Sitting on top
of the world!
Trenton Gatewood, age 2, io the
obviously proud owner of a re
stored airplane, with his mommy
and daddy both working for Pied
mont — Judy at CRO and Dan
at Fixed Base — it was certainly
justifiable that Trenton's plane be
redone in Piedmont colors. But
the logic of it all was even more
well-grounded. The toy originally
belonged to the son of long-time
Piedmont photographer Bill Ray.
Since Trenton is Bill's favorite two
year old he inherited the prize tri
cycle plane. It was Dan who did
the meticulous restoring of the
rusting, almost relic, metal toy.
And Trenton was carried away
with his “new" transportation.
J.
Vol. XXVII, No. 5
August/September, 1976
Third quarter traffic shows increases
Airline traffic during the third quarter of
this year was up more than 10 per cent over
the same period of 1975.
In making this announcement Senior Vice
President Ken Ross said, “Traffic for the third
quarter exceeded our expectations. September,
in particular, was much better than normal.
In looking at these results, we continue to be
optimistic about the fourth quarter. This year,
1976, should be one of the best in our history.”
Revenue passenger miles were up 11.29 per
cent for the July through September period,
from 286,446,260 in 1975 to 318,798,237 this
year.
The passenger load factor for the three
month period was 53.17 per cent this year as
compared to 52.96 per cent in 1975.
Passenger boardings rose 8.88 per cent for
the third quarter, from 966,270 last year to
1,052,088 at the end of September, 1976.
Available seat miles increased 10.86 per
cent during the third quarter, from 540,822,466
last year to 599,529,590 this year.
Year-to-date traffic figures also reveal sub
stantial increases.
For the first nine months of 1976, revenue
passenger miles were up 11 per cent. There
were 864,587,161 revenue passenger miles
flown through September of this year as com
pared to 778,918,833 during the same period
in 1975.
Available seat miles for the nine months
were up 5.24, from 1,602,766,250 in 1975 to
1,686,676,180 this year.
The passenger load factor for January
through September, 1976 was 51.26 per cent.
For the first nine months of last year it was
48.60 per cent.
Passenger boardings for the nine months
totaled 2,984,670, up 8.81 per cent of the
2,660,393 passengers carried during the first
nine months of 1975.
Complete third quarter results, including
the financial report for the Company as a whole,
will be announced at the end of October.
Ski promotion highlights foil marketing effort
Long before the first frost in the South
eastern United States, Piedmont began pro
moting “Ski the Rockies” vacation plans.
Weems Westfeldt, one of this country’s top
ski instructors, traveled throughout North
Carolina, Tennessee and the Virginias on be
half of Piedmont and 12 members of “Ski the
Rockies” resorts.
Westfeldt was joined by Piedmont sales
managers in their respective areas. Working
with Westfeldt through September and early
October were Bill Crowe, Fred Sheets, Don
Holliday, Frank Trenor, Bill Grubbs, Marty
Martinez, Norm Coiner, Ben Bailey, Mike Mason
and Joe Grant.
A native of Boulder, Colorado, Westfeldt
began his skiing career almost as soon as he
learned to walk. He has won championships
on the slopes from Colorado to Switzerland. He
taught and coached his sport in New Hampshire
and Maine before returning to the Rockies to
become head ski instructor at the Steamboat
Ski School in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
A coach and competitor, Westfeldt has been
a member of the U.S. Demonstration Team of
the Professional Ski Instructors of America
since 1974. Westfeldt also skis for Olin Ski
and Salomon Bindings as a testing and market
ing adviser.
The Piedmont “Ski the Rockies” vacation
programs are offered through joint arrange
ments with American, Braniff and Continental
Airlines.
Sales personnel from American and Con
tinental also worked with the promotion tour.
The men made presentations to more than
150 travel agent and ski club groups or about
1500 people. Westfeldt was also interviewed
for several television programs and newspaper
and magazine articles.
The resorts participating in the program
include Wyoming’s Jackson Hole; Taos in New
Mexico; Steamboat, Vail, Winter Park, Snow-
mass, Aspen, Breckenridge, Crested Butte and
Aspen Highlands all in Colorado; Snowbird,
Utah; and Idaho’s Sun Valley.
Tangible results of the promotion include
38 charters confirmed between Piedmont’s mid-
Atlantic states and the Rockies. This business
will mean over $500,000 in revenue to the Com
pany. It does not include more than 500
individual skiers who’ve already made reserva
tions to go west to ski on regularly scheduled
Piedmont flights.
The idea for Piedmont’s innovative ski pro
gram originated with Executive Vice President
W. M. Magruder. Don Edmondson and Lionel
Anders were responsible for developing the
details of its unique ‘family concept’. Pied
mont’s program allows tremendous flexibility
for planning a family skiing vacation. Package
possibilities may include all or any combina
tion of the following: travel costs, ski rental,
lift tickets, lessons, ski clothing purchase al
lowance, lodging, meals, insurance and ground
transportation. The ease of paying one price
for everything has a definite appeal for family
groups.
PIEDMONTS It,76 UNITED WAY ALTIME
-.-.'iCB «L&T)C*i'S fMiSCMOeS
wPSN-r
30 000
United Way
Chairman Bill
Foster kept
general office
employees up
to date on
the drive's
progress with a
unique altimeter
in the cafeteria.
Campaign results
will be in the
next issue.