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Commercial airlines are also boning up on G.C.A. (Ground Controlled Approach) at six installations in the U.S. (New York, Chicago, Washington, Indianapolis, Wilmington, Del. and Arcata, Calif.). They hope to have it in widespread use eventually.
Money Savers. To compete with railroads, airlines have also cut prices as much as 25% on "excursion," "tourist," and "family fare" rates. For two months Capital Airlines has flown an experimental nighttime "coach" service between New York and Chicago in DC-48, without meals, pillows, blankets, extra stewardesses of other costly incidentals. The fare: $29.60 (v. $44.10 on regular flights, and rail coach fare of $27.30). With passenger loads up to a good average of 77% of capacity, the coach planes so far have netted Capital a good profit. Similar coach services were being planned or flown by TWA (between Kansas City and Los Angeles), Northwest (between Seattle and Anchorage, Alaska), National (between New York and Miami), and Continental (between Kansas City and Denver).
Said Western's President Terrell Drinkwater: "We have reached a point in air transportation where we must decide whether the main tent or the sideshows are going to support the circus. Anything which does not contribute to safety, speed and comfort is a costly frill with which we can well dispense."