American Airlines Through The Years

| 1920's | 1930's | 1940's | 1950's | 1960's | 1970's | 1980's | 1990's | 2000's |

1920's:

On April 15, 1926, when Charles Lindbergh, Robertson Aircraft Corporation's chief pilot, flew a bag of mail in a DH-4 biplane from Chicago to St. Louis. This flight is regarded as the first regularly scheduled flight of what was to become American Airlines.

A year later in April 1927, another American Airlines forerunner, Colonial Air Transport operated the first passenger night flight in the United States. This flight, which carried six passengers from Boston to New York City, was the first scheduled passenger flight in New England. Reportedly Mrs. Gardiner Fiske was the first paying passenger to flown by what was to become American Airlines.

Universal Aviation Corps. (also an American Airlines predecessor) inaugurated the nation's first transcontinental rail-air-rail service on June 14, 1929. This service was operated in conjunction with the New York Central and the Sante Fe railroads.

The wooden Fokker F-10A was the flagship type for American Airways in 1930. For its time, the F-10A was a remarkably capable aircraft. American Airways used these aircraft to provide coast-to-coast service. Notice the early American Airways logo on the tail of the aircraft. The search light beacon motif was used because American Airways used lighted air routes to connect Texas with California.
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1930's:

On January 25, 1930, four holding companies (Universal Aviation Corp, Colonial Airways, Inc, Aviation Corp., and Southern Air Transport, Inc.) were consolidated into American Airways, immediate forerunner of today's American Airlines.

American Airways inaugurated the nation's first all-air transcontinental service on October 15, 1930. The route linked Atlanta with Los Angeles with stops in Texas and Arizona using Fokker F-10A tri-motor aircraft. During 1931, American introduced the Pilgrim 10A, the first transport aircraft built to American's own specifications, and the first New York - Los Angeles transcontinental route, flown by Ford Tri-Motors.

In 1933, American Airways began flying the 18-passenger Curtiss Condor. A sleeper version of the Curtiss Condor was later introduced on May 5, 1934. With the introduction of the Condor, flight attendants, then called "stewardesses," made their first appearance on American Airlines aircraft. In addition to stewardesses, American introduced the first true in-flight meal service in the United States in 1934 and the first hot meal service a year later. American Airways was reorganized in 1934 and became American Airlines, Inc. on April 11. On May 13, 1934, Cyrus Rowlett Smith was elected president of American and, except for a period during World War II when he served as Deputy Commander of the Air Transport Command, continued as chief executive officer until 1968 when he was named Secretary of Commerce by President Johnson.

American introduced the Air Travel Plan, one of the industry's first sales promotion programs, in September 1934. Also in 1934, American instituted the first psychological study of passenger motivation and sales resistance, resulting in a series of revolutionary sales-advertising campaigns (including the famous "Afraid to Fly?" ad) in national publications.

In the mid-1930s, American unveiled a series of innovations that came to be utilized by all other airlines. The first innovation was an airways traffic control system, which had been developed by American's leadership in 1935. This system greatly improved passenger safety and was eventually administered by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (forerunner to the F.A.A.). The second innovation, the Tiffany passenger reservation system, was introduced in 1936 and greatly increased accuracy and efficiency of reservation procedures. Finally, in 1937, American Airlines integrated Link Trainer systems into its pilot training courses. The Link Trainer system was quickly adopted by other airlines for their training needs.

However, certainly the most important contribution American Airlines made to commercial aviation in the 1930s was christened on June 25, 1936, when American flew the first commercial Douglas DC-3 flight. This trip from Chicago to New York marked the introduction of the world's first passenger aircraft that could earn profits by carrying passengers alone. The DC-3 was designed and built to American specifications and was operated either as a 14 passenger sleeper (the DST, or Douglas Sleeper Transport) or as a 21 passenger day plane.

American carried its one-millionth passenger on February 16, 1937 and by the end the year had become the largest airline in the United States.

