Flying for Peanuts: Tough Deals, Steep Bargains, and Revolution in the Skies

by Frank Lorenzo Narrated by Asa Siegel

Overview

Frank Lorenzo is the epitome of the American dream. A first-generation American and entrepreneur, Lorenzo started an airline advisory business in his mid-twenties and ultimately rose to control the largest fleet of airplanes in the free world.



Flying for Peanuts explains how the son of Spanish immigrants put himself through Columbia College by driving a Coca-Cola truck and then grew the fledgling advisory into ownership of Texas International Airlines. From there, Lorenzo became CEO of Continental Airlines, a large loss-making west coast airline at the time.



This airline business memoir gives a play-by-play of the high-stakes negotiations that got Lorenzo there, including faceoffs with Carl Icahn and a chapter devoted to selling the Eastern Airlines Shuttle to Donald Trump, soon to become the doomed Trump Shuttle. It details Lorenzo's competition with upstarts like Southwest Airlines and the clashes with unions that led Fortune's to name him one of "America's toughest bosses," along with accolades from his employees.



Flying for Peanuts is for anyone interested in the American airline industry and anyone wanting to apply a trailblazing executive's lessons for their own career success.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Frank Lorenzo was one of the truly significant airline executives during deregulation of the industry in 1978—a profound event. His many creative innovations and exploits over his career reshaped air travel and reverberate to this day to the benefit of millions around the world dependent on it.”
—Frederick W. Smith, Founder and Executive Chairman, FedEx Corporation
 
“Lorenzo’s interest and participation in the airline industry began years before airline deregulation and this book is the story of his extraordinary entrepreneurialism. Anyone interested in how the industry morphed from regulated to deregulated and how Lorenzo built his reputation will find it instructive and entertaining.”
—Robert L. Crandall, Former Chairman, President, and CEO of American Airlines
 
“Frank Lorenzo’s Flying for Peanuts is a master class on strategy and disruption in a competitive industry. The book is an entertaining take on entrepreneurship, risk taking, and smarts.”
—Glenn Hubbard, Professor of Economics and Finance, Columbia University Business School, and former Dean, and Chairman of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers (2001-2003)
 
“Leading an industry through change is not a way to win a popularity contest, but, as Frank outlines in Flying for Peanuts, while rewarding, it can often be a frustrating experience.”
—Doug McCorkindale, Former Chairman & CEO of Gannett Co. Inc.
 
“Flying for Peanuts is more than an airline story; it is above all the story of deregulation and the man who led it. Like many pioneers, Frank took abuse for forcing change, but what he did benefitted travelers and employees over time, and showed the way for many other industries.”
—Ken Roman, Former Chairman and CEO, Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide   
 
“Frank Lorenzo’s book is must-reading for anyone interested in building a business or involved in an industry being disrupted.”
—Larry Coben, CEO of NRG Corp.
 
“Flying for Peanuts is the captivating story of the son of Spanish immigrants who revolutionized the airline industry and became the face of the deregulated aviation era. It provides important lessons for entrepreneurs of all varieties.”
—Burt Malkiel, Professor of Economics, Princeton University (ret) and award winning author of Random Walk down Wall Street
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Product Details

BN ID:	2940190991185
Publisher:	Ascent Audio
Publication date:	10/29/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged

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