Leadership

Burr created an airline based on low cost travel and a flat organizational structure, setting People Express apart from other airlines. By giving employees stock in the company, Burr was able to dramatically impact productivity. People Express had the lowest cost-per-seat-mile of any airline in the early 1980s, allowing the company to profitably offer lower fares than its competitors. In 1983, People stock, issued at $8 dollars a share, rose to a high of $50 and split two for one. In 1985, Burr purchased Frontier Airlines, making People Express the fifth-largest carrier in the nation.