Air Carriers

The statistical and contact information for the following air carriers was current as of late 2001.

Aer Lingus. Aer Lingus was founded in Ireland in 1936 and is considered the flag carrier of that country. They currently fly to more than twenty-nine cities and carry approximately seven million passengers per year. On June 1, 2000, Aer Lingus became a member of the oneworld Alliance, which includes American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Japan Airlines. Contact information: P.O. Box 180, Head Office Building, Dublin Airport, Dublin, Ireland; Ph.: +3 531 886 22 22 or (800) 223-6537 (www.aerlingus.ie).

Aeroflot. Aeroflot is considered the national carrier of Russia. The carrier was reorganized in 1992 with a resolution of the Russian Federation Government, becoming Aeroflot Russian International Airlines. The airline currently flies more than four million passengers to more than 150 cities worldwide. Contact information: Lininggradsky Prospect, City Terminal, 12 Block, 37, Moscow 125167, Russian Federation; Ph.: +7 095 155 65 18 (www.aeroflot.com).

Aerolineas Argentinas. Aeroline as Argentin as was founded in Argentina in 1951. In 1959, it became the first airline in South America to operate jet service to the South Atlantic with De Havilland Comet IV’s. It was also the first airline to introduce transatlantic service from Argentina to New Zealand in 1980. Contact information: Bouchard 547, 9th Floor, Buenos Aires (1106), Argentina; Ph.: +54 1 317 30 00 or 800 3330276 (www.aerolineas.com.ar/english.htm).


Aeromexico. Aeromexico, one of the two major Mexican air carriers, traces its beginnings to a Mexican carrier that was established in 1934. Aeromexico flies more than eight million passengers per year throughout Mexico and to destinations in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It belongs to the SkyTeam Alliance, which includes Air France and Delta Air Lines. Contact information: Avenue Paseo de la Reforma 445, Piro 12 Torre, Colonia Cuauhtenoc, Mexico City 06500, Mexico; Ph.: +525 133 40 05 (www.aeromexico.com).

Air Canada. Air Canada was formed in 1937 to deliver mail between Seattle and Vancouver. It assumed its present name in 1964. The airline was privatized in 1990 and became a member of the Star Alliance, which includes United Air Lines, Lufthansa, SAS, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, and Varig, in 1997. The Canadian government recently approved the takeover of Canada’s other major airline, Canadian Airlines, by Air Canada. Air Canada carries more than fifteen million passengers to eighty-five cities worldwide. Contact information: Air Canada Base 026, Montreal International Airport (Dorval), Quebec, Canada, H4Y 1C2; Ph.: (514) 422-7706 (www.aircanada.ca).

Air China. Air China was founded in 1988. The airline carries more than six million passengers to twenty-nine cities in nineteen countries. It also serves fifty domestic routes. In 1995, Air China was awarded the Five Star Diamond Award by the American Academy of Restau-rants and Hospitality Sciences for its safety, courtesy, and high-quality operations. Contact information: Jing Xin Mansion, A-2, Dong San Huan Bei Road, Bejing 100027, Peoples’s Republic of China; Ph.: +86 10 64 66 35 90 or 900 982 8802.

Air France. Air France is the flag carrier of France. Established in 1933, it is one of the largest airlines in the world in terms of international passengers and international air freight. It flies approximately forty-two million passengers to more than two hundred destinations in ninety-one countries. It is also one of only two airlines in the world to fly the Concorde, a supersonic transport. Air France is a member of the SkyTeam Alliance, whichincludes Delta AirLines. The government-owned airline completed its first public offering in 1999. It is based at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. Contact information: Delegation a l’Environment, 45, rue de Paris, 95747 ROISSY CDG Cedex, France; Ph.:+33 1 41 56 78 00 (www.airfrance.net).

