Air Florida

Air Florida was an American low-cost airline headquartered in Miami, Florida, that operated primarily during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Founded in the deregulation era, the carrier took advantage of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 to rapidly expand its route network beyond its original Florida focus to include transatlantic and domestic routes. The airline became tragically infamous following the crash of Air Florida Flight 90 on January 13, 1982, when a Boeing 737 failed to gain altitude after takeoff from Washington National Airport in icy conditions, striking the 14th Street Bridge and plunging into the Potomac River, killing 74 of the 79 people on board plus four motorists. The disaster became a watershed moment in aviation safety discussions regarding ground icing procedures. Following the crash and mounting financial difficulties, Air Florida ceased operations in July 1984. The airline was never able to recover its reputation or financial footing after the accident, and it is primarily remembered today for the Flight 90 disaster and as an example of rapid post-deregulation expansion that ultimately proved unsustainable.