Throwbacks

Strategic Airlines was founded in the early 1990s as an Australia based cargo operator. The airline started operations in 1991 and specialized in using old Soviet aircraft for charter flights and Boeing 747s for cargo flights. In some cases, the carrier worked alongside the Australian government, which prompted the addition of the Airbus A330 to […]

For years Braathens plowed the Norwegian skies as the largest domestic carrier in the country. The airline was founded in 1946 by Ludvig Braathens, as a subsidiary of his shipping company, Braganza. The airline was originally named Braathens South American and Far East Air Transport, or shortened to Braathens SAFE. His original plan for the […]

Founded in 1962, Air Mauritanie was once the national airline of Mauritania, and experienced several decades of glory before hitting hardship and ultimately being replaced. During their history, however, the airline expanded a great distance beyond domestic borders. Initially, the airline operated leased DC-3s. Over the years, their fleet would expand to include a Nord […]

While many carriers start with a vision and operational aircraft, Legend Airlines started with a vision and a court case. T. Allan McArtor, a former FAA employee, wanted to bypass the Wright Amendment and fly between Dallas Love Field and the coasts, which was strictly prohibited under the law. However, the Wright Amendment also didn’t […]

In 1994, the holding company for Mesaba Airlines, AirTran Corporation, purchased a start-up carrier called Conquest Sun. Conquest Sun was formed from former Eastern employees and operated with Boeing 737-200 aircraft. After the purchase, the airline was renamed to AirTran Airways, and their headquarters was moved from Minnesota to Orlando. In the first year, the […]

In 1977, the presence of a new red and white livery marked the launch of Aero Virgin Islands Corp. into the Caribbean market. The airline would go on to survive a brief 13 years before being overcome by a multitude of problems and hardships, despite what could appear as an advantageous route network for Caribbean […]

With June Morris’s travel agency doing well, the entrepreneur made a move to start a new airline to accompany the thriving business. Morris contacted co-founder of WestJet David Neeleman and together the two helped form a charter airline called Morris Air Service in 1984. Early routes were to Hawaii with Morris Air Services leasing a […]

Founded in 1998, AccessAir lived a tragically short life effectively brought down by financial problems. Based in Des Moines, IA, the airline connected some major cities with smaller cities within and near the state of Iowa with their limited fleet. Flights were launched in 1999, a few months following commencement of their operations. The airline built […]

In 1992, the aviation industry in Bolivia went through a period of deregulation. The days of domination of the state-owned Lloyd Aereo Boliviano were gone, and new carriers would be allowed to enter the market. Thankfully the terrain of Bolivia is well suited for the aviation industry, with large patches of rain forests and mountains […]

Founded in 2006 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina based airline company Direct Air commenced operations  leasing aircraft with charter airlines. Their flights were operated by numerous other airlines, including Sky King, Inc., World Atlantic Airlines, USA Jet, and Xtra Airways, among others. The company’s first routes consisted of nonstop service from Myrtle Beach to Newark, Niagara […]