWA, Howard Hughes had another airline: Hughes Airwest, a wholly different airline to that of TWA.
Where TWA had been a legacy carrier, Hughes Airwest (originally founded as simply Air West) was one of the original low cost carriers. Its slogan of “Top Banana in the West” and brightly colored yellow aircraft were instantly recognizable wherever they went and helped it become a seventies icon!
In part due to this, the airline was acquired by the then new Republic Airlines in October 1980, who themselves were acquired by Northwest Airlines in 1986, who in turn merged with Delta in 2010, keeping the Delta name.
Background
Formation
Expansion
Acquisition by Republic
Legacy
Do you remember Hughes Airwest? Did you ever fly on them? Tell me in the comments!
Featured image courtesy of Bill Larkins via Flickr.