Air India. Air India was founded in 1932, and it now serves more than forty-four cities worldwide, carrying approximately three million passengers. The symbol of Air India is the turbaned figure of the Maharajah. During the 1991 Gulf War, Air India, in association with Indian Airlines, airlifted more than one million Indian citizens stranded in Amman, Jordan. The operation lasted fifty-nine days and set a Guinness topic of World Records record for the largest evacuation of civilians by a scheduled airline. Contact information: Hansalaya Building, Fifth Floor, 15 Barakhazmba Road, New Delhi, India 110 001; Ph.: (416) 865-1030 (www.airindia .com).

Air New Zealand. Air New Zealand was founded in New Zealand in 1940. It carries more than 6.5 million passengers to some forty-seven destinations worldwide. In 2000, Air New Zealand achieved full ownership of the Australian carrier Ansett, making the combined Air New Zealand group one of the top twenty airlines in the world. Contact information: Quay Tower, 29 Customs Street West, Private Bag 92007, Auckland 1, New Zealand; Ph.: +64 9 336 24 00 (www.airnz.co.nz).

Alaska Airlines. Alaska Airlines was founded in the United States in 1932 and is considered one of the ten majorU.S. carriers. It carries more than thirteen million passengers serving forty cities in three countries. It is consistently rated as one of the highest quality airlines in terms of service. Most recently, it was named the best carrier in the United States by readers of Travel and Leisure magazine. Contact information: P.O. Box 68900, Seattle, WA98168; Ph.: (206) 433-3200 (www.alaska-air.com).

Alitalia. Alitalia was founded in Italy in 1947 and currently flies more than 20 million passengers to some 130 cities in 60 countries. Its main base of operations centers on the Rome and Milan airports. It has one of the youngest and most efficient aircraft fleets in Europe. A planned merger with the European airline KLM was halted in 2000, and a new alliance with Air France was announced the following year. Contact information: Centro Direzionale, Via Alessandro Marchetti 111, Rome, 1-00148, Italy; Ph.: +39 06 656 21 (www .alitalia.it).

All Nippon Airways. All Nippon Airways, or ANA as it is often called, was founded in Japan in 1952 primarily as a carrier of domestic air traffic. It now carries more than forty-three million passengers to sixty-four cities around the world, making it one to the ten largest carriers in the world. In 1999, ANAjoinedthe Star Alliance, which includes United Air Lines, Lufthansa, Air Canada, Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Varig. Contact information: Utility Center Building, 3-5-10 Haneda Airport, Ota-Ku, Tokyo 144-0041 Japan; Ph.: (800) 235-9262 (www.ana.co.jp).

Aloha Airlines. Aloha Airlines was founded in 1950. The airline is based in Honolulu, Hawaii, and flies more than five million passengers to twelve cities, mostly within the Hawaiian Islands. Aloha is noted for its excellent service and is the only airline voluntarily to file its on-time statistics with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Contact information: P.O. Box 30028, Honolulu, HI; Ph.: (808) 836-4113 (www.alohaairlines .com).

America West Airlines. America West was founded in the United States in 1983 and is considered to be one of the ten major airlines in the United States. The airline currently flies more than eighteen million passengers to seventy cities mostly in the western United States. It has a number of alliance agreements with such airlines as Continental, Northwest, and British Airways. Contact information: 111 West Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, AZ, 85281; Ph.: (480) 693-0800 (www.americawest .com).

American Airlines. American Airlines was formed when several smaller airlines, including Robertson Aircraft Corporation whose chief pilot was Charles A. Lindbergh, merged in the 1920′s. The name American Airlines was adopted in 1934. American Airlines is considered to be one of the largest airlines in the world in terms of total revenue. The reservation system it founded, SABRE, is also one of the largest in the world. In 2000, SABRE was spun off to become its own company. American Airlines flies more than eighty-six million passengers per year to some 160 cities worldwide. It was a founding member of the one world Alliance, along with British Airways, Japan Airlines, and Cathay Pacific. In 2001, American took over most of the assets of Trans World Airways. Contact information: P.O. Box 619616, Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, TX 75261; Ph.: (817) 963-1234 (www.aa.com).

