747400sp From United States, joined Aug 2003, 1879 posts, RR: 3 Posted (3 years 1 month 1 week 12 hours ago) and read 5027 times:
I know when you think of Greyhound you think of dirt smelly buses, but I was shock to see they had an airline. They flew a 727, but I do not know what routes it flew. Learning this, I may give Greyhound a little more credited than I used to.
TIMEAIR From Canada, joined May 2005, 432 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (3 years 1 month 1 week 12 hours ago) and read 5006 times:
Greyhound had several 727's that were operated by Kelowna Flightcraft .
Operated out of a central hub in YWG flying to several major markets, and was actually the first scheduled transcon airline to operate into YHM during the 90's.
Served YVR/YLW/YYC/YEG/YWG/YHM/YOW and others I have forgotten.
Planenutz From United States, joined Dec 1999, 1184 posts, RR: 14 Reply 4, posted (3 years 1 month 1 week 5 hours ago) and read 4574 times:
Greyhound Air was started by Greyhound Canada as a low fare carrier. They leased all aircraft from Kelowna Flightcraft of Abbotsford, BC. Unfortuntely, they were short lived.
I really liked their adverts in Vancouver newspapers leading up to their launch. One contained a greyhound dog, lifting his leg to urinate on the front landing gear of a 727, under the banner of "We're marking new territory."
LTBEWR From United States, joined Jan 2004, 9304 posts, RR: 7 Reply 7, posted (3 years 1 month 1 week 4 hours ago) and read 4468 times:
I believe Greyhound Canada was separate company from the USA company who largely licensed the name to coordinate marketing, logos/trademarks, bus purchasing assistance, connecting services between the USA and Canada. The USA company at one time was owned by Armour-Dial corporation (meat and soap, separate companies today, then based in Phoenix, AZ). About 8-9 years ago, the USA side of Greyhound became part of Laidlaw, a Canadian company that is extensively involved in inter-city bus services, school bus services, trash/waste collection and other services.
Greyhound also offered cheap car rental services, I believe in Califronia and Florida mainly to the tourist markets in the early 1980's to the early 1990's.
Swissy From Switzerland, joined Jan 2005, 1396 posts, RR: 10 Reply 8, posted (3 years 1 month 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 4119 times:
Quoting LTBEWR (Reply 7): Laidlaw, a Canadian company that is extensively involved in inter-city bus services, school bus services, trash/waste collection and other services.
That is correct and it also was the downfall for the airline as Laidlaw had no use for it.........
YYZ757FAN From Canada, joined Feb 2005, 86 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (3 years 1 month 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 4089 times:
Please correct me if I'm wrong but did'nt Greyhound reley almost exclusivly on their 1-800 phone number and the internet for their reservations and bookings? I believe they were one of the first airlines to sell their seats in this manner. As Swissy notes above, when Laidlaw took over the Greyhound line it spelt the end for the airline. As I recall the airlines passenger loads were fairly decent for the times and were supporting the airline at the time. The airline could have continued flying if Laidlaw hadn't pull the plug on the operation.
AvroArrow From Canada, joined Sep 2001, 860 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (3 years 1 month 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 3159 times:
From what I recall, they eschewed using travel agents to sell tickets to save the $ from commissions and relied on the 800 number as stated as well as allowing people to buy tickets at their bus depots. I know that not using travel agents hurt their sales big time, but I don't recall if they changed that policy before the end.
Give me a mile of road and I can take you a mile. Give me a mile of runway and I can show you the world.
747hogg From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 12, posted (3 years 1 month 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 2455 times:
I can just see it now.... people pissing on the walls of the lav, just released convicts checking in with one carboard box as luggage, some hoochie in a mini dress and 100 pounds overweight in the cockpit talking a mile a minute to the poor crew, winos nodding off, ghetto kids running up and down the ilse playing with tonka trucks, fighting, and in the grand greyhound tradition,,, making 16 stops every 100 miles. Thank the good lord these old dogs are long gone.
Rikkus67 From Canada, joined Jun 2000, 999 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (3 years 1 month 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 1877 times:
I was actually dismayed when Greyhound lost its wings. With the sparcer population, and further distances between centres (correct Canadian spelling), the airline business has always been an expensive proposition to operate, and sometimes was/is costly as a passenger.
Greyhound Airlines started around the same time as WestJet. Because of some law regarding use of trademarks in Canada, the airline couldn't put "Greyhound" on the sides of their planes...because the planes weren't actually theirs. The idea of using the 1-800 number was necessitated due to this, but provided an invaluable marketing tool. I do believe Greyhound was actually one of the first airlines to prominently use the billboard telephone number...
Seeing how well the public responded to WestJet, I have little doubt that (if properly managed and funded), Greyhound Airlines would have eventually flourished.
I was lucky enough to fly on Greyhound from YYC to YWG for a wedding in 1996. The same comfortable service you find at a DECENT LCC, you found at Greyhound. The staff were courteous and fun, the snacks and drinks adequate, and the 727-200...although a former AC plane IIRC... whisked us to our destination with absolutely no hastles.
Although there were a few passengers on my flight that would have easily fit 747hogg's description... Greyhound provided many lower income Canadian families with a viable and less costly means to get across a good portion of our country...
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