Throwbacks

Founded in 1965 as Air Melanesiæ, the airline operated domestically out of Vanuatu. For 39 years, the fleet could be found hopping between 18 of Vanuatu’s 83 islands, connecting passengers to 29 destinations. Headquartered at Bauerfield International Airport in Port Vila, Vanuatu, Air Melanesiæ was the product of a joint venture between New Hebrides Airways and […]

After the success of SeaPort Airlines in the Pacific Northwest by offering low-cost airfare with an alternative security entrance, investors in the Chicago area plotted to repeat success, but this time in the Rust Belt. Lakeshore Express started operations in 2012 by operating flights between Chicago-Midway to Pellston and Lansing, Michigan. The carrier started with […]

British Airways foray into other European airlines began in 1992, when it purchased a 49% stake in Delta Air, a German regional airline based in Friedrichshafen. British Airways renamed the airline Deutsche BA (dba) and proceeded to change the focus of the airline. In 1997, the airline acquired the remaining 51% in Deutsche BA to […]

Established in 1996, Origin Pacific Airways officially commenced operations from its hub in Nelson, New Zealand in April 1997. The airline was founded on experience by Robert Inglis and Nicki Smith, who had formerly founded Air Nelson in 1979 before it was sold to Air New Zealand. Over the course of the airline’s relatively brief […]

With the cruise industry performing well, particularly for Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines in the late 1970s and early 1980s, founder and CEO Ted Arison decided to experiment with the airline market. The company purchased charter airline Pacific Interstate Airlines with the goal of using Boeing 737 classic aircraft to operate between northeastern cities and the […]

The origins of US Airways can be traced back to Pennsylvania in the year 1939 as All American Aviation. This company eventually changed its name to Allegheny AIrlines and experienced a series of mergers with Lake Central Airlines and Mowhawk Airlines. As Allegheny contracted Henson Aviation, the predecessor to the modern Piedmont Airlines, to operate […]

Founded in 1939, British Airways Overseas Corporation, or BOAC, endured a long, rough history, yet left a strong legacy during the nearly four decades the airline existed. Created as a state-owned airline in the midst of a war, BOAC was the product of a merger between Imperial Airways and British Airways Ltd. Headquartered at London […]

With Japanese carriers expanding following the 1950s, the country saw the birth of North Japan Airlines. The carrier started with a small group of de Havilland Herons, Douglas DC-3s and Convair 240s serving routes in northern Japan, primarily on routes from Sendai. However, the airline saw more potential with merging with Nittoh Aviation to expand […]

In the 1990s, the low-cost market in Europe was booming. Both Easyjet and Ryanair were experiencing success in offering low-cost, no frill flights. This success began to effect the performance of full service carriers in Europe. British Airways decided to fight this competition by starting its own low-cost airline separate from its main brand. Allegedly, […]

Founded in 1944, Compania Dominicana de Aviacion, also known as Dominica, was launched with a fleet of DC-3s and, later, DC-6s at its headquarters in Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic. The ultimate goal for forming the airline was to create a true national airline to handle a growing amount of passengers. Over the course of their […]