The first of many - these four pioneering women were hired in 1933 to serve passengers on American Airways' routes between Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. Pictured from top: May Bobeck, Agnes Nohava, Marie Allen and Velma Maul.


The Curtiss Condor set a new standard for airline safety and passenger comfort in the early 1930s. This large aircraft was developed from an U.S. Army Air Corp. bomber design. American equipped several Condors with sleeping bunks (and even a special "honeymoon suite"). The Condor was quickly eclipsed by the introduction of more modern airliners such as the Douglas DC-2, DC-3 and the Boeing 247.

This shot of an American Douglas DC-3 illustrates the beautiful art deco control tower that once graced Meacham Field in Fort Worth, Texas. Airport buildings of this style were typical in the 1930s, but are very rare today. One of American’s original hangars at Meacham is still being used.
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1940's:

On April 22, 1942 American received a National Safety Council award for having flown more than a billion passenger miles without a serious accident.

American entered the airline catering business in 1942 with a subsidiary called Sky Chefs to provide food service for its passengers as well as those flying other airlines.

American introduced international service from New York to Toronto, Canada in June 1941. In September 1942, international service between El Paso and Dallas and the cities of Monterrey and Mexico City was inaugurated.

American's cargo operations flourished during the 1940s. On August 23, 1943, American inaugurated the first all-cargo transcontinental service using a seat-loaded DC-3. This first flight carried airmail and express shipments. During 1944 American became the first airline to offer scheduled freight service between Los Angles and New York. Also that year, American introduced the nation's first domestic scheduled all-freight service using an all-cargo version of the Douglas DC-3. These efforts rewarded American with record breaking cargo service. In September of 1946, American became the first domestic airline to carry more than one million ton/miles of cargo in a single month.

The coming of World War II deeply impacted the day-to-day operations of American Airlines. Like all domestic airlines, American joined the war effort. Only seven days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, American Airlines aircraft were used to move U.S. troops to Brazil as part of a military test operations to see if civilian airliners could be used to transport ground troops in wartime conditions.

During the course of World War II, nearly half of American's fleet of DC-3s was drafted for military use (including the Flagship Knoxville, now on exhibit at the C.R. Smith Museum). Additionally, American Airlines personnel were used to train military flight crews and mechanics and to fly military cargoes all around the world. By 1944, American was flying nearly 150 trips across the Atlantic and flew other missions to Australia, Africa and Southeast Asia.

However, perhaps American's biggest contribution to the war effort was its president C.R. Smith. Smith was appointed (at the rank of Colonel) by Gen. Hap Arnold to run the Ferrying Command of the Air Transport Command. Smith main duty was to oversee the wartime efforts of nation's commercial airlines. Smith returned to American Airlines (after reaching the rank of Major General) after the war had ended in 1945.

As it had been in the 1930s, American became an industry leader in the development of new safety devices and practices. American Airlines operated a flying laboratory, the Flagship Alpha, devoted to researching new flight aids. This research was instrumental in the development of today's on-board weather radar systems. In 1946, an American DC-4 Airfrieghter became the first commercially operated aircraft to carry an on-board radar system. The next year, American became the first airline to demonstrate use of VHF Omni-Directional Range receiving equipment. This equipment dramatically increased a pilot's ability to precisely navigate between two points during adverse conditions.

From 1945 to 1950, American operated American Overseas Airlines (AOA), a trans-Atlantic division, which served a number of European countries. This was American's first European service. AOA was formed as a result of a merger between the international division of American and a company called American Export Airlines. In 1948, AOA cooperated with the U.S. Air Force on the Berlin airlift by increasing its Frankfurt-Berlin schedules from six to twenty-five weekly round trips. AOA was sold to and merged with Pan American World Airways in 1950.

In 1948, American introduced the Family Fare plan to enable families to travel together by air at reduced rates and also introduced scheduled coach service as an economical and comfortable alternative to first class travel. Two years earlier, American had introduced the first curbside baggage check-in service.

