If the 1960s was a decade of rapid growth, the 1970s was an era of success, mixed with pitfalls. Spreading their wings, PSA ventured into the hotel and rental car business. More routes were added and more passengers were attracted to PSA, with each year setting new records. 

In the 1970s, in addition to expanding destination, PSA operated a rental car company, a flight school, hotels and even the Queen Mary! 

 So confident were the PSA executives that they negotiated a contract for 5 Lockheed L-1011 wide body jets. Unfortunately, a rise in fuel costs coupled with a slow economy doomed the L-1011 venture, with only one seeing limited service with PSA. Yet the new President of PSA, Bill Shrimp (who was only the third to hold that position in the 25 year history of the airline up to that time) was able to weather the turbulent times, and soon both revenue and profit soared. 

PSA's L-1011 went on a 32 day around the world trip, visiting 23 cities.

With the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, PSA finally was allowed to open routes to other states besides California. Soon PSA was servicing Nevada, Utah and Arizona. 

As PSA grew more successful, new airlines attempted to copy their model of friendly service and low fares, such as Southwest and Air California. 

At the start of the decade, PSA's uniforms still featured the mini skirt....

But by the end of the decade they had become a bit more conservative.

 For all of the ups and downs of the 1970s, the event involving PSA which would impact the minds of most Americans would occur on September 25^th, 1978. It was on this warm Monday morning when a Cessna 172 collided with PSA flight 182 over San Diego, killing 144 people on the ground and in the air. Of those who died, 37 were PSA employees, which sent a shockwave through the Airline’s family. However, the airline quickly recovered, closing out the decade with record profits and passenger totals for 1979.

September 25^th, 1978 is still considered by many to be the worst day in San Diego's history.