History of Commercial Air Travel
Commercial air travel began in 1909 with the founding of the German Airship Company, a partially government-funded air service that used Zeppelin dirigibles. Commercial aviation companies using fixed-winged aircraft began to appear in 1920, with the creation of KLM in the Netherlands and Qantas of Australia. The industry has since evolved into a global enterprise which served 2 billion air passengers in 2008 alone.
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Acquisitions
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The U.S.-based Aviation Corporation acquired 82 small airline companies in 1928-29, and formed American Airlines to serve as an umbrella company to manage operations.
Pacific Service
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Pan American World Airways launched its China Clipper "flying boat" service in 1935, with routes from San Francisco to Asian destinations on its Martin M-130 aircraft.
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Hindenburg
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The 1937 Hindenburg fire disaster that killed 35 people led to the end of the dirigible for commercial air travel.
Truly International
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By the end of World War II, Pan American's Chairman Juan Trippe had established the first multiple global routes to become a true international airline.
Deregulation
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Deregulation of the industry in the 1990s created airfare wars, increased competition for routes and created the concept of "budget" airlines.
Slower Growth
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Annual growth of the airline industry dropped from a peak of 15 percent in the 1960s to about 6 percent in the late 1990s, with many airlines today merging or developing partnerships and alliances.
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Resources
- Photo Credit U.S. Department of Commerce