Asiana Airlines. Asiana Airlines was founded in South Korea in 1988 and was primarily a domestic carrier of passengers and cargo. Asiana now carries more than nine million passengers to some fifty cities in thirteen countries. They were named the Laurel Airline of1999 by the magazine Aviation Week and Space Technology. Asiana’s major alliance is with American Airlines. Contact information: Asiana Building, P.O. Box 142, 10-1 2-Ka, Hochyum-dong, Chung-Ku, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Ph.: +822 758 81 14.

Austrian Airlines. Austrian Airlines was founded in Austria in 1957. It carries more than four million passengers to some eighty-four cities worldwide. Formerly a member of the Qualifyer Group alliance, Austrian joined the Star Alliance in March, 2000. Other Star Alliance members include Lufthansa, United, SAS, Singapore Airlines, and Varig. Contact information: Fontanastrasse 1, Vienna, A-1107 Austria; Ph.: +43 1 176 60 (www.aua.com).

Braniff International Airlines. Braniff International began in 1928 when brothers Thomas and Paul Braniff organized a combination flying school, aircraft parts supplier, and airline. When the company was sold to the Universal Aviation Corporation, Braniff Airlines became a subsidiary of the new parent company, a predecessor of American Airlines which adopted the name American Airways, in 1930. The Braniff brothers then established a new airline under the Braniff name in late 1930. In 1968, Braniff moved to its new terminal at Dallas Love Field. They remained here until 1974 when they moved to the new Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. At the time, they were the largest airline to operate from Dallas-Fort Worth, larger than their rival American Airlines. Following airline deregulation in 1978, Braniff embarked on a massive expansion program that eventually led to serious financial problems in the early 1980′s. In 1982, Braniff became the first major U.S. airline to file for bankruptcy. The airline resumed operations under new ownership in 1984, but again filed for bankruptcy in 1989. Information on the history of Braniff is available in several publications and on-line at (www.braniffinternational.org).

British Airways. The company that would eventually become British Airways began in the early 1920′s with the merger of four British airlines to become Imperial Airways. In 1935, several other airlines merged in an effort to compete with Imperial and took the name British Airways Limited. Both airlines were nationalized in 1939 to form British Overseas Airways Corporation. After the 1972 merger with British European Airways, the company assumed the name British Airways. The company was privatized in 1987 and now flies more than thirty-seven million passengers to some 163 destinations worldwide, making it one of the largest carriers in the world in terms of both passengers and cargo. British Airways is a member of the oneworld Alliance with American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Japan Airlines. Contact information: Waterside, P.O. Box 365, Har-monds worth, UB7 0GB, UK; Ph.: +44 191 490 79 01 (www.britishairways.com).

British Midland. British Midland began in 1938 as Air Schools, specializing in the training of Royal Air Force pilots. It adopted its current name in 1965, becoming a leader in the European charter market and a highly rated domestic carrier in the United Kingdom. British Midland currently flies to more than thirty-two European destinations and serves the U.S. cities of Washington, D.C., and Chicago. British Midland is now a member of the Star Alliance, which includes United Air

Lines, Lufthansa, Air Canada, and SAS, allowing them to serve more than eighty destinations in the United States through code-sharing arrangements. Contact information: Donnington Hall, Castle Donington, Derby DE74 2SB; Ph.: (800) 788-0555 (www.flybmi.com)/ British West Indies Airways. British West Indies Airways, or BWIA as it is called, was founded in Trinidad and Tobago in 1939, making it the oldest carrier in the Caribbean. BWIA flies more than one million passengers to some seventeen cities worldwide including Miami, New York, Toronto, Frankfurt, and London. Contact information: Customer Relations, P.O. Box 604,Port of Spain, Trinidad, W.I.; Ph.: (868) 669-3000 (www.bwee.com).