American was the first domestic airline to use the four-engined Douglas DC-4. The larger and more capable DC-6 was introduced on April 27, 1947 (United Airlines, which had joined with American in developing airline specifications for the DC-6, began DC-6 service the same day). The short range, twin engined Convair 240 was introduced in 1948. By the end of the 1940s, American was the first airline to operate a fleet consisting of all pressurized, air conditioned, post-war produced aircraft. To handle the increased maintenance requirements of its rapidly expanding fleet, American established the massive Tulsa Maintenance & Engineering Base in 1946.

A Douglas DC-3 Air Freighter being loaded. American Airlines introduced the first domestic all freight service in late 1944. Standard DC-3 were first used to transport freight by simply loading packaged into the empty seats.

After World War II, American Airlines took over ownership of the Douglas plant and hangars at Tulsa and created what would become one of the largest and most advanced maintenance facilities in the world. Here a collection of Convair 240s is undergoing heavy maintenance.

Passengers enjoyed the roominess of the massive Boeing 377 Stratocruiser. American Overseas Airlines used the Boeing 377 to carry passengers in unmatched splender on Trans-Atlantic flights in the late 1940s. This picture was taken the aircraft was on the ground; the note the ramp through the aircraft windows.

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1950's:

American introduced the Magnetronic Reservisor in 1952 to keep track of seats on flights, replacing the large display boards which since the 1930s had listed entries on space availability at reservations offices.

The Douglas DC-7, an aircraft built to American specifications and Douglas' last piston engined airliner, was introduced in 1953. With this aircraft, American introduced nonstop transcontinental service in both directions across the United States in 1953. On a DC-7, one could travel from coast-to-coast, in either direction, in little more than eight hours. The DC-7 was also the first aircraft to be fitted with both in-flight and on-ground air conditioning systems.

Using both DC-6A air freighters and DC-7 combination aircraft (an airplane that carries both cargo and passengers in the main cabin), American continued to set records for carrying cargo. In 1953, American became the first domestic airline to haul more than 50 million ton-miles of cargo in a single year. Later, in 1955, American organized the first Airfreight Distribution Consultation service. However, perhaps the greatest innovation to cargo operations of the 1950s was the introduction of the "Paul Bunyan Box" in 1958. These unit load containers permitted the pre-loading of produce or small packages into a single container that could be easily sealed and locked. The Paul Bunyan Box also decreased the time needed to load and unload an aircraft on ground. By 1958, American was flying more than 90 million ton miles of cargo in a single year - more than any other regularly scheduled domestic airline.The world's first special facility for flight attendant training, the American Airlines Stewardess College (today called the American Airlines Training & Conference Center), was built in Dallas/Fort Worth in 1957.

On January 25, 1959, American airlines entered the jet age. On that date, American Airlines became the nation's first airline to offer coast-to-coast, nonstop jet service on Boeing 707s. The jets opened a new age of air travel. Transcontinental trips that had taken eight hours now took little more than five. Additionally, the jets could operate at much higher altitudes that piston powered aircraft, allowing the jets to fly above most adverse weather systems. The combination of the Boeing 707's performance and ease of maintenance, meant that American Airlines could use fewer aircraft to serve more flights - a real bonus for the airline.

 

On May 24, 1959 American Airlines debuted Electra service at both Amon Carter Field in Fort Worth and at Love Field in Dallas. This shot shows this first Electra flight taxing out from the Amon Carter Field terminal. The American Airlines corporate headquarters complex now stands on what was Amon Carter Field.


The Douglas DC-7 was the last piston-engined airliner built by Douglas. American's DC-7Cs were capable of non-stop Trans-continental flight in both directions. However if the prevailing winds were too strong on westbound flights, the DC-7C often would have to make a quick stop in Phoenix for fuel and oil.

 

A rare color shot of the Flagship California, one of American Airlines’ first Boeing 707s. 707s did not remain "Flagships" for very long and were instead know as "Astrojets" by the early 1960s.

