Flying for Peanuts

Mother’s graduation at age sixteen from beauty school (1928).

My parents at the opening of their own business, Larian Beauty Salon (1937).

My first Holy Communion when I was nine (1949).

TWA 749 Constellation at LaGuardia, the plane we flew to Europe (1955).

My father, brother Val stationed in Germany, and myself at the Frankfurter Hof hotel (1955).

My brother Val, myself, father, and brother Larry, who passed away at forty-two (1964).

Our new BWIA livery showing stylized steel drum on tail (1968).

Getting my flying license at thirty-two (1972).

With Sharon, cutting our wedding cake (1972).

Fortune piece after victory over Howard Hughes (1973).

Being introduced at local airline convention with Bob Carney (1973).

Sharon sees a newly repainted TXI airplane in Austin (1973).

Sharon and I with Nicole at her baptism at St. Bart’s Church in New York City (1974).

My father in the yard of Rego Park house with Nicole (1974).

Surrounded by flight attendant managers at the graduation ceremony before we started hiring male flight attendants (1975).

Newly repainted TXI airplanes at Houston terminal A (1976).

Discussing airplane part with TXI mechanic Bob Bonventura (1976).

Chatting with fellow employee at our company picnic at Forest Club (1978).

Chatting it up with employees at another company picnic (1978).

On the TXI ramp at Houston (1978).

During overhaul on airplane talking with mechanics (1978).

TXI listing ceremony at the American Stock Exchange. From left: AMEX specialist, US Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Arthur Levitt, Bob Carney, flight attendant, myself, my father, and Don Burr (1978).

Cartoon depicting the fight for National Airlines (1979).

Fred Smith, founder of FedEx, presenting the Wings Club speakers’ award (1979).

TXI introduces peanut fares (1978).

TXI flying peanuts, background from ad (1978).

New York Air Service literature (1980).

Unions target me with threatening mail (1983).

In our boardroom with our three girls in front of peanut ads (1986).

With Continental’s 1980s logo in the background (1988).

The Hispanic audience was tuned in to what was going on (1988).

At the beach with Timon, Mercedes, Nicole, and Carolina (1989).

With Phil Bakes and US Secretary of Transportation Sam Skinner (1989).

Ed Stein’s cartoon poking fun at Continental debt (1990).

Dinner with Jun Mokudai, head of Continental Japan (1990).

Timon and my mother after visiting the la Madeleine restaurant, our first deal after Continental (1990).

Longtime assistant Millie Jones (left) and Sharon at Boys and Girls Club fundraiser at our house in Houston (1990).

With Timon at Barbara Walters interview (1993).

Steve Kolski (right) and myself presenting new ATX airline to New York governor Hugh Carey (center) and Stephen Berger (sitting), director of NY/NJ Port Authority (1993).