I have worked in radio and television news since 1977. I worked at Mutual Broadcasting System for Larry King in 1988. I also anchored news in the Washington DC market. Everyone needs to know that David Margulies is one of the smoothest- credible and professional television news reporters ever. This report is outstanding! Man- we need this type of journalism today.

You are correct. Putnam later said Braniff only had ten days of cash on hand when he arrived. There was nothing he or anyone else could have done. While it has been common for airlines to fly through bankruptcy more recently no one had ever done so at that time. Sad story. A lot of good people lost their jobs.

I seriously miss this great airline

My brother was with Midway Airlines in Chicago at the time. His boss came to his office and said Braniff just folded, and my brother had enough time to run home, pack a bag, and catch a flight to DFW to meet with airport executives and negotiate an agreement for some of Braniff's gates. My wife and I lived in Dallas at the time, and I remember that day like it was yesterday.

Harding Lawrence did not believe deregulation would last. As Herb Kelleher used to say "he wanted to make the world's best buggy whips." Braniff would not have survived over the long haul unless it squired other airlines or was acquired by someone else. Many of their employees did hate the company and were excellent sources for my coverage of the airline. Others were great and enthusiastic. It was a dad day when they shut down.

The first flight I took at 12 years old was on Braniff on a 727 to Tulsa from Memphis. This was in 1966. I really enjoyed the flight.

I loved Braniff Airlines and hated it when they went out of business

Lack of cash, lack of consumer confidence, and no more rabbits in Mr Putnam’s hat to pull out. Sad truth is BI was toast when Putnam started - he just didn’t realize it when he left SW.

Braniff would not have lasted long term. It would eventually have had to merge. Once American moved to DFW its days were numbered. Splash of Colors is a good book. I interviewed the author many years ago on WFAA radio. However, it is not critical enough of Harding Lawrence. The author cuts him too much slack.

Mr. John J. Casey became head CEO of Braniff and his brother was CEO of American Airlines together they destroyed Braniff so American Airlines could take over DFW from its move from New York. Then there was a Federal Court inquiry into AA's criminal activity. Ted Beckwith, the CFO of Braniff, was murdered a day before he was to testify on Casey's crime of bankrupting Braniff. Then there was the third Casey. William Joseph Casey (March 13, 1913 - May 6, 1987) was the Director of Central Intelligence from 1981 to 1987. In this capacity, he oversaw the entire United States Intelligence Community. After Ted Beckwith's murder by the Casey family, the former CEO Harding L. Lawrence moved to Europe in order to not be the next target. You see my fellow Braniff employees the airline that you worked so hard for was destroyed by criminals and of course, William Casey head of the CIA made sure that the crimes were never investigated, and still, to this day the murder of Braniff's CFO Ted Beckwith remains unsolved. Braniff did not go Bankrupt it was a corporate murder.

Braniff was a great airline.

The Best Airline ever,

They over extended themselves, too many flights and too many routes

PATCO strike didn't help either..

WFAA Channel 8. I’ll ALWAYS associate WFAA with the JFK assassination.

If Braniff had not spent so much money opposing Southwest Airlines in court, and had adjusted to the changes to industry deregulation, maybe they would not have gone under. I worked for Southwest Airlines back in the 70’s and the Braniff employees were rude and arrogant, constantly mocking Southwest. They called us Puddle Jumper Airlines and acted unprofessionally in front of passengers at the airport. When Braniff started going under many of their employees came to Southwest looking for a job. They were too pitiful to get the same disrespect and razing they gave us. Southwest hired some, and a few worked out, but I never felt sorry for Braniff. They kept Southwest from flying, tied up in court for many years, spending an untold amount of money on lawyers and court costs only to lose in court. If they had spent that time and resources adapting to deregulation they might have survived.

Actually 1992