 
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1960's:

In 1960, American, teaming with IBM, introduced SABRE, the largest electronic data processing system designed for business use. The first SABRE system is was installed on two IBM 7090 computers located in Briarcliff Manor, New York. These two computers represented state-of-the-art technology at the time and could process 84,000 phone calls a day. The SABRE system was first publicly unveiled at San Francisco on March 4, 1964. When completed SABRE represented an investment of nearly $40 million and 400 man-years of effort. The new reservations system saved American Airlines nearly one third of its investment in reduced staff costs and had an error rate of less than one percent. Most of all, SABRE gave American a distinct business advantage over its competition.

During the 1960s, American's fleet of aircraft underwent a dramatic change. The first generation of jet powered aircraft (Boeing 707-123 and Lockheed L-188 Electra II) were introduced in early 1959 and they made a huge impact on American's operations. However, technological advances had already made these early jet powered aircraft inferior by March of 1961when American introduced its first "second-generation" jet, the Boeing 707-123B. This improved 707 model featured more efficient and more powerful by-pass fan jet engines. These engines gave American aircraft more range and made them quieter to operate (a concern for many airport communities).

The Convair 990 (and later 990A) was introduced in the spring of 1962. This innovative aircraft was designed to travel coast-to-coast at nearly the speed of sound. Unfortunately, the 990 did not live up to its expectations and though advanced for its day, did not serve with American for long. More successful was the Boeing 727, which was added to the fleet in 1964. The first three engined aircraft used by American since the Ford Tri-Motor of the 1930s, the 727 was designed to operate from smaller airports than the larger 707s could. The 727 has proved to have been a very successful design - American Airlines has operated at least one model of the 727 for nearly forty years!

New in-flight passenger services were also introduced in the 1960s. August 16, 1964 marked the debut of "Astrovision," an in-flight television and movie projection system. Astrovision allowed American Airlines passenger the option of watching full-run movies, live television and even the opportunity to watch the take-off and landing from a camera mounted in the aircraft's front landing gear well. In 1966, American introduced a new in-flight magazine for passengers - The American Way. This award winning magazine has been in continuous publication ever since. Also, in the mid-1960s, American Airlines hired its first African-American stewardess, Joan Dorsey. As part of the jet age revolution, American introduced a series of new stewardess uniforms designs. The "American Beauty" collection was unveiled in 1968 and marked a fashionably dramatic shift away from the military-inspired uniform styles of the 1940s and 1950s.

To handle the new jets American invested heavily in new airport terminal facilities during the 1960s. On May 5, 1960, American dedicated a new $14 million dollar (1960 dollars) terminal at New York's Idlewild Airport. This terminal featured a front façade that included the world's largest stain glass window. Idlewild was renamed John. F. Kennedy International Airport in honor of the assassinated president and American's JFK's terminal has become an architectural landmark. In 1962, American moved into another famous airport - Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. O'Hare has since become one of American's hub cities.

The combination of new terminals, new technologies, new aircraft and new services paid off for American in the 1960s. In December 1961, American became the first airline to have carried 100 million passengers and became the first domestic scheduled carrier to haul more than 150 ton-miles of cargo in a single year (1962). As new jets were introduced, American retired its piston engined aircraft. The last Convair 240 was retired on June 30, 1964 and American's piston powered aircraft (a DC-6) flew on December 17, 1966 - the 63rd anniversary of the Wright Brother's famous flight.

The 1960's also marked the end of an era at American. In February 1968, C.R. Smith retired. He had run American Airlines for more than three decades and to this day is considered to be one of the great innovators of American commercial aviation.

 

This shot captures the transition from propellers to jets in the early 1960s. Shown is a collection of Douglas DC-6s (the last piston powered aircraft flown by American) and the then brand new Boeing 727-100.

 

In 1967, American Airlines introduced the American Beauty line of stewardess uniforms. Made in red, white, and blue, the American Beauty uniform was not in service long (little more than a year), but it represented a shift away from the traditional military style uniforms.

