PSA Pacific Southwest Airlines History: The Smile Airline – Airline Employee Shop

PSA Pacific Southwest Airlines History

Pacific Southwest Airlines grew from one leased DC-3 in San Diego into California's smiling airline, then joined USAir in 1988. Here's a short history of PSA, plus the PSA collection that celebrates it.

A San Diego start (1949-1958)

PSA grew out of a San Diego flight school run by Kenny Friedkin. It began flying on May 6, 1949, with a leased Douglas DC-3 making one round trip a week from San Diego to Oakland by way of Burbank. In 1955 it bought DC-4s from Capital Airlines to carry more people up and down the state. San Diego stayed home base for the airline's whole life.

Electras, jets and smiles (1959-1977)

Lockheed Electra turboprops arrived in 1959. PSA's first jets, Boeing 727s, followed in the mid-1960s, and by the end of the 1960s 727s and 737s had replaced the Electras. The jets wore a smile painted just under the nose, and PSA billed itself as "The World's Friendliest Airline." For most of its history it flew only inside California, linking San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco. It even flew two Lockheed L-1011 widebodies in 1974 and 1975.

Beyond California (1978-1988)

After airline deregulation, PSA began flying outside California, starting with Nevada in December 1978. In the 1980s it added McDonnell Douglas MD-80s and quiet BAe 146 jets for smaller West Coast airports. In December 1986, shortly after rival AirCal agreed to sell to American, PSA agreed to merge with USAir. PSA flew its last flights on April 8, 1988, and became part of USAir the next day.

The name lives on

In 1995 USAir renamed one of its regional airlines PSA Airlines to protect the famous name. That carrier is now a wholly owned regional airline of American Airlines Group, flying Bombardier regional jets as American Eagle.

A few things collectors love

  • The smile: every PSA jet carried a painted grin under the nose.
  • "The World's Friendliest Airline," PSA's slogan.
  • American Airlines has painted Airbus A321 N581UW in a PSA retro livery, smile included.

Shop PSA

Browse PSA logo T-shirts, coffee mugs, coasters, tote bags and vintage designs in the PSA collection. Add an airline bag tag or key tag, or explore the rest of the AA Family Tree collection.

AirlineEmployeeShop.com sells PSA merchandise under license from American Airlines. This page is for historical interest.