CLE before RJ''s

[LambertMan]

As I see that nearly every flight out of CLE is a RJ (exaggeration), it made me wonder what CLE was like before the presence of a RJ(All I ever see there is 733''s). Now there is a question! I know that UA used to run DC-10''s and 752''s into CLE and now have downgraded to A320''s and 733''s. Were those 10''s the only widebody? I seem to recall an A300 to DEN but I am not sure. It kind of reminds me what has happened at my hometown airport STL (741''s, L10''s, DC-10''s, now to just 763''s and 752''s). But back to the original question, was it just basically a mainline operation as big as the one today without all the RJ''s? Or was there mainline aircraft flying to the present day express stations? Thanks for any replies

 

[mrf777]

In the early 90''s we had an A-300 CLE-DEN.
These are the flights that used to be mainline but now are RJ''s.

CLE-IND
CLE-ATL
CLE-MCI
CLE-MSP
CLE-MIA
CLE-PBI
CLE-SRQ - no longer served
CLE-DFW
CLE-BDL currently one jet per day/rest rj
CLE-PVD
CLE-LGA some rj''s/some jet
CLE-MSY
CLE-PHL one jet per day/rest rj
CLE-BWI some rjs/mostly jet
CLE-BOS some rjs/mostly jet
CLE-DEN soon to be one Rj/one jet
CLE-TPA one rj added recently

we did get a few more 757''s for the summer going to LGW,BWI,LAS & EWR

 

[jj]

If i remember correctly didnt UA have sort of a mini hub in CLE in the early 80s?

 

[Rob]

How far back do you want to go? At one time or another just about every US airline ran widebodies to CLE. For example, AMR used to run DC-10''s to LAX and BOS; NW ran DC-10''s and an occasional 747 to ORD and IAD; TW ran once-a-day 767''s to STL; AC ran 747''s to LHR via YYZ.

 

[midway7]

UA did have a minihub in CLE back in the 80''s. They actually had the C-Concourse. I think (and someone with first hand knowledge - please correct me if im wrong) UA and CO did some type of facility swap with IAD and CLE. (CO inherited IAD assets with the merger of New York Air).
I think this took place in the mid 80''s as CLE as a CO hub in 1989, when I flew CO out of there.

I flew a AA 767 from ORD to CLE back in 1989. UA did have DC10 flying there also.

One of the biggest mistakes ever made in aviation history, as far as airports go, is CLE turning off DL when they wanted to open a hub there in the early 80''s. DL subsequently went to CVG and the rest is history.

One other bit of useless trivia, the interior of the CLE terminal (especially concourse A), looks a lot like the now demolished Greater Pitt terminal at PIT. I always had the feeling they might have been built by the same people around the same time.

Hope this helps you CLE fans..

Best Regards,

Midway 7