Canadian Airlines. Canadian Airlines was formed in 1987, when Canadian Pacific and Pacific Western Airlines merged. Canadian Pacific was founded in 1942 and Pacific Western was founded in 1946. The airline was one of the two major carriers in Canada, but was taken over in 1999 by its rival, Air Canada. Before the takeover, Canadian Airlines flew to more than 380 destinations worldwide and was part of the one world Alliance, which includes American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Japan Airlines.

Cathay Pacific. Cathay Pacific was founded in 1946 by American Roy C. Farrell and Australian Sydney H. de Kantzow. Operations were originally stationed in Shanghai, China, but were moved to Hong Kong in 1948 when one of Hong Kong’s leading trading companies, Swire, took a 45 percent share of the company. The airline now flies more than ten million passengers to forty-nine destinations. Cathay is a member of the one world Alliance that includes American Airlines, Japan Airlines, British Airways, and Qantas. Contact information: 35/F Two Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong; Ph.:

+852 27 47 50 00 (www.cathaypacific).

China Airlines. China Airlines was founded in 1959 on the island nation of Taiwan. The airline now flies more than seven million passengers to fifty-one cities in twenty-two countries. Through a series of interline agreements, China Airlines also serves a number of destinations on the Chinese mainland. Contact information: 131 Nanking East Road, Sec. 3, Taipei 104, Taiwan; Ph.: +886 27 15 22 33 (www.china-airlines.com).

Comair. Comair was founded in the United States in 1977. The carrier operated a feeder serve for Delta Air Lines for a number of years. They were acquired by Delta Air Lines in 2000 and now operate as a wholly owned subsidiary. Comair is considered to be one of the best-managed regional airlines in the United States. It flies more than five million passengers to ninety-eight cities. Contact information: P.O. Box 75021, Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport, Cincinnati, OH 45275; Ph.: (606) 767-2550 (www.fly-comair.com).

Continental Airlines. The airline that became Continental Airlines was founded in 1934as Varney SpeedLines to fly mail from Pueblo to El Paso. The carrier is now the fifth largest in the United States, flying more than forty-six million passengers to 228 destinations worldwide. After nearly a decade of disastrous leadership under Frank Lorenzo, Continental has been recognized as one of the best carriers in the United States. It is a member of the Wings Alliance, which includes Northwest Airlines and KLM. Contact information: 1600 Smith Street, Houston, TX 77002; Ph.: (713) 324-5080 (www .contintental.com).

Delta Air Lines. Delta Air Lines was founded in 1924 in Louisiana. The airline, which is now based in Atlanta, Georgia, flies more passengers worldwide than any other airline. Delta Air Lines serves 116 million passengers in 367 cities. With its SkyTeam Alliance partners, Delta operates 6,400 flights a day to more than 450 cities. Other SkyTeam members include Air France and Korean Air. Contact information: P.O. Box 20706, Hartfield, Atlanta, GA 30320; Ph.: (404) 715-2600 (www.delta.com). DHL. DHL was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1969 and is now one of the world’s leading international express delivery companies. DHL can deliver documents to more than 635,000 destinations in more than 228 countries. It was one of two companies in the transport sector ranked “above world class” in the INSEAD report “Measuring Competitive Fitness of Global Firms 2001.” Contact information: Ph.: (800) 225-5345 (www.dhl-usa.com).

Eastern Air Lines. Eastern Air Lines began as Pitcairn Aviation, providing airmail service in the United States. In 1930, the company was sold and renamed Eastern Air Transport. World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker was named president of Eastern Air Lines in 1938 and remained in that position until 1963. Airline deregulation in 1978 was difficult for Eastern, which struggled to reduce its cost and compete in the growing fare wars. Eastern sold a majority share of the company to Frank Lorenzo, owner of the Texas Air Group, which included several previously acquired airlines, such as People Express, Continental, and New York Air. Lorenzo filed to restructure Eastern under federal bankruptcy laws. When a creditor of Eastern filed suit against Eastern Air Lines, the court appointed a trustee to oversee Eastern’s remaining assets. There are several interesting topics on the demise of Eastern, including Grounded: Frank Lorenzo and the Destruction of Eastern Air Lines (1999) by A. Bernstein.

