Texas International Airlines

Texas International Airlines Inc.

Company type	Airline
Industry	Aviation
Predecessor	Aviation Enterprises, Trans-Texas Airways (TTA)
Founded	1944
Defunct	1982
Fate	Merged with Continental Airlines
Successor	Continental Airlines
Headquarters	Houston, Texas , United States
Area served	Texas, neighboring U.S. states, Mexico
Key people	Frank Lorenzo (executive)
Products	Air transportation services
Owner	Texas Air Corporation (from 1980)
Parent	Texas Air Corporation (1980–1982)

Texas International Airlines Inc. began as a regional U.S. carrier, initially established in 1944 under the name Aviation Enterprises. It was renamed Trans-Texas Airways (TTA) in 1947 and adopted the Texas International Airlines brand in 1969. The airline's headquarters were situated near William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas, with its operations primarily concentrated within Texas and neighboring states before broadening its service area.

By August 1953, TTA was servicing 36 airports ranging from El Paso to Memphis. By 1968, its network had expanded to include 48 U.S. destinations alongside Mexican cities such as Monterrey, Tampico, and Veracruz. The airline’s approach centered on enhancing regional links and extending its market presence.

At the point of merging with Continental Airlines in 1982, Texas International had grown to cover prominent markets including Baltimore, Denver, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Washington, DC. It operated an exclusive fleet of DC-9 jets, maintaining a competitive edge across both regional and international routes. The integration into Continental—which itself merged into United Airlines in 2010—was part of broader industry consolidation trends.

From 1980 until the merger, the airline was under the umbrella of the Texas Air Corporation group and was led by influential executive Frank Lorenzo, whose guidance was pivotal in driving business expansion and restructuring operations.

History

In 1949, Trans-Texas Airways operated mainly within Texas utilizing Douglas DC-3 "Starliners". Its initial network connected multiple Texas cities such as Dallas, Houston, and El Paso. The route system expanded over time: Memphis and Marshall were added in 1953; Lafayette in 1956; New Orleans and Jackson in 1959; Mexico routes commenced in 1967; and Denver was included by 1969. A significant growth milestone occurred in 1963 when the airline acquired Continental Airlines’ routes, adding service to 13 cities across New Mexico and Texas.

The introduction of Convair 240 aircraft came by 1961, later replaced by Convair 600 turboprops marketed as "Jet Powered TTa Silver Cloud 600". The DC-3s were gradually retired by 1968, while Beechcraft C99 commuter turboprops were introduced to serve smaller markets. October 1966 marked the debut of the Douglas DC-9-10 jet under the "Pamper-jet" branding; by the late 1960s, the fleet included nineteen DC-9-10s and seven DC-9-30s. In 1977, Texas International briefly operated DC-9 jets to smaller communities in New Mexico and became the first airline to prohibit cigar and pipe smoking onboard.

Initially known by nicknames such as "Tree Top Airlines" and "Tinker Toy Airlines," the company rebranded itself as Texas International Airlines in April 1969 to highlight its modernized fleet consisting of DC-9 jets and Convair 600 turboprops. By 1979, it had fully transitioned to an all-jet aircraft lineup.

During the early 1970s, Texas International served major Texas cities including Austin, San Antonio, and Dallas/Fort Worth, along with destinations outside Texas spanning Arkansas, California, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Tennessee, Utah, and international routes to Mexico. The airline operated several multi-stop "milk run" flights that linked key hubs.

After experiencing annual deficits reaching $3 million, Texas International was purchased in 1972 by Jet Capital Corporation under entrepreneur Frank Lorenzo’s leadership. Through strategic measures such as wage reductions and assertive marketing campaigns, the airline returned to profitability with a $6 million surplus.

Confronted with competition from Southwest Airlines during the mid-1970s, Texas International gained approval from the Civil Aeronautics Board to introduce discounted fares known as "Peanuts Fares," which became integral to its business model. By 1978, it offered frequent nonstop DC-9 flights between Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston featuring these reduced fares.

In 1979, Texas International launched one of the industry’s earliest frequent-flyer programs called "Payola Passes," preceding similar initiatives by larger carriers despite limited technological resources.

On June 11, 1980, Frank Lorenzo founded Texas Air Corporation—the first airline holding company—to oversee both Texas International and New York Air. In 1982, Texas Air acquired Continental Airlines and consolidated it with Texas International under the Continental brand on October 31 of that year. The final Texas International aircraft were phased out by 1983.

The heritage of Trans-Texas Airways and Texas International persists through United Airlines following its merger with Continental in 2010. United continues to operate major hubs at Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport—both former bases for Texas International—underscoring the lasting market impact of its predecessor’s legacy.

Fleet

According to World Airline Fleets 1979, Texas International's aircraft lineup included:

Throughout its years of service, Texas International Airlines operated a diverse range of airplanes:

Aircraft type	Quantity	Entry into service	Withdrawal from service	Additional information
Beechcraft Model 99	5	1969	1978
Convair CV-600	27	1961	1979	Turboprop conversion of the piston-powered Convair CV-240
Douglas C-47 Skytrain	9	1948	1968
Douglas DC-3	14	1947	1969
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-10	20	1966	1982
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-10MC	5	1967
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30	30	1969

Livery

Following the transition to the Texas International brand, the airline featured a dark purple cheatline above the windows that extended into three tail stripes. By 1973, this design evolved into a broad red cheatline on a white fuselage, complemented by a Columbia blue stripe and a prominent white star set against the blue tail.

Accidents

• On February 6, 1969, a midair collision occurred near Harlingen, Texas, involving a Douglas DC-9-15MC and a Piper PA-28; the Piper pilot sustained serious injuries while the DC-9 safely landed without any fatalities among its 59 passengers and crew.
• On September 27, 1973, Convair 600 Flight 655 crashed in Arkansas during a flight from El Dorado to Texarkana; all eleven individuals aboard lost their lives. This incident marks the airline’s only fatal accident and the sole deadly event involving the Convair 600.
• November 16, 1976, saw Flight 987, operated by a Douglas DC-9-14, overrun the runway during takeoff at Denver Stapleton International Airport due to a malfunction in the stall warning system; all 86 occupants survived, but the aircraft was ultimately written off.
• On March 17, 1980, a Douglas DC-9-14 overran the runway while landing in rainy conditions at Baton Rouge Ryan Airport because of pilot and air traffic control errors; all fifty passengers and crew survived, though the plane was damaged beyond repair.

See also

• List of defunct airlines of the United States
• Texas Air Corporation

External links

• "Trans Texas Airlines, no. 13620; Aircraft." Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin. Bailey (Bob) Studios. May 24, 1949.