Airline History Blog - Yesterday's Airlines

Domodedovo Airlines: Ilyushin Union

30/7/2015

Following the breakup of the Soviet Union Aeroflot splintered into a collection of separate airlines, often allied to their home airports. Domodedovo Airlines started out as part of the same organisation that ran Moscow Domodedovo airport but grew into a major carrier, which together with Kras Air fought for second place in the Russian market. Unfortunately the turbulent economic nature of the country meant that it never quite achieved its goal.

Maple Tristars: Air Canada L-1011s

29/7/2015

Though Air Canada had operated Lockheed Constellations it had been a firm Douglas customer throughout the jet-age. It is therefore a testament to the design of the Lockheed Tristar that despite this Air Canada chose the graceful trijet - placing an order for 10 aircraft with 9 options in December 1968. The Tristar weathered its stormy development and served the Canadian national carrier for 26 years.

Cathay's Airbus Fleet Renewal Pt1: A340s

25/7/2015

Cathay Pacific had a mixed Tristar and 747 fleet into the early 1990s, however it grew its fleet during the next two decades taking an opportunistic approach to replacing its Tristars and early 747s. Both Airbus and Boeing were chosen at various times for a combined face-off of their A330/340 and 777 families. The airline's faith in Airbus operations began in 1993 but the original CX buses were just the precursor for a long-lasting relationship with Airbus widebodies.

British Midland Pt2: Diamond Service

23/7/2015

British Midland entered the 1980s as a well run and profitable airline. This would only get better when the airline successfully breached the barriers stopping it from really competing with the big boys and finally got rights to services on domestic trunk routes from Heathrow. The 1980s would see much route development as well as replacements for the trusty Viscounts and DC-9s as BMA formed the core of the Airlines of Britain Group.

British Midland Pt1: The Friendly Independent

22/7/2015

The history of British Midland Airways dates all the way back to 1938. It grew gradually through the 1950s and 60s into a respectable independent airline. For many years during the 1970-90s the airline was a beacon of how to run an independent airline in the UK. It is a shame therefore that its recent passing seemed to go without a great deal of mourning, for its history was diverse, successful and interesting.

Obscure Russians 5: SAT Airlines

19/7/2015

Sakhalin is a large Island, lying just off the east coast of Russia and north coast of Japan, that was home until recently to SAT Airlines, otherwise known as Sakhalinskiye Aviatrassy. I'm not sure SAT was really obscure as airlines go and in fact I even saw one of their aircraft in service myself but unless you were travelling in North-East Asia the delight of seeing them was probably one you would miss.

Contrail Airbuses: Continental's Misfit A300s

17/7/2015

Frank Lorenzo's Texas Air Group takeover of Continental began a tumultuous phase in the airline's history and by the time he was kicked out it was effectively a new carrier - and one in a right mess at that. Still it survived Lorenzo, unlike its big sister Eastern. Of the many linkages between the two airlines in the late 1980s the A300 was perhaps one of the most obvious. The A300 was a fine aircraft for Eastern but through no fault of its own never really hit it off at Continental.

Eastern A300s - A Marriage Made In Heaven

15/7/2015

By the 1970s it had been years since the US majors had bought any foreign aircraft and the new Airbus consortium was struggling to sell its A300 to anybody let alone the Americans. Eastern, cash-strapped and inefficient, needed a new aircraft and it was Frank Borman's airline that would give Airbus the opportunity that perhaps more than any allowed it to be taken seriously on the world stage.

China Southern in the 90s Pt2: Widebodies

11/7/2015

China Southern received its first widebody aircraft in October 1992 when the first of six leased 767s was delivered. Three years later the airline graduated to the Boeing 777. The 777s in particular have given sterling service and have only recently begun to give way to a new generation of more numerous widebody aircraft.

China Southern in the 90s Pt1: Narrowbodies

10/7/2015

When, during the mid-late 1980s, the CAAC was split into six major airlines, based upon its regional administrations, the Guangzhou bureau became China Southern. As with the other new airlines the aircraft assigned to it gradually began to take on the colours of the new entity which was (and remains) the largest domestic operator in China. CZ is nowadays a monster but it all began with a small fleet of Boeing narrowbodies.

Aussie Electras Pt2: LEAPing Beyond

7/7/2015

Ansett's benefit of operating Electra's first was short-lived and by early July there had been a swing back towards TAA. TAA's traffic had fallen from a 54.2% share to as low as 46.7% but was back over 50% after its own Electras arrived. The Electras had however not been an unparalleled success with both airlines suffering a high rate of mechanical and electrical malfunctions.

Aussie Electras Pt1: TAA's Caravelle No Go

6/7/2015

Trans Australia, the Government owned airline of the two Australian majors, had always made the running in equipment purchasing decisions when it faced ANA as its competitor. However the concept of a state owned carrier didn't always fit with the political ideology of the party in power and at various times impeded TAA's ability to get what it wanted. This became more obvious once Ansett tookover ANA.

Quebecair Pt3: 1980-1999 Arise Inter-Canadien

3/7/2015

The 70s had not been kind to Quebecair and the 1980s would prove even less so. The wave of market consolidation in the mid-80s couldn't help but sweep up such a vulnerable airline and yet it would survive, albeit barely recognisable, to carry on serving Quebec into the 90s.

Quebecair Pt2: 1970-1980 Charters & Troubles

2/7/2015

Quebecair entered the 1970s as a well run and respected regional airline focused primarily on scheduled inter-Canadian services. A significant part of the other regional airline's operations since the early 60s had been holiday charters to Florida and Caribbean. Compared to Nordair and PWA, Quebecair had been relatively slow to enter the market. That would change in the 1970s but so would the airline's financial position. Troubling times were ahead...

Quebecair Pt1: 1946-1970 Rimouski-Jets

1/7/2015

In 1966, during the regulated era of Canadian aviation, five regional airlines were given the role of supplementing Air Canada and CP Air, which themselves reassigned many of their smaller services to the regionals. Within Quebec (excluding its North-west which was assigned to Nordair) services were operated by Quebecair.