| Revision as of 09:44, 5 December 2003 editMav (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users77,874 editsm December 4← Previous edit | Revision as of 02:28, 18 December 2003 edit undoSekicho (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers9,790 edits added additional history, fixed logo picNext edit → | ||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| <div style="float:right |
<div style="float:right; margin-left:1em; text-align:center;"> | ||
| <center>]<br> | <center>]<br> | ||
| </center> | </center> | ||
| </div> | </div> | ||
| '''Pan American World Airways (Pan Am)''' was at one time the principal international ]-based airline. The ] in ] exacerbated the company's financial problems and it was forced to sell off many of its aircraft and international routes to its competitors. The company finally collapsed in ] (operations were ended on ]). An attempt was made to revive the company in the late ], but the new Pan Am ultimately ended up facing bankruptcy again and the name was sold in ]. The current owners of the Pan Am brand operate a small number of flights within the ]. | '''Pan American World Airways (Pan Am)''' was at one time the principal international ]-based airline. The ] in ] exacerbated the company's financial problems and it was forced to sell off many of its aircraft and international routes to its competitors. The company finally collapsed in ] (operations were ended on ]). An attempt was made to revive the company in the late ], but the new Pan Am ultimately ended up facing bankruptcy again and the name was sold in ]. The current owners of the Pan Am brand operate a small number of flights within the ]. | ||
| ==History== | |||
| Pan Am was founded by aviator ] in ] as a seaplane service from ] to ], ]. During the late 1920's and early 1930's, Trippe purchased a number of ailing or defunct airlines in Central and South America. He began air mail flights from Florida to ], ], in 1930. | |||
| During the 1930's, Pan Am began service from the West Coast to ], and from there to ] and ]. | |||
| After ], Pan Am lost its sanction as the United States' official international airline (first to ], and later to ] and ]). With competition on many of its routes, it began investing in new innovations such as jet aircraft (the ]), widebody aircraft (the ]), and even supersonic aircraft (as a launch customer for the ]). | |||
| In 1980, with ] well underway, Pan Am acquired ] in an attempt to build up its U.S. domestic network. However, its increasingly deteriorating financial position led it to sell most of its Pacific routes to ] in the 1980's. After ] crashed in ], the airline finally began to unravel, and it folded in December of 1991. | |||
| Pan Am's European routes were sold to ], and its Latin American routes were sold to ]. | |||
| ==Pan Am's resurrection== | |||
| ] purchased the rights to the Pan American brand after the original carrier declared ]. In ], Guilford launched a new Pan Am, but it only survived for one year before ceasing operations. | |||
| In ], Pan Am was launched again with a fleet of seven ]'s, flying to nine cities in ], ], and ]. Pan Am has cooperative service arrangements with ]. | |||
| ==Other facts of interest== | ==Other facts of interest== | ||
| *] was a Pan Am pilot during the 1930's. | |||
| *On ], ] Pan American became the first commercial airline to have a flight that went around the world. | *On ], ] Pan American became the first commercial airline to have a flight that went around the world. | ||
| *During the ], Pan Am was the main air link between ] and ]. | |||
| *] arrived at ] in ] aboard a Pan Am ] in ]. | *] arrived at ] in ] aboard a Pan Am ] in ]. | ||
| *The ] in ] was the largest commercial office building in the world when constructed in ]. | *The ] in ] was the largest commercial office building in the world when constructed in ]. | ||
Revision as of 02:28, 18 December 2003
Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) was at one time the principal international US-based airline. The Lockerbie disaster in 1988 exacerbated the company's financial problems and it was forced to sell off many of its aircraft and international routes to its competitors. The company finally collapsed in 1991 (operations were ended on December 4). An attempt was made to revive the company in the late 1990s, but the new Pan Am ultimately ended up facing bankruptcy again and the name was sold in 1998. The current owners of the Pan Am brand operate a small number of flights within the continental United States.
History
Pan Am was founded by aviator Juan Trippe in 1927 as a seaplane service from Key West, Florida to Havana, Cuba. During the late 1920's and early 1930's, Trippe purchased a number of ailing or defunct airlines in Central and South America. He began air mail flights from Florida to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1930.
During the 1930's, Pan Am began service from the West Coast to Honolulu, and from there to Hong Kong and Auckland.
After World War II, Pan Am lost its sanction as the United States' official international airline (first to American Overseas Airways, and later to TWA and Northwest Orient). With competition on many of its routes, it began investing in new innovations such as jet aircraft (the Boeing 707), widebody aircraft (the Boeing 747), and even supersonic aircraft (as a launch customer for the Concorde).
In 1980, with airline deregulation well underway, Pan Am acquired National Airlines in an attempt to build up its U.S. domestic network. However, its increasingly deteriorating financial position led it to sell most of its Pacific routes to United Airlines in the 1980's. After Pan Am Flight 103 crashed in 1988, the airline finally began to unravel, and it folded in December of 1991.
Pan Am's European routes were sold to Delta Airlines, and its Latin American routes were sold to American Airlines.
Pan Am's resurrection
Guilford Transportation Industries purchased the rights to the Pan American brand after the original carrier declared bankruptcy. In 1996, Guilford launched a new Pan Am, but it only survived for one year before ceasing operations.
In 1998, Pan Am was launched again with a fleet of seven Boeing 727's, flying to nine cities in New England, Florida, and Puerto Rico. Pan Am has cooperative service arrangements with Boston Maine Airways.
Other facts of interest
- Charles Lindbergh was a Pan Am pilot during the 1930's.
- On January 6, 1942 Pan American became the first commercial airline to have a flight that went around the world.
- During the Cold War, Pan Am was the main air link between West Germany and West Berlin.
- The Beatles arrived at Idlewild International Airport in New York aboard a Pan Am DC-8 in 1964.
- The Pan Am Building in Manhattan was the largest commercial office building in the world when constructed in 1963.