 

Introduced in 1969, The Great American Look uniform (also called the "Americana" uniform) used fashion elements from American history to create a unique stewardess uniform style. Seen here are two stewardesses in the "Ameri-Clan" plaid over coats. Note the Daniel Boone inspired raccoon hats — an optional uniform accessory.

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1970's:

While 1960s represented a period of great change at American, the 1970s were a period of great growth for American. Through a merger with with Trans Caribbean Airways in 1970, American gained its first Caribbean routes. In March 1971, American began flying to Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Haiti, Curacao and Aruba. In 1975, American began serving Bermuda, Santo Domingo and Barbados on the routes received from Pan American World Airways Inc. Later, in 1977, American started serving Montreal; Montego Bay and Kingston, Jamaica; Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe; and Forte de France, Martinique.

In the early 1970s, American introduced two massive airliners, the Boeing 747 and the Douglas DC-10. The first American Boeing 747 began scheduled flights on March 2, 1970. American Airlines became the first airline to fly the DC-10 on August 5, 1971. These two aircraft introduced the age of the "wide-body" airliner and offered a new level of passenger comfort with such amenities as piano lounges and wet bars. American's 747 fleet was eventually converted to carry cargo instead of passengers. The mammoth size of the aircraft allowed American Airlines to ship such over-sized items as San Francisco streetcars.American hired its first batch of male stewards in the early 1970s to serve on American's short lived South Pacific routes. A dozen Hawaiian-born men made up this first class. By the spring of 1971, American was recruiting men for domestic service and the term "stewardess" was officially replaced with "flight attendant." Keeping with the times, American also introduced a new line of flight attendant uniform designed and manufactured by fashion designer Bill Blass.

Airline deregulation took place in 1978, removing strict governmental control over what airline could serve which routes inside the U.S. and at what price. Airline deregulation proved to be the most drastic change to affect commercial aviation since the introduction of the Douglas DC-3 in 1936. The immediate effects of deregulation were to open new markets for many old-line airlines, to encourage the formation of new airlines and to spark development of the hub-and-spoke system of airline routing. A major route expansion for American occurred on January 20, 1979, when the airline inaugurated service on 19 new routes and at eight new destinations: Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Miami, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New Orleans, Reno, Tampa-St. Petersburg and St. Maarten.

C.R. Smith returned briefly to run American again from September 1973 to early 1974, while the company searched for new, long-term president. Finally, in February 1974, Albert V. Casey was elected president and chief executive officer of American Airlines. He assumed the additional position of chairman of the board in April 1974. C.R. retired for a second, and final, time, although he continued to be active in the airline's activities via his typewriter.

In 1979, American moved its headquarters from the New York metropolitan area to Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. Also located at the headquarters complex: a training facility then called The Learning Center (now AA Training & Conference Center), the pilot training facility (Flight Academy) and the Southern Reservations Office.

 

The massive Boeing 747 entered service with American Airlines in 1970. American purchased a total of 16 of the giant aircraft. Several of the American 747s were converted to dedicated air freighters capable of carrying large, oversized items including such things as San Francisco street cars.31

 


First opened in 1974, the D/FW International Airport has become one of American’s major hubs. American announced that it was moving its corporate headquarters from New York to D/FW in 1979 — a move that brought the company back to the area where fifty years earlier, C.R. Smith got his start in aviation.

 

Al Casey was elected president of American Airlines in 1974, following C.R.’s second retirement. Casey was chairman of American for eleven years and saw the airline through the turbulent period immediately following deregulation in 1978.

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1980's:

1980:
Robert L. Crandall became president and chief operating officer of AMR Corporation and American Airlines.

American introduced service to Nassau, Bahamas, and Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. On Dec. 17, American launched nonstop service between Los Angeles and Honolulu with daily continuing service to and from Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth and New York.

1981:
AA retired its pioneering jetliner, the Boeing 707, from its fleet and also introduced 'AADVANTAGE,' a revolutionary marketing program to reward frequent fliers and 'AAIRPASS,' a concept that guarantees fixed personal and business air travel costs for periods ranging from five years to a lifetime.