El Al. El Al was founded in Israel in 1948, shortly after the country itself came into existence. The airline now flies more than three million passengers to some fifty cities worldwide and is ranked by the International Air Transport Association as one of the most efficient air carriers in the world. Contact information: P.O. Box 41, Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, 70100 Israel; Ph.: +972 3 972 14 42 (www.elal.co.il).

Emirates Airline. Emirates Airline was founded in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 1985 and is one of the fastest-growing airlines in the world, receiving more than 190 international awards for excellence since its launch. Emirates flies almost six million passengers peryear to fifty-five cities worldwide. Contact information: P.O.

Box 686, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Ph.: +971 9 295 11 11 (www.emiratesairline.com). EVA Air. EVA Air was founded in Taiwan in 1989 and now serves more than thirty cities, carrying almost four million passengers. EVA has alliances with a number of other international carriers, including All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, British Airways, and Lufthansa. Contact information: EVA Air Building, 376 Hsin-nan Road, Sec 1, Luchu, Taoyuan Hsien, Taiwan; Ph.: +886 2 85 00 25 20 (www.evaair.com).

Federal Express. Federal Express, or FedEx, as it is often called, was founded in the United States in 1973 andpro-vides freight, package, and document service through-outthe world. Its headquarters are located in Memphis, Tennessee, although the company now have distribution and sorting centers on several continents. FedEx carries more than three million packages daily. Contact information: 942 South Shady Grove Road, Memphis, TN 38120; Ph. (901) 395-3460 (www.fedex.com).

Finnair. Finnair was founded in Finland in 1923. The airline carries more than seven million passengers on its international and domestic routes, serving more than sixty-eight destinations. Finnair is considered to be the sixth-oldest airline in the world. Contact information: Tietotie 11A, Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, Helsinki FIN-D105 Finland; Ph.:+358 9 818 81 (www.finnair.com).

Gulf Air. Gulf Air was founded in 1950 in Bahrain and is considered the national carrier of Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, which together form the United Arab Emirates. Gulf Air flies more than five million passengers to seventy-three cities worldwide.

Contact information: P.O. Box 138, Manama, Bahrain; Ph.: +973 32 22 00 (www.gulfairco.com).

Hawaiian Airlines. Hawaiian Airlines was founded in 1929. The airline flies more than six million passengers to fourteen domestic and international destinations and is the only carrier to provide single-carrier service from the western United States to each of the Hawaiian Islands. It is consistently rated one of the best U.S. carriers by travel and leisure magazines. Contact information: P.O. Box 30008, Honolulu, HI 96820; Ph.: (808) 835-3700 (www.hawaiianair.com).

Iberia Airlines. Iberia was founded in Spain in 1927, making it one of the world’s oldest airlines. It flies to more than ninety-five cities, carrying approximately twenty-four million passengers per year. In 1999, the airline joined the one world Alliance, which includes American Airlines, British Airways, and Japan Airlines. Contact information: Callee Velagquez 130, Madrid E-28006, Spain; Ph.: +34 91 587 87 87 (www.iberia.com).

Indian Airlines. Indian Airlines was founded in India in 1953 and has one of the largest regional airline systems in Asia. The airline flies more than seven million passengers to seventy-five destinations, including sixteen international cities. Contact information: Central Space Control, Indian Airlines Computer Centre, Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi-10037; Ph.: +91 11 5696327 (www.indian-airlines.nic.in).

