Airlines | International Aviation HQ

18Aug

By Gareth Seagull1 Comment

Airlines

A Detailed History of United Airlines

Currently one of the largest airlines in the world and a member of the "Big Four" US airlines, the history of United Airlines is both long and interesting, with much of it playing a large role in how the airline operates today. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Foundation In 1916, wealthy lumber industrialist William E. Boeing partnered with his close friend US Navy engineer Lt. George Conrad Westervelt, to build a seaplane that was better than anything then on the market. Known as the B&W Seaplane (and later, the Boeing Model 1), it proved better than most of its contemporaries. Seeing this, Boeing formally incorporated the Pacific Aero Products Co. before changing its name to the Boeing Airplane Company in 1917. Though only two...

Tower Air: The US’s Largest Charter Airline

13Jan

By Charles Yongzheng1 Comment

Airlines

Tower Air: The US’s Largest Charter Airline

At one point in time, Tower Air and World Airways were the two largest charter airlines in the world. For the most part, World Airways was immortalized in popular culture, whilst Tower Air was forgotten! During its prime, Tower Air had a fleet of 17 aircraft, some were configured for passengers, whilst others were configured for cargo. On top of a series of passenger and cargo contracts, the airline also had military contracts too. However, in 2000, their empire would crumble and they'd cease operations. So what went so wrong? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Tower Air In 1951, Morris K. Nachtomi joined Israeli flag carrier, El Al. Over the next 30 years, Nachtomi worked in several different divisions of El Al, including: finance, operat...

World Airways: The World’s Most Diverse Airline. Ever.

26Dec

By Salomón MarcoNo Comments

Airlines

World Airways: The World’s Most Diverse Airline. Ever.

At its height, World Airways was one of the largest and most successful airlines of its time. However, in March 2014, 66 years almost to the day, the airline was forced to cease operations. So what went so wrong? Over the course of its history, World Airways has performed just about every type of aviation-related job, possible. In part, this has helped to make it so successful, but it was also partly the reason why it failed! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-World Airways WWII was the largest war in human history. No conflict before or since it has managed to match the size and scope of the conflict. Due to the sheer size of the war, everyone, both young and old were asked to help with the war effort. Part of this meant that young men h...

Air Koryo: Inside North Korea’s Most Secretive Airline…

9Dec

By Alya KulikovaNo Comments

Airlines

Air Koryo: Inside North Korea’s Most Secretive Airline…

North Korea is one of the most secretive countries on the planet, with only a handful of airlines flying to the Hermit Kingdom. One of these airlines is Air Koryo, North Korea's national airline. As with the rest of North Korea, their national carrier is extremely secretive. Photographing their staff and aircraft is extremely difficult, not only because their staff are notoriously camera-shy but also because they don't fly to many destinations! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Air Koryo Following WWII, former Allied and Axis fighter pilots returned to their home countries. Many of these former fighter pilots became airline pilots, with those wealthier pilots founding their own airlines when they returned home. Beginning in the late 1940'...

Air Florida: How Florida Competed With Southwest

21Nov

By Alya KulikovaNo Comments

Airlines

Air Florida: How Florida Competed With Southwest

Today, there are hundreds of low cost airlines around the world, with the largest being Southwest Airlines. However, at one point, there were only a few, and Air Florida was the king of them... During its heyday, the airline was one of the largest low cost airlines in the South Eastern US, and eventually, the entire eastern seaboard. Following on from other LCCs like Morris Air and PSA, the airline was among the first LCCs to expand internationally! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Formation Throughout the late 1960's and early 1970's, legislation was passed by Congress which allowed airlines to establish themselves easier. This done by lawmakers repealing a clause that stated intrastate airlines needed government-set prices. However, thos...

RenoAir: The Airline That (Sort of) Put Nevada on The Map!

4Nov

By Christopher HarrowNo Comments

Airlines

RenoAir: The Airline That (Sort of) Put Nevada on The Map!

RenoAir, otherwise styled as Reno Air, may not have been the largest airline in the world. It may not have even been the largest airline in the state, but it left an impact on the industry that few can forget! Throughout its history, RenoAir competed with some of the world's largest and most successful airlines, including Southwest Airlines and Morris Air, among others. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Formation The 1970's, 1980's and 1990's were marked by an almost unrivalled growth in air travel, both during and after what is now known as the Golden Age of Aviation. De-regulation of the industry had led to thousands of new airlines being created. For the most part, this has been good on the airline industry today, however, often led to p...

Aloha Airlines: Hawaii’s First Profitable Airline

17Oct

By Alya KulikovaNo Comments

Airlines

Aloha Airlines: Hawaii’s First Profitable Airline

Prior to Aloha Airlines' bankruptcy, it was one of only two airlines based in Hawaii. Of these two airlines, Aloha was the first to become profitable, having done so in 1952. Throughout its 62 year long history, it was among the most beloved airlines in the world, which reflected the airline's original slogan of "The people's airline". (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Aloha Airlines Hawaii, as with many places in the world, had very strict segregation laws. Blacks and whites, as well as Chinese and Japanese-Americans were all segregated in all aspects of life, including air travel. For most airlines at the time, the concept of allowing a non-white, even a house servant, to fly with them was absolutely absurd! Even wealthy Black, Chinese ...

Hooters Air: The Oddest Airline to Have Ever Existed

30Sep

By Salomón MarcoNo Comments

Airlines

Hooters Air: The Oddest Airline to Have Ever Existed

Hooters Air was by far one of the strangest airlines to have ever existed. The airline was well known for its strange business model and for its innuendo-filled slogans like "Fly a mile high with us!" Although it wasn't really a threat to most other airlines, whether legacy carriers or low cost carriers, it was fairly popular. At least for the first few years... (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Formation Prior to the formation of Hooters Air, there was Hooters Inc. and Hooters of America. Originally, Hooters Inc was established as the main company behind the Hooters brand. However, in 1984, the Hooters founders sold the franchising rights to Robert Brooks and a group of Atlanta investors, forming Hooters of America. Hooters of Americ...

Pacific Southwest Airlines: The World’s First Low Cost Airline

12Sep

By Christopher Harrow1 Comment

Airlines

Pacific Southwest Airlines: The World’s First Low Cost Airline

Pacific Southwest Airlines was the world's first low cost airline, paving the way for a new kind of air travel. Due to this, it was one of the most successful and largest airlines of its day. Eventually, PSA and the idea of low cost carriers grew so much that USAir, the precursor to US Airways, bought PSA. Subsequently, USAir tried to curtail PSA's powers by making it a regional airline. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Formation Kenny Friedkin had been interested in aviation since he was eight years old, after going to an air show for the first time in 1923. As with many young boys of his era (and since 1903!), he wanted to be a pilot. At the age of 17, Friedkin financed his own pilot's lessons and gained his pilot's license a few wee...

26Aug

By Gareth SeagullNo Comments

Airlines

Comair: Delta’s Forgotten Airline

Over the past few weeks, we've looked at Delta's previous subsidiaries, including Delta Express and Song Airlines. However, not Comair, the Delta Connection airline owned by Delta. However, in September 2012, Delta closed the airline down, with the industry never being quite the same again! But why did Delta close them down? What legacy did it leave? (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Pre-Formation Delta, as with most major airlines of its day focused on the high density and high revenue routes. If you wanted to fly New York to London, there were hundreds of flights available to you. However, with that, there were only a handful of airlines that flew on lower density routes. Several airline entrepreneurs saw the potential in this and establis...