▁Angeles ▁( LA X ) — ▁Chicago ▁( ORD ) ▁fl ights . ▁ ▁The ▁air line ▁was ▁head qu arter ed ▁in ▁Phoenix , ▁Arizona . ▁ ▁The ▁air line ▁was ▁started ▁by ▁Thomas ▁McC lain , ▁a ▁former ▁U . S . ▁Air ▁Force ▁pilot ▁who ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁pilot ▁for ▁Trans ▁World ▁Airlines ▁( T WA ). ▁ ▁The ▁air line ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁acquired ▁by ▁Air 1 ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁before ▁McC lain ▁Airlines ▁began ▁service , ▁but ▁Air 1 ▁went ▁into ▁Chapter ▁ 1 1 ▁bank rupt cy ▁later ▁that ▁year ▁before ▁the ▁ac quisition ▁was ▁completed . ▁Prior ▁to ▁entering ▁bank rupt cy , ▁Air 1 ▁operated ▁Bo eing ▁ 7 2 7 - 1 0 0 ▁and ▁ 7 2 7 - 2 0 0 ▁jet lin ers ▁configured ▁with ▁all ▁prem ium ▁service ▁cab ins ▁in ▁scheduled ▁service ▁from ▁a ▁hub ▁in ▁St . ▁Louis ▁non stop ▁to ▁Dallas / F ort ▁W orth , ▁Houston ▁Hob by ▁Airport , ▁Kansas ▁City , ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁New ark ▁Airport , ▁and ▁Washington , ▁D . C . ▁▁▁ ▁McC lain ▁Airlines ▁later ▁dis cont in ued ▁all ▁scheduled ▁fl ights ▁and ▁char ter ▁services . ▁ ▁The ▁air line ▁initially ▁operated ▁service ▁on ▁a ▁short ▁flight ▁between ▁Rock ford , ▁Illinois ▁and ▁Chicago ▁O ' H are ▁International ▁Airport ▁( ORD ) ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁maintain ▁its ▁landing ▁sl ots ▁in ▁Chicago , ▁which ▁were ▁difficult ▁to ▁obtain