Airline History Blog - YESTERDAY'S AIRLINES

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Multimark to Motionmark: CP's DC-10s

4/10/2025

CP Air had been solidly profitable throughout the 1960s and first half of the 1970s, but in 1975 it recorded its first annual loss in 13 years. The carrier cut costs and focused on efficiencies, which included a fleet overhaul and rationalisation. In the long-haul department that would mean the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 would eventually become the only type in service. The big trijet would briefly take CP Air back into the Canadian Pacific era and then through to Canadian Airlines International.

Ecuatoriana Pt3: VASP to the Rescue?

26/9/2025

Ecuatoriana's cessation of operations in 1993 had been something of a shock as the airline's financial condition was unknown even though its service levels had been decreasing. Despite a lengthy period out of operation the Ecuatoriana brand wasn't finished however, and a white knight appeared in the form of the Brasilian airline VASP. VASP was keen to form a pan-South American VASP Air System including Ecuador's colourful national carrier.

The Career of DC-10-30 CN 47848 / LN 136: From New Zealand to the US via Fiji

5/6/2023

When I investigate the histories of models in my collection it is always an interesting moment when I realise that I have the same airframe in my collection wearing different liveries. This is the case for one of my DC-10-30s, which started its life in the South Pacific and would alternate during its career between that region and the USA. It was also unique in being the only DC-10 to wear the wonderful scheme of Air Pacific of Fiji and would be the aircraft that launched that airline's ill-fated first steps into long-haul travel.

Pineapple: The Hawaii Express

3/12/2020

Finding profitability on the long routes between the American mainland and Hawaii has proved elusive for many. In fact, on several occasions what have been seen to be cash cow routes have turned out to be quite the opposite. The Hawaii Express was one of several colourful entrepreneurial companies that used the freedom given by deregulation to take on the big boys. As with many startups its initial success led to its eventual failure.

Neverland Bound: JAS Peter Pan DC-10

15/11/2020

Special airline colours are nowadays ten a penny and there are few major airlines without some form of promotional livery or retro-scheme. This wasn’t the case during the 1990s, although Japanese airlines have always been at the vanguard of the trend. One of the first of the special schemes from Japan was typically cartoonish but unusually was worn by a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and one in the colours of Japan’s 3rd airline – Japan Air System.

Tens & Trouble: Spantax in the 80s

10/3/2020

By 1978 Spantax had grown to become one of the largest charter airlines in Europe, despite not necessarily having the best reputation. This was as much due to the personality of its founder Capt Rudolfo ‘Rudi’ Bay as to the solid and reliable Convair 990s that he loved so much. Unfortunately, the 1980s would prove a difficult time for the airline but would see it enter the widebody era.

Lan Tens: DC-10s in Chile

2/7/2019

The 1980s were a time of crisis and transition at Chile's national airline Lan Chile. During that period the airline acquired its first widebodies and although the DC-10s were ultimately just a temporary addition five aircraft served at times across a six year period. Here's the story of Lan's long-haul ambitions.

Air Florida Across the Atlantic: Palm DC-10s

5/4/2019

Air Florida was, thanks to its President Ed Acker, one of the darlings of the first years of deregulation and exploded out of Florida with low fares and cheeky service in late 1978. Acker’s expansionist dreams would never be satisfied with just the USA and as well as trying to buy a selection of much larger airlines Air Florida also positioned itself for the long-haul. This is the story of their push across the Atlantic.

Acker’s Gamble: Air Florida 1979-1982

30/3/2019

With deregulation of the airlines in the USA the expectation was that an intrastate airline like Air Florida would be a force in the new post-regulation world and for a while that was true enough. The story of Air Florida is forever intertwined with the fortunes and wheeler dealing of one man, Ed Acker who took it from obscurity to the big leagues and then abandoned it for its greatest rival.

Eastern Cross the Atlantic: New Mark 10s

23/1/2019

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.

National Goes International: MIA-LHR 1970

14/12/2018

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.

Mexicana's Unique Liveries Pt1: 1989-1993

12/9/2018

The deregulation of the Mexican domestic market in late 1988 was to provide both opportunities and pitfalls for Mexicana, which, as with its competitors, lurched from famine to feast as the Mexican economy likewise lurched from boom to bust. Nonetheless the period also provided huge amounts of interest for the aviation enthusiast as new competitors arose and Mexicana itself underwent a startling albeit short-lived metamorphosis.

TZ Tens: American Trans Air 1973-1986

7/8/2017

Deregulation of the US airline industry gave a lot of companies, both new and existing, their opportunity to take on the big Trunk airlines and carve a niche for themselves. One that made a success of its opportunity was American Trans Air, which grew from a one plane travel club in the 70s to the USA's largest charter airline by the mid 1980s.

El Grandioso: VIASA 1970-1986

6/7/2017

By 1971 VIASA had been in operation for eleven years and had built up an excellent regional and long haul network that connected Venezuela to the world and made it one of the premier airlines of South America. It was also strongly profitable and ready to take the leap into the widebody era that its agreement with KLM offered it. The 1970s would prove to be the heyday of the airline as Venezuela boomed so did its national airline. Unfortunately the 1980s would bring some painful times for both country and flag carrier.