Japan Airlines. Japan Airlines (JAL) was founded in 1951. JAL carries more than thirty-four million passengers worldwide, making it the fifth-largest air carrier in terms of passengers flown. It is the largest carrier in Asia, serving more than seventy-five cities in twenty-nine countries. JAL is a member of the oneworld Alliance, which includes American Airlines and British Airways. Contact information: The JAL Building, Higashi Shinagawa, 4-11, 2-Chome, Shinagawa-Ku, Tokyo 140-8637, Japan; Ph.: +81 3 54 60 31 21 (www .japanair.com).

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Commonly known as simply KLM, this carrier was founded in the Netherlands in 1919, making it the oldest continuously operating carrier scheduled airline in the world. Because the Netherlands was the first country to sign an open skies agreement with the United States, KLM has enjoyed antitrust immunity with its alliance partner, Northwest Airlines, for a number of years. This alliance, Wings, is one of the most integrated of all major international alliances. Through its alliance, KLM flies more than fifteen million passengers to five hundred cities worldwide. Contact information: P.O. Box 7700, Schipol Amsterdam

Airport, NL-1117, Netherlands; Ph.: +31 20 649 9123 (www.klm.nl).

Korean Airlines. Korean Airlines (KAL) was founded in 1969. It serves seventy-seven cities in twenty-nine countries, carrying more than twenty million passengers per year. KAL is also ranked by the International Air Transport Association as the world’s second-largest commercial airline cargo operation. KAL is a member of the SkyTeam Alliance, which includes Delta Air Lines and Air France. Contact information: 7F, Korean Air Operations Center, 1370 Gonghang-Dong, Kangso-Ku, Seoul, Korea; Ph.: +82 2 656 71 14 (www.koreanair.com).

Kuwait Airways. Kuwait Airways was founded in 1962 and serves more than forty-three cities, enplaning approximately two million passengers per year. The airline resumed operation after its premises and aircraft were destroyed during the 1990-1991 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Contact information: Kuwait International Airport, P.O. Box 394, 13004 Sfat, Kuwait; Ph.: +965 434 55 55 (www.kuwait-airways.com).

LanChile. LanChile was founded in Chile in 1929 and flies more than three million passengers to fifty-five cities worldwide. In 2000, LanChile joined the oneworld Alliance, which includes American Airlines, British Airways, and Japan Airlines. Contact information: Estado 10, Twentieth Floor, Santiago, Chile; Ph.: +562 639 44 11 (www21.lanchile.com).

Lufthansa. Lufthansa was founded in Germany in 1926. Although most flight operation ceased during World War II, the airline resumed flying in 1955. The airline flies more than forty-one million passengers to 349 destinations in ninety-four countries. It also has one of the world’s largest cargo operations and was a founding member of the Star Alliance. Contact information: Von-Gablenz-Strasse 2-6, Cologne D-50679, Germany; Ph.: +49 221 82 60 (www.lufthansa.com).

Malaysia Airlines. Malaysia Airlines was founded in 1951 and has been voted the best Asian business airline for three consecutive years by Business Travel World. The airline flies more than fifteen million passengers to 110 cities worldwide. Contact information: Thirty-third Floor, Bangunan MAS, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Ph.: +603 216105 55 (www.malaysiaair.com).

Malev. Malev was founded in Hungary in 1946 and is the national carrier of that nation. It serves more than thirty cities, carrying some two million passengers peryear. It became a public limited company in 1992. Contact information: Roosevelt ter 2, Budapest H-1051, Hungary; Ph.: +36 1 235 35 35 (www.malev.hu).

Mexicana de Aviacion. Mexicana traces its beginnings to the early 1920′s, making it one of the oldest carriers in the world. It is now one of the two major carriers of Mexico, primarily serving its fifty-two international destinations from its base in Mexico City. Mexicana is a member of the Star Alliance, which includes United, Lufthansa, and Air Canada. Contact information: Xola 535, Col Del Valle, 03100, Mexico City, Mexico; Ph.: (800) 531-7921 (www.mexicana.com).

