Private Jet Expeditions was a United States charter airline that also operated scheduled passenger service. It was part of the OASIS Group from Spain and, in 1994, marketed scheduled services in the United States under the name National Airlines.
History
Private Jet Expeditions was founded in 1989 by Wichita, Kansas entrepreneur Jack P. DeBoer. It began operations with a former Trans World Airlines (TWA) Boeing 727 aircraft, flying to tourist destinations around the world under FAR Part 121 regulations. After DeBoer sold the company, its headquarters moved to Atlanta, Georgia. The airline was subsequently owned by Apple Vacations and later by the Spanish consortium OASIS.
Under OASIS ownership, the McDonnell Douglas MD-83 was introduced, and service was expanded to include scheduled passenger flights. In 1993, the airline operated a scheduled route from Chicago to Atlanta and onward to Miami. According to the September 15, 1994 edition of the Official Airline Guide (OAG), the carrier was operating McDonnell Douglas DC-9-50 and MD-80 jetliners as National Airlines, using the same "5J" airline code used by Private Jet Expeditions. Routes at that time included Miami–Atlanta–Dallas/Fort Worth–Las Vegas; New York LaGuardia Airport–Atlanta–Dallas/Fort Worth; Miami–Atlanta–New York LaGuardia Airport; and Chicago Midway Airport–Atlanta–St. Thomas–St. Croix. At one point, an MD-80 was leased from French carrier Air Liberté and briefly operated a scheduled Chicago Midway Airport–San Francisco route while retaining the full livery of the French carrier.
Due to poor load factors, these scheduled routes were abandoned in 1994, and the airline subsequently sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Charter operations also declined, and by March 1995, all operations were permanently suspended.
Destinations (August 1994)
According to its August 12, 1994 timetable and route map, Private Jet Expeditions (operating as National Airlines) served the following destinations: Atlanta (hub), Cincinnati, Chicago–Midway, Dallas/Fort Worth, Las Vegas, Miami, New York–LaGuardia, St. Croix, St. Louis, St. Thomas, and Washington, D.C.–Dulles.
Fleet
The airline operated the following aircraft over its history:
| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 727-100 | 1 | 1989 | 1991 |
| Boeing 727-200 | 3 | 1992 | 1994 |
| McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51 | 2 | 1994 | 1994 |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | 1 | 1993 | 1994 |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-83 | 15 | 1991 | 1995 |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-87 | 1 | 1992 | 1994 |
Codes
- IATA Code: 5J
- ICAO Code: PJE
- Call Sign: Pee Jay
Key Information
- Commenced operations: 1989
- Ceased operations: March 1995
- Hub: Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- Headquarters: Wichita, Kansas, then Atlanta, Georgia
- Key people: Jack P. DeBoer (founder)
