Ed Beauvais

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Edward Raymond Beauvais
Born(1936-11-13)November 13, 1936
Pueblo, Colorado, US
DiedSeptember 28, 2021(2021-09-28) (aged 84)
Scottsdale, Arizona, US
Known forCo-founder of America West Airlines, Western Pacific Airlines, and Mountain Air Express
SpouseMary Ellen Beauvais
Children5

Edward Raymond Beauvais (November 13, 1936 – September 28, 2021) was a business executive known for his contributions to the US airline industry. In a career spanning over 40 years, he founded three airlines including America West Airlines, which later merged with American Airlines.

Early life

Beauvais was born Edward Raymond Beauvais on November 13, 1936, in

offensive lineman.[1]

Career

Boeing 747-200 in Phoenix, Arizona
(1991)

In a career spanning over 40 years, Beauvais founded three airline carriers, including the Phoenix-based

City of Phoenix.[2] This was the time when the airline industry was seeing its deregulation in 1978. In 1981, he co-founded America West Airlines with his son Mark Beauvais, Don Neilson, and Michael Roach.[3] Deregulation of the industry had spawned other airline startups, including New York Air and People Express Airlines, and had launched intense price competition with the incumbents. In this environment, he started the company with $2 million in seed money and three Boeing jets which he had rented.[1] The company was often referred to as the "pearl of deregulation" and "darling of deregulation".[4]

America West Airlines pioneered many low-cost features, including focusing on reducing costs by having flight attendants double up as customer service representatives. The company also brought in the first of the industry's

First Gulf War resulted in the company heading to bankruptcy court in 1992.[1] It was at this time that Beauvais stepped down from the company along with his son. The company, however, went on to shape the airline industry consolidation in the US. It first merged with US Airways taking the US Airways brand name, and then merged with American Airlines to become what is, as of 2021, the world's largest carrier.[1][5]

Stepping down from America West in 1992, Beauvais started Western Pacific Airlines, based in Colorado, with his son Mark, and also started Mountain Air Express to serve the state's ski-tourism industry.[1][6]

Beauvais was named Inc. magazine's Entrepreneur of the Year in 1989 and was inducted into the Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame in 2014.[7]

Personal life

Beauvais married Mary Ellen (née Talbow) in 1957. The couple had met each other in high school where he was a baseball pitcher. The couple went on to have five children. He also had an elder fraternal twin. He continued to remain connected with athletics coaching his sons' little league teams.[1]

Beauvais died from a heart attack while at home on September 28, 2021. He was 84.[1][3]

References

  1. ^
    ISSN 0099-9660. Archived
    from the original on 2021-10-15. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  2. ^ a b c "Ed Beauvais". www.awa-history.org. Archived from the original on 2021-10-02. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  3. ^ a b "Ed Beauvais, co-founder and former CEO of America West Airlines, dies at 84". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  4. ^ a b Cross, Lee (2021-10-01). "A Tribute to Aviation Pioneer Edward R. Beauvais". Airways Magazine. Archived from the original on 2021-10-16. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  5. ^ "Edward Raymond Beauvais". Pima Air & Space. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  6. ^ Cross, Lee (2021-10-01). "A Tribute to Aviation Pioneer Edward R. Beauvais". Airways Magazine. Archived from the original on 2021-10-16. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
  7. ^ "Ed Beauvais, co-founder and former CEO of America West Airlines, dies at 84". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on 2021-12-07. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
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