On June 11, 1981, American established its first hub in Dallas/Fort Worth.American added 11 new cities in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Oregon and Florida and seven new routes to its system to strengthen its hub-and-spoke networks feeding into Chicago and Dallas/Fort Worth. Service was introduced in the fall to Denver, Kansas City and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico to expand the DFW hub. In June, American introduced service from Dallas/Fort Worth to Honolulu.

1982:
American welcomed its 500 millionth passenger on May 18, and introduced the Boeing 767 to its fleet.

American opened its Chicago hub in 1982.

In April, American introduced an aircraft and passenger interchange service with Alaska Airlines that linked Anchorage and Fairbanks with Houston and DFW, via Seattle, using Boeing 727 jets. American introduced daily service to London's Gatwick Airport from Dallas/Fort Worth, its first trans-Atlantic service since selling its American Overseas Airlines division in 1950.

On May 19, stockholders voted to approve a plan of reorganization, under which a new holding company, AMR Corporation, was formed and became the parent company to American Airlines, Inc. It was established for increased flexibility for financing and investment.

1983:
American announced in November an agreement with Pan American World Airways to exchange its eight Boeing 747s for 15 of Pan Am's McDonnell DC-10s.

American added the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 to its fleet, and called it the Super 80.

AMR Services was formed as a subsidiary on December 12, 1983, to provide services, including flight operations services, passenger services, cargo handling and warehousing, cabin services and facility cleaning, fuel services and aircraft handling service, operate flight service centers, market used aircraft, provide ground transportation services and offer security services.

1984:
On Feb. 29, American placed the largest single aircraft purchase in U.S. aviation history when it ordered 67 Super 80s and placed options on 100 more.

American introduced the American Eagle system -- a network of regional airlines fully integrated into the American Airlines domestic route system.

1985:
On Albert Casey's retirement in late February, Robert L. Crandall became the chairman and chief executive officer of AMR Corporation and American Airlines.

American announced the "Ultimate Super Saver" fare, began construction on new hubs in Nashville, Raleigh\Durham and San Juan, and unveiled its Senior SAAvers Club, which offered discounts to senior citizens.

European service was expanded in the spring to include nonstop service between DFW-Paris, DFW-Frankfurt and Chicago-Frankfurt.

American introduced Chicago-Honolulu service.

1986:
American opened its Nashville hub in April and its hub in San Juan in November.

American announced new international service to Zurich and Geneva, Switzerland and Tokyo, Japan.

American Airlines employees topped 50,000 for the first time.

American sold its subsidiary, Sky Chefs.

1987:
American announced that it would acquire two new types of long-range wide-body jets -- 25 A300-600ERs from Airbus Industrie for Caribbean service and 15 Boeing 767-300ERs for international routes.

American's international service took a new direction in May, when nonstop Dallas/Fort Worth-Tokyo service was inaugurated. American also added to its European network with service to Zurich and Geneva, and for the first time from New York to Paris and Frankfurt.

American's hub in Raleigh/Durham opened in June.

American announced that it would locate a new southeastern reservations office in Raleigh/Durham.

To obtain a rapid and large presence on the West Coast, AA merged with AirCal, a highly successful regional West Coast airline, in July.

Because of market changes, American began acquiring ownership of some of the Eagle carriers and established a new subsidiary, AMR Eagle, Inc.

1988:
American inaugurated three new European services on the same day, flying JFK-Zurich, DFW-Madrid and Raleigh/Durham-Paris. This brought American's European service to more than 100 flights per week, serving nine cities from four U.S. gateways.

Plans for significant expansion and a new reservations system in San Juan, Puerto Rico were announced.

1989:
American opened its seventh hub in Miami on Sept. 13.

American placed orders for eight McDonnell Douglas MD-11s, a long-range aircraft, with options for an additional 42, plus firm orders for 75 Fokker 100 short-range aircraft with an additional 75 options.

