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Air California was formed in 1965 by a group of Orange County businessmen who recognized a great need to serve the rapidly expanding business communities and population centers of the region with intrastate air service from their local Orange County Airport (later renamed John Wayne Airport). In 1967, Air California began passenger service by operating turbojet Lockheed L-188 Electras between Orange County and San Francisco. During 1968, the airline expanded its aircraft fleet to include Boeing 737s and McDonnell Douglas DC-9s and added routes to Oakland and San Jose. By the end of 1969, the carrier had gained a large customer base and charted over 800,000 bookings for the year. In the early 1980s, the carrier was rebranded as AirCal with a fresh look and color palette for its airliner liveries and flight crews. The airline expanded its routes beyond the California corridor to include Seattle, Portland, Houston, and New Orleans, and by 1987, Chicago, Vancouver, and Anchorage. Overexpansion, along with excessive debt, ultimately led to the carrier’s financial demise, and, after two decades of operation, the airline was acquired by American Airlines.
This image was posted on January 20, 2022.