Trump Shuttle
Trump is equally loved and hated, but I think everyone can agree that he is interesting. Take his previous business endeavors, including the failures. Here's one called the Trump Shuttle.
Donald Trump tried a bunch of different ventures besides real estate.
Here’s one called the Trump Shuttle. YouTube has a promotional video from the late 80s.
In 1988, Trump bought Eastern Air Shuttle for $365 million. (Eastern Air had ran hourly, no-frills flights between Boston, NYC and DC.) It included a fleet of 17 Boeing 727 aircraft. Trump pushed to make the new shuttle a luxury service and a marketing vehicle for the Trump name. Aircraft interiors included maple wood veneer, chrome seat belt latches, and gold colored bathroom fixtures. He also added passenger self-service check-in kiosks, in-flight phones, and complimentary meals/booze.
Trump Shuttle never turned a profit. The airline ran out of cash and defaulted on its debt in September 1990. Ownership of the company was turned over to creditors. Trump Shuttle died in 1992 when US Airways took it over.
Another look at what happened:
“The final key to the way I promote is bravado. I play to people’s fantasies. People may not always think big themselves, but they can still get very excited by those who do. That’s why a little hyperbole never hurts. People want to believe that something is the biggest and the greatest and the most spectacular. I call it truthful hyperbole. It’s an innocent form of exaggeration—and a very effective form of promotion.” – Art of the Deal
