Later in 1982, Acker was appointed chairman and CEO of Pan Am, where he quickly moved to expand the airline's route network after several years of contraction, and to lower the airline's ticket prices in order to compete with low-cost competitors such as Laker Airways. He received strong employee group support by stating that he would not accept any salary until Pan Am was profitable. Employees proclaimed themselves "Acker Backers" that joined the C. Edward Acker Pan Am recovery bandwagon. The airline temporarily made up for its lower revenue and higher operating costs by obtaining wage concessions from labor groups, but this eventually led to labor tensions culminating in a 1985 strike which crippled the airline. Acker kept the airline alive only by selling its transpacific routes to United Airlines for $750 million. He left Pan Am in 1988.Pan Am's Chairmen
