When you think of now-defunct domestic airlines throughout the years, you probably remember the big ones — Eastern, Pan Am, etc. In reality, there have been many small airlines that have popped up around the country, only to cease operations after a few years in the air, or become swallowed up by one of the carriers that’s still around today.
Such is the case with Reno Air, a small commercial airline out of Reno that began in 1992 with its first nonstop flight from Reno to Seattle. It grew to establish other hubs in Nevada, Las Vegas, and San Jose. It offered flights to many points in the western half of the United States and internationally into Canada.
An idea born from industry pros
Founded by industry guys from Frontier (the 1950-1986 version, not the animal-clad, low-cost aircraft we see today) and Midway Airlines, both of which had at that point become defunct, Reno Air seemed to be growing rapidly after its 1992 establishment, quickly expanding its service and creating new hubs. From the start, it seemed they would have a relationship with American Airlines, as their 1993 hub at San Jose would be leased gate space from American, and they joined up with the AAdvantage program to give their flyers credit on Reno Air flights. Soon, they would be calling themselves “the biggest little airline in the world.”
The airline’s 1996 web page is still online, offering up all the nostalgic air travel feels you could want. A button advises you the site is best viewed on either Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer (which, don’t worry, the graphic says, it’s free), and interested travelers are urged to call on what looks to be a MicroTAC Ultra Lite.
At the time, the airline’s slogan was “Discover a Better Low Fare Airline.” They noted that, unlike other low-cost airlines, they provided advanced seat selection, advanced boarding passes, a frequent flyer program (AAdvantage), a first class (which you could upgrade to for only an extra fee of $25), and a new jet fleet. All of this, though, did not keep Reno Air from feeling some painful competition from Southwest.
On 30 August 1999, Reno Air would fly their last, as they were acquired by American Airlines, which was looking to expand its reach on western north-south routes, which just so happened to be Reno Air’s specialty. At the time, American kept on Reno Air’s aircraft, simply repainting the fuselage, but the various McDonnell Douglas MD-80 and -90 series jets were retired after 9/11, to reduce capacity.
The Amazing hybrid Reno Air/American Airlines Fleet
One of the most unique things about the acquisition was how the repainting of Reno Air’s fleet was done in such a piecemeal fashion. American had to repaint the aircraft, but needed to keep the RenoAir operation flying to the maximum extent possible. This led to minor modifications of the scheme during scheduled downtime with an eventual repaint for the aircraft. Additionally, American decided against keeping the MD-87 and MD-90 subfleets. So those aircraft never received the full livery. Surprisingly, though, American did paint the MD-90 in American colors with a white fuselage.
Reno Air returns…sort of
However, this would not be the end for Reno Air. Back in 2015, American Airlines brought Reno Air’s spirit with a Retrojet tribute and a special amenity kit for first-class passengers. In November 2015, a Boeing 737-800 was rolled out with livery in Reno Air colors. The tribute was part of an overall attempt by American to honor those airlines that have been absorbed by its brand over the years, such as TWA and AirCal.
Reno Air still has a following of individuals who were impacted by the airline’s presence. An online community offers memberships that even come with an @renoair.net email address, primarily targeted at former employees.
Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Matthew Desatoff for his many unique photos.
