Ed Acker , formerly CEO of Braniff International Airways , led an acquisition of Air Florida in 1975 and expanded the airline into the interstate market following the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 . In addition to Air Florida having a large presence in the Northeast-to-Florida market during the 1970s and 1980s , the airline also expanded internationally and served various points in the Caribbean and Central America , as well as a number of European destinations including Amsterdam , Brussels , Düsseldorf , Frankfurt , London , Madrid , Shannon and Zurich . The European services were primarily flown with McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 aircraft , although British Island Airways provided connecting passenger service with their British Aircraft Corporation BAC One-Eleven jets for Air Florida on some intra-European route segments with an example being London-Amsterdam . The airline also operated a leased Douglas DC-8-62 for use on transatlantic flights at one point . Air Florida was well known for its attractive flight attendants and , on international flights , four-star cuisine . In 1981 , shortly before the crash of Air Florida Flight 90 , Acker left Air Florida to become the Chairman , CEO and President of Pan American World Airways ( Pan Am )
Air Florida Flight 90
Air Florida Flight 90
Air Florida