Airline History Blog - Yesterday's Airlines

Escape from Dar: Kenya Airways Birth

23/3/2019

The main trio of East African nations, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have a long history of co-operation but also rivalry. This has seen various organisations oversee the joint relationship and historically the sharing of a national airline in East African Airways Corporation. Unfortunately, the failing partnership would lead to the collapse of EAAC and some drastic measures being taken to enable the birth of Kenya Airways from the ashes.

The BA Shuttle: Bringing the Regions to Heathrow

19/3/2019

The Eastern Air Lines shuttle was a pioneering idea in the busy US North-east market offering no-reservation guaranteed seat service between the super busy business destinations of New York, Washington and Boston. There are few markets that can support such a concept but travel from the UK regions to the London Heathrow was always a good contender. In 1975 the new British Airways decided to see if it could replicate the massive success of Eastern’s shuttle in the UK.

Con Job: Braniff Mk III

7/3/2019

The third incarnation of Braniff International is as good a reason as you are ever likely to find for letting classic airline names rest in peace rather than resurrecting them so they can be dragged through the mud and bankruptcy courts yet again. In fact, Braniff Mk3 is about as low as you can go in terms of the characters that ran it, both of whom ended up in prison partly for their involvement with the airline.

Desert Sun: Fokker 70s in the America West

27/2/2019

In the early 90s, just prior to the Regional jet revolution, Fokker's line of twinjets were rather squeezed in at the lower end of mainline fleets. This suited the larger F100 more than its smaller, and later, family member the F70. In fact despite its seeming ideal fit the F70 only ever acquired two orders within the vast US market operating for a small regional connected with a much larger one.

Early EU F28s: Fokker Fellowships 1969-1971

20/2/2019

Following its success with the F27 Friendship Fokker’s move into pure jets was a risk that took a long while to pay off. Interestingly far from being a ‘regional’ type aircraft the earliest F28 operators saw the Fellowship as a mainline aircraft and it was not unusual to see the type in operation on charter routes from Northern Europe to the Mediterranean that in later years would occupy an A300 or Tristar.

Empress Sydney: CP's Only 707

12/2/2019

Aside from its experiment with the Bristol Britannia Canadian Pacific had been a stalwart Douglas customer since the 1940s. Despite it being a hard-fought competition Douglas won out for the first CP jets with Canadian Pacific purchasing Douglas DC-8-43s over the rival Boeing 707-320. The only time that CP actually operated a 707 was from late 1967 to early 1968 and the experience didn’t end happily.

Air India’s Revolution: Jetley’s Sun 1987-90

31/1/2019

As with many developing nation's national carriers, that have had long glorious histories, Air India is today a model of mismanagement, inefficiency and financial disaster. There have been many attempts to change the airline and probably the most effective of these was during the tenure of Rajan Jetley from 1987-1990. Unfortunately, his successful reforms did not long survive his departure and the airline lurched back into its old patterns all too quickly.

Eastern Cross the Atlantic: New Mark 10s

24/1/2019

Towards the end of the 1970s Eastern Airlines was in a period of cautious expansion and with deregulation upon the US market was free to try and expand its overseas network. One target was the route from Miami – London but initially it managed to grab defeat from the jaws of victory and it was only in 1985 that it was finally able to go transatlantic.

Bleeding Edge: Oasis Hong Kong

19/1/2019

There’s no doubt that low cost airlines have radically altered the face of the industry within the last twenty years, but primarily these have been narrowbody operators with A320s and 737s. In recent years the movement has been into long haul low cost and it appears to be working for more carriers. Unfortunately, being on the cutting edge leaves you open to bleeding, something that the second long-haul low-cost airline (after Laker Airways), Oasis Hong Kong, learnt to its cost.

Alia Pt2: Hashemite Crown 1976-1990

16/1/2019

It is perhaps in bad taste to say so but Alia benefited from the disintegration of Lebanon into civil war since it effectively ruined the previously strong transfer hub status of Beirut and provided an impetus for Jordan’s national carrier to fill the void. This is all the more ironic since it was the banishment of the Palestinian forces from Jordan and their subsequent arrival in Lebanon which did so much to bring about the Lebanese Civil War.

Alia Pt1: Hashemite Jewel 1963-1975

31/12/2018

Despite being involved in three wars against Israel Jordan, ably led by King Hussein, successfully negotiated the murky waters of the Middle East political scene to achieve relative stability for the country and provide the basis from which a successful national airline could be forged. This airline Alia – Royal Jordanian successfully overcame adversity to find itself well placed as it entered the mid-1970s for growth and success.

National Goes International: MIA-LHR 1970

15/12/2018

During the regulated era of US aviation the realm of long-haul international flights was primarily the domain of Pan Am and TWA. Braniff had a strong South American operation and Northwest reached across into the Pacific but for flights to Europe and beyond to Asia and Africa it was PA or TW all the way, until that is out of nowhere National won the route award for Miami to London Heathrow.

Hainan Specials Pt2: Scenic 800s

12/12/2018

Hainan Airlines had been the first airline in China to operate the next generation series 737-800 and given that they began to colour their older series 300s with special schemes it is no surprise that they also chose the newer 800s to gain some colour.

Hainan Specials Pt1: Floral 300s

9/12/2018

Hainan Airlines is nowadays a well known and respected airline. Its beginnings were much less grand but by 2000 it had innovated its way to success achieving a number of firsts for Chinese airlines. For Westerners however it was probably the advent of China’s first special schemes that raised its profile the most.

Hainan Airlines: The Beginning of a Dynasty

1/12/2018

The HNA Group has grown to become a behemoth of an organisation owning stakes in such diverse organisations as The Hilton Hotel chain, Deutsche Bank, Swissport and airport caterer Gategroup as well as a collection of airlines both within and outside of China. The start of it all however was Hainan Airlines, which grew from nothing rather mysteriously during the 1990s. Innovation played a major role but other factors were also key.