Morris Air

Morris Air
IATA ICAO Call sign
KN MSS WASATCH
Founded1984 (1984)
(as Morris Air Service)
Commenced operations1992 (1992)
Ceased operationsOctober 1994 (1994-10)
(merged into Southwest Airlines)
HubsSalt Lake City International Airport
Fleet size21, all Boeing 737
Destinations21, western U.S.
HeadquartersSalt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Key peopleDavid Neeleman (President)
FounderJune Morris (CEO)
Revenue$116 million (1992)[1]
Profit$5.3 million (1992)[1]
Employees2,000 (1993)[1]

Morris Air was a low-fare airline in the western United States, based in Salt Lake City, Utah. It began scheduled operations in 1992,[2][3][4] and was sold to Southwest Airlines in December 1993 for over $120 million in stock.[1][5][6][7][8] The airline officially became part of Southwest in the autumn of 1994.[9][10] 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 it purchased Morris Air.[11]

  1. ^ a b c d "Southwest will buy cut-rate Morris Air". Lodi News-Sentinel. (California). Associated Press. December 14, 1993. p. 8.
  2. ^ "DOT fines Morris Air $100,000". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). staff and wire reports. November 11, 1992. p. A8.
  3. ^ "Morris Air plans Dec. 2 takeoff". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). staff and wire reports. November 25, 1992. p. A7.
  4. ^ Murphey, Michael (February 25, 1994). "Southwest's landing here likely June 6". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. A12.
  5. ^ Cortex, Marjorie; Knudson, Max B. (December 13, 1993). "Southwest purchasing Morris Air". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. A1.
  6. ^ Cortex, Marjorie (December 14, 1993). "Southwest emphasizes its commitment to S.L." Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. B1.
  7. ^ "Southwest to buy Morris Air". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). wire reports. December 14, 1993. p. A1.
  8. ^ History: Morris Air Service
  9. ^ "Southwest to absorb 2 Morris Air routes". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. September 18, 1994. p. 9B.
  10. ^ Cortex, Marjorie (October 4, 1994). "Southwest launches daily service in S.L.; Morris Air legacy praised". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. B3.
  11. ^ "JetBlue Airways: David Neeleman". NPR.org. Retrieved 2019-05-04.