The U.S. Local Service Airlines - Air Service Everywhere!
01/07/25 • 40 min
The growth of the oldest U.S. Trunk or Mainline air carriers after 1945 drives demand for air travel, and new, larger airliners to meet that need.
But as the airlines and their aircraft grow, many smaller U.S. cities are in danger of losing their air service because they don't generate enough passenger volume to match the larger and costlier airliners coming on line.
The solution is a new category of airline - the Local Service Carriers - licensed by the federal government in the late '40s, and assigned to strictly controlled geographic areas to provide reliable air service for hundreds of small airports.
Join me for this look at those special airlines, the role they played in the U.S. air transportation system, and the impacts still seen today from their operations.
The growth of the oldest U.S. Trunk or Mainline air carriers after 1945 drives demand for air travel, and new, larger airliners to meet that need.
But as the airlines and their aircraft grow, many smaller U.S. cities are in danger of losing their air service because they don't generate enough passenger volume to match the larger and costlier airliners coming on line.
The solution is a new category of airline - the Local Service Carriers - licensed by the federal government in the late '40s, and assigned to strictly controlled geographic areas to provide reliable air service for hundreds of small airports.
Join me for this look at those special airlines, the role they played in the U.S. air transportation system, and the impacts still seen today from their operations.
Previous Episode
Above It All - America’s Helicopter Airlines
In some of the largest U.S. urban areas, road traffic congestion can be one of the biggest challenges to moving between the downtown area and the airport.
Imagine, though, being able to get from Manhattan to La Guardia Airport in New York in just 6 minutes, or from Oakland to the San Francisco Airport in 7 minutes.
For many years, scheduled service helicopter airlines made fast airport travel times like those possible, but they’ve all failed to stay in business.
Join me for their story, and a look at what may be ahead for close-in urban air service.
Next Episode
Food Fight! The Great Transatlantic Sandwich Scuffle
Before large jet airliners accelerate air travel growth in the late 1950s, flying between continents is an exhausting experience, requiring fifteen hours or more for the flight to New York from Europe.
To help travelers pass the time, meal service is a big focus for the airlines, and the cuisine offered is an important way to distinguish an airline from its competitors in an era of tightly regulated airfares.
Then, in early 1958, a fierce food fight breaks out between the European and U.S. airlines over what constitutes a “sandwich”, and the fight involves disparagement, threats to cancel landing rights, legal actions, and a big financial penalty.
Join me for this look at the Transatlantic Sandwich Scuffle of 1958, and how it’s resolved as the airline industry moves toward defining what low cost air travel will look - and taste - like!
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