Northwest Airlines. Northwest Airlines was founded in the United States in 1926. The airline has an extensive route structure to Asia. With its Wings alliance with KLM, it combined its Asian and domestic network with the Atlantic and European network of KLM to serve more than 550 cities and to fly more than fifty-nine million passengers per year. Northwest is one of the ten largestU.S. carriers. Contact information: Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, 5101 Northwest Drive, St. Paul, MN 55111 (www.nsa.com).

Pan Am. Pan Am traces its origins to early aviation companies founded in the United States in the 1920′s. Like many early U.S. airlines, it owes much of its growth to airmail contracts issuedby the postmaster of the United States. Pan Am was for many years the main carrier authorized to fly international mail. Pan Am used this position to become the dominant U.S. international carrier. Following the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, Pan Am began to struggle, as new carriers entered its international routes, and Pan Am attempted to build up its domestic operations. In 1991, Pan Am finally succumbed to its financial pressures and filed for bankruptcy. Two subsequent airlines flying under the Pan Am name have begun operations since that time. The present Pan Am is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and flies to nine cities along the eastern seaboard of the United States

People Express. People Express was the first air carrier established after the 1978 Airline Deregulation Act. People Express was established in 1981 as a low-cost, no-frills carrier along the lines of Southwest Airlines. It rose in four short years to become one of the ten largest U.S. carriers, and explosive growth led to acquisition of Frontier Airlines, Britt Airways, and Provincetown Boston Airlines, before customer complaints and established carrier competition forced the airline to sell out to the Texas Air Group headed by Frank Lorenzo.

Qantas. Qantas was founded in 1920, making it the world’s second-oldest airline and the oldest airline in the English-speaking world. Qantas, the national carrier of Australia, flies more than seventeen million passengers per yearto 124 destinations worldwide. It is well known for the kangaroo mascot on the tail of its aircraft. Contact information: 203 Coward Street, Mascot NSW 2020, Australia; Ph.: +612 96913636 (www.qantas.com.au).

Sabena Airlines. Sabena was founded in 1923 in Belgium and is considered the national carrier of that country. Sabena flies more than ten million passengers per year primarily to European destinations. Sabena was a founding member of the Qualiflyer Group, which includes Swissair. Swissair owned 49 percent of Sabena. Financial troubles at both Sabena and Swissair placed the carrier’s future in jeopardy. Sabena filed for bankruptcy in 2001.

SAS. Scandinavian Airlines, or SAS, as it is commonly known, was founded in 1946. SAS is actually a consortium of three national airlines, SAS Danmark, SAS Norge, and SAS Sverige. The Danish and Norwegian parent companies own two-sevenths of the consortium, while the Swedish parent owns the remaining three-sevenths. SAS flies more than twenty-two million passengers to ninety-two destinations inthirty-three countries. SAS is a member of the Star Alliance, which includes United Airline, Lufthansa, and Air Canada. Contact information: Frosundaviks Alle 1, Stockholm S-19587, Sweden; Ph.: +468 797 00 00 (www .scandinavian.net).

Singapore Airlines. Singapore Airlines was originally part of Malaysia Airlines but became a separate company by agreement between the governments of Singa-pore and Malaysia in 1972. Singapore Airlines flies more than fourteen million passengers to ninety cities in forty countries and has long been considered by business and leisure travelers to be one of the best airlines in the world. Singapore Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance, which includes United and Lufthansa. They recently purchased 49 percent of the British carrier Virgin Atlantic. Contact information: P.O. Box 50, Airmail Transit Center, 918101, Singapore; Ph.: +65 542 33 33 (www.singaporeair.com).

