TBT

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 […]

Originally founded as Boston-Maine Airways in 1931, Northeast Airlines was known for their distinctive bright yellow aircraft and service along the eastern seaboard. The airline was originally created as a contract carrier for Pan Am, by the Boston and Maine Railroad and the Maine Central Railroad. The airline’s first route connected Boston with Bangor, Maine, […]

Founded in 1945, Bonanza Airlines launched scheduled passenger service using a single aircraft out of their hub in Las Vegas, Nevada. Initially known as Bonanza Air Services in Las Vegas, the company would operate regular service over the skies over the southwestern US for slightly longer than two decades. The airline was developed as a result of the […]

With the Chinese economy booming to start the 21st century, Chinese carriers were looking for a way to enter the cargo business. 2006 was the year for that to happen as both China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines starting cargo carriers. China Eastern had experience by starting China Cargo Airlines alongside China Ocean Shipping in […]

The city of St. Petersburg, Florida is often overlooked in the history of aviation, even as it hosted the first airline in the world in 1914. More recently, the city was the founding home of National Airlines in 1934. The brainchild of George T. Baker, the airline began operations from the city’s waterfront Albert Whitted […]

Founded in 1945 by aerial photographer C.S. Robinson, Mohawk Airlines started out at Ithaca Municipal Airport in New York under the name Robinson Aviation. On April 6, 1945, the company took to the skies with their inaugural passenger flight, launching their three-passenger Fairchild F-24s into service. In the early years, Robinson sustained airline operations by […]

In the summer of 1995, a new carrier entered the trans-Tasman market offering low-fares and no frills, service. This airline was Kiwi Travel International Airlines. In response to the new competition in its home market, Air New Zealand, via its subsidiary Mount Cook Airline, launched Freedom Air. Freedom Air began operations in December of 1995, […]