Florida Express

{{Short description|Florida low-cost carrier (1984-1988)}}

{{Infobox airline

| airline=Florida Express

| image=

| caption=

| IATA= ZO

| ICAO= FLX

| callsign= FLEXAIR

| founded= 24 January 1983

| commenced= {{Start date|1984|01|26|df=y}}

| ceased= {{End date|1988}}

| bases=Orlando, Florida

| fleet_size=See Fleet below

| destinations=See Destinations below

| headquarters=Orlando, Florida
United States

| num_employees=385 (1985)

|founder = Gordon Linkon (CEO)

| key_people =

}}

Florida Express was an airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida, United States. Orlando International Airport (MCO) served as the airline's hub with a point-to-point linear route system in the eastern U.S. and Florida. Established in 1984,{{citation |url=https://www.sunshineskies.com/floridaexpress.html |title=Florida Express |publisher=Sunshine Skies |accessdate=August 12, 2018}} the air carrier operated a small fleet consisting exclusively of British Aircraft Corporation BAC One-Eleven twin jet aircraft and employed approximately 385 employees in 1985."World Airline Directory." Flight International. March 30, 1985. [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1985/1985%20-%200938.html 78]." Retrieved on June 17, 2009. It was incorporated in Delaware on January 24, 1983{{cite web|url=https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_de/2001614 |website=opencorporates.com|title=Open Corporates record for Delaware incorporation of Florida Express|publisher=Open Corporates|access-date=16 June 2024}} and received its economic certificate from the Civil Aeronautics Board exactly a year later on January 24, 1984.{{cite journal|journal=Civil Aeronautics Board Reports|title=Florida Express, Fitness Investigation|volume=105|date=November 1983 – January 1984|pages=389–392|url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/osu.32437000534046|hdl=2027/osu.32437000534046}} First flight was January 26, 1984 and it was co-founded and led by Gordon Linkon, a former Midway Airlines president and Frontier Airlines executive.[https://www.newspapers.com/image/222132514 Florida Express From the Ground Up, Orlando Sentinel, July 9, 1984] The airline completed an initial public offering on October 16, 1985, raising $13mm.[https://www.newspapers.com/image/228026480 Florida Express stock stale misses target by $3 million, Orlando Sentinel, October 17, 1985] The airline's toll-free phone number was 1-800-FAST-JET.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bho5r6pkkY|website=youtube.com|publisher=TheClassicSports|format=video|language=en|access-date=16 June 2024|title=1987 - Ad for Florida Express Airlines|date=15 May 2014 }}

On October 28, 1987, the second incarnation of Braniff announced its acquisition of Florida Express in a deal worth $20mm (over $50mm in 2024 dollars).[https://www.newspapers.com/image/230424738 Braniff, Florida Express announce merger plans, Orlando Sentinel, October 29, 1987] After government approvals, the deal closed on April 19, 1988.[https://www.newspapers.com/image/230424738 Florida Express no more - It's Braniff from now on, Orlando Sentinel, April 20, 1988] However, before the deal closed, from January 15, 1988 onward, Florida Express flew for Braniff under the name Braniff Express.[https://www.newspapers.com/image/129893076 Braniff, Florida Express have a date at the altar, Palm Beach Post, April 18, 1988]