Southwest Airlines. Southwest Airlines was founded in 1967 but did not begin flight operations until the end of 1971 due to a series of regulatory and court challenges centering on its right to fly out of Dallas Love Field. Over the years, the low-cost, no-frills airline has expanded to become one of the ten largest air carriers in the United States and one of the most consistently profitable carriers in history. Southwest flies more than sixty-four million passengers to fifty-seven cities in the United States and is known for having one of the best on-time records in the industry. Contact information: 2702 Love Field Drive, P.O. Box 36611, Dallas, TX 75235; Ph.: (800) 435-9792 (www.iflyswa.com). Swissair. Swissair was founded in 1931. The carrier serves more than 200 destinations in Europe and another 330 worldwide, flying more than fourteen million passengers per year. Swissair was a leader in the formation of the Qualiflyer Group alliance, which includes a number of smaller European airlines. Swissair assumed an equity stake in a number of these airlines. Troubles at some of these carriers contributed to financial problems at Swissair, which was reorganized in 2001. Contact information: Pstfach, Zurich Airport, Balz Zimmerman nstrasse, Kloten CH-8058, Switzerland; Ph.: (800) 221-4750 (www.swissair .com). TACA. TACA, or Grupo TACA, is a conglomeration of five national and five regional carriers in Central America. It is currently the fourth-largest air carrier in Latin America. TACA serves sixty cities in nineteen countries. Contact information: Edificio Caribe, 2 Piso, San Salvador, El Salvador; Ph. 800 535 8780.

TAP Air Portugal. TAP was founded in Portugal in 1945. The airline flies almost five millionpassengers to forty-two cities. It is a member of the Qualiflyer Group alliance, which includes Swissair and Sabena Airlines. Contact information: Eroporto de Lisboa, Apartado 50194 P-1704-801,Lisboa, Portugal; Ph.: +351 21 841 50 00 (www.tap-airportugal.pt).

Thai Airways International. Thai Airways International was founded in 1960 and is considered the national carrier of Thailand. Thai flies more than sixteen million passengers to 105 cities. Thai joined the Star Alliance in 1995. Contact information: 89 Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, P.O. Box 1075, Bangkok 10900, Thailand; Ph.: +662 513 01 21 (www.thaiair.com).

Trans World Airlines. Trans World Airlines, or TWA, as it is commonly known, began when Western Air Express and Transcontinental Air Transport merged in 1930 to form Transcontinental and Western Air. TWA began international service in the early 1940′s but began to experience financial difficulties in the early 1980′s. In 1985, Carl Icahn acquired controlling interest in TWA. In 1988, TWA became a private company. The airline filed for bankruptcy in 1992 and 2001. The majority of its assets were acquired by American Airlines in 2001.

United Air Lines. The company that would become United Air Lines was founded in 1926. United is considered the largest U.S. carrier in terms of revenue passenger miles and is the largest majority employee-owned company in the world. United was a founding member of the Star Alliance, which includes Lufthansa, Air Canada, and Singapore Airlines. United flies more than eighty-seven million passengers to 134 destinations around the world. Contact information: P.O. Box 66100, Chicago, IL 60666; Ph.: (800) 241-6522 (www.ual.com).

US Airways. US Airways began as All American Aviation in 1937 and became Allegheny Airlines in 1953. The name was changed to USAirways in 1997. In 1987, the airline merged with Piedmont in the largest U.S. airline merger to date. US Airways is one of the ten largest carriers in the United States, flying more than fifty million passengers to 133 cities worldwide. Contact information: 2345 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22227; Ph.: (703) 872-7000 (www.usairways.com).

Varig. Varig was founded in Brazil in 1927 and flies more than eleven million passengers to eighteen countries. The airline joined the Star Alliance in 1997. Contact information: Avenue Laminate Silvio de Novonha, Rio de Janeiro 20021-01, Brazil; Ph.: +55 21 814 50 00 (www.varig.com).

Virgin Atlantic. Virgin Atlantic was founded in the United Kingdom in 1984 and has grown to serve more than eighteen destinations flying almost three million passengers per year. Singapore Airlines recently acquired 49 percent of the airline, which has consistently been rated one of the best carriers by business and leisure passengers. Contact information: The Office, Crawley Business Quarter, Manor Royal, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 2NU, United Kingdom; Ph.: +44 1293 562 345 (www.virgin-atlantic.com).

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