Skypower Pt3: Air Nigeria to the Rescue?

8/4/2017

Few countries have been so poorly administered as Nigeria, and Nigerian aviation history is chock full of failed airlines and failed attempts to rehabilitate failing airlines. By 1992 Nigeria Airways was a right mess, racked by corruption and owing more than US$100 million. There was hope though that it could be turned around and a radical proposal to split the airline and create Air Nigeria for a brief time looked like it might be the answer.

Skypower Pt2: DC-10s to A310s

6/4/2017

During the 1970s Nigeria Airways used the relative stability within the country to expand into one of Africa's best airlines. This was bolstered by assistance from KLM, but the 1980s would see all of these gains wasted and worse rampant corruption strip the airline bare, leaving behind a shell of its former self. Service levels and reliability collapsed and debts spiralled out of control, whilst almost everyone it seemed stole from poor old Skypower.

TAESA Pt2: Old is New

9/2/2017

After 5 years of operations Transportes Aéreos Ejecutivos (TAESA) had appeared to carve itself a strong and profitable position in both the Mexican domestic scheduled and international charter markets. It was a well run airline with a large modern fleet that was going places. Unfortunately events outside of its control would lead to drastic retrenchment and a fight for survival, but not before it attempted a crazy transpacific gamble.

Looking West: Transaero in the 90s

29/4/2016

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union the various Aeroflot directorates splintered into a diverse array of obscure airlines operating the fragments of the Aeroflot fleet. One airline however started fresh becoming the first truly new scheduled airline in Russia. This was Transaero which would grow into one of the most important and respected airlines in the country with an unusually modern fleet and a fresh image.

Aeroflot Goes West Pt2: Sixth Freedom Freighter

20/9/2015

Aeroflot had long taken the opportunity to exploit Russia's vast geographic advantage to operate sixth freedom passenger flights able to offer shorter services connecting Europe to Asia using Moscow as a connection point. The same was true of cargo flights which during the Soviet era utilised the Ilyushin IL-76. The IL-76s would continue to operate these services but would be joined by a Cold War era Western type, eventually at the expense of new Russian equipment.

Black Star Flagships Pt2: Ghana VC10s to DC-10s

13/4/2015

Ghana Airways was quick to get an interest in the new jets on offer and during 1960 when it was ordering Viscounts and IL-18s it also ordered a pair of Boeing 707-420s and three VC10s. The airline had grandiose dreams of flying the 707s to the United States and Australia but the financial troubles of 1961 put paid to those and instead it had to wait a while longer before it could really join the jet age.

Tens to Hawaii: Aloha Pacific, Hawaii Express & Air Hawaii

2/4/2015

Deregulation in the USA caused a whirlwind of changes in the industry when it enabled pretty much anyone to fly anywhere they liked. For most airlines this led to a lot of red ink and their collapse. Long-haul routes from the mainland to Hawaii or Hawaii to elsewhere in the Pacific had already been super competitive since the early 70s but that didn't stop three airlines from trying to break into the market all using McDonnell Douglas DC-10s. Here's their stories...

Wardair Canada - Setting the Standard

2/3/2015

Wardair was started by Maxwell W. Ward. Operations began in 1953 and Wardair changed from being a small bush operator to become a charter airline when its first DC-6B arrived in 1962. From then on like Laker Airways in England it was always trying to find a way to compete against the duopoly in its home nation and claim its place as a transatlantic and domestic scheduled carrier. Finally it would achieve this goal but it could only hold onto its prize and indeed its identity for a short while.

VARIG's Jet-age Supremacy: B707s-DC-10s

31/1/2015

Following on from Part 1 VARIG by the mid-1960s was Brazil's primary international airline, but in getting to this position, through its acqusition of its competitors, it sure had gained a varied fleet. VARIG had chosen the 707-441 as its primary long-haul jet type but REAL and Panair do Brasil had not and that led to multiple jet types in service. Eventually however VARIG would in the 1970s be able to clean things up a bit and standardise on McDonnell Douglas' DC-10 trijet.

Attaché & Motionmarks: CP Air into the 80s Pt3

13/1/2015

The 1979 OPEC oil crisis, triggered by the Iranian Revolution, threw CP Air's equipment plans into chaos. As already described in part 2 the airline had bought new DC-10s, but it had also ordered four of Boeing's, then new, 767-200s (along with four options) for its North Atlantic routes. With the resulting global recession CP Air was instead looking for fleet rationalisation rather than expansion and the 767s would never see service.

CP Air: Orange Is Beautiful Pt2

13/1/2015

In 1968 Canadian Pacific became CP Air when its owner, the Canadian Pacific Railway, decided to align all its brands. Each of Canadian Pacific's divisions (CP Rail, CP Transport, CP Express, CP Ships, CP Telecommunications, CP Hotels and CP Air) gained a linked branding using the new Multi-mark arrow logo. The arrow depicted motion, the semi-circle global service and the square stability. Each division gained a dominant colour with CP Air getting Orange. This led to the advertising firm 'Lippincott & Margulies' who were responsible for the makeover coming up with the slogan "Orange is beautiful". The new livery first appeared on new 737-200s in October 1968.