Construction began on American's second major maintenance base at Alliance Airport in Fort Worth. Ground was also broken in Fort Worth for CentrePort V, a 750,000-square-foot expansion of AMR's corporate headquarters complex. American announced a major expansion of its Tulsa maintenance base.

American put its first Boeing 757 into service.

 

With the exception of C.R. Smith, no other president of American Airlines made such an imprint on the company as Robert Crandall. Hired on March 21, 1973 as senior vice-president of finance, Robert Crandall became president of American Airlines in 1980 after Al Casey retired. For the next two decades, Crandall maneuvered American through the difficult times following deregulation of the airline industry and wide spread technological change. Known for his highly competitive nature, Robert Crandall retired from American Airlines in May 1998.


The piston powered Convair 240 of the 1940s made a comeback in the 1980s as the jet powered Convair 580. The CV-580 flew with American Eagle in the mid-1980s until replaced with the more modern Saab 340 in 1988.

 

The MD-80 is the backbone of the American Airlines fleet. American flies more than 270 MD-80 series aircraft — and is the world’s largest operator of the type. The first American MD-80 was delivered on May 12, 1983. The introduction of the MD-80 in the mid-1980s allowed American to rapidly expand its route system and fleet. In 1984, American operated a fleet of 244 aircraft by 1997 that number had grown to 649 aircraft, 250 of which were MD-80s

 

 

American Airline flight attendants entered the 1980s with a line of uniforms manufactured by fashion designer Joyce Dixon.

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1990's:

1990:
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held for: a $276 million expansion of American's facilities at DFW International Airport, a 72,000-square-foot expansion of the pilot-training facilities at American's Flight Academy, and a new $26 million reservations center in Tucson. A new state-of-the-art System Operations Control (SOC) center opened at the headquarters complex.

American introduced service to Sydney, Australia, via Honolulu, Chicago-Glasgow, Miami-Guatemala City, and launched service to 20 cities in 15 countries in Central and South America on routes acquired from Eastern Airlines. American also introduced Los Angeles-Hong Kong service under a code-sharing agreement with Cathay Pacific and Zurich-Budapest under an agreement with MALEV Hungarian Airlines.

International Flagship Service, American's premier international service, was introduced.

American's long-time president, C.R. Smith, died at the age of 90.

A new $10.5-million reservations center opened in San Juan.

1991:
The AADVANTAGE program, the first frequent flyer program in the airline industry, celebrated its 10th anniversary on Feb. 19.

American flew its one-billionth passenger on March 27.

American celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Dallas/Fort Worth hub in June and the fifth anniversary of its Nashville hub in April.

American's $26-million, 83,000-square-foot western reservations office, located in Tucson, opened in May.

American introduced nonstop service in July to London's Heathrow Airport from Boston, New York, Newark, Chicago and Miami. Service was also introduced from Los Angeles-Heathrow, JFK-London's Gatwick Airport, Chicago-Milan, Miami-Madrid and San Jose-Tokyo. The Heathrow routes were acquired from TWA.

American added the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 and Fokker 100 to its fleet.

1992:
On January 16, American officially opened Alliance Maintenance and Engineering Base, the first state-of-the-art airline maintenance facility to be built in the United States in more than 20 years. The Base is located in Fort Worth, Texas, at Alliance Airport, the United States' first industrial airport.

AMR Consulting Group, a new subsidiary, was formed to take advantage of a growing demand for consulting services in airline-related businesses.

American introduced American Flagship Service, a premium three-class Transcontinental service between Los Angeles and New York that allowed domestic to experience the comfort and quality of the carriers international service.

On April 9, American introduced the "Value Pricing" plan, a major revision to the fare structure designed to make fares simple, sensible and fair and to offer customers greater travel flexibility.

American continued its European growth by introducing new service in June 1992 from Chicago to Berlin and from Chicago to London's Stansted Airport. In March of 1992, American added service from Miami to Paris.

1993:
AMR Corporation formed the SABRE Technology Group, which includes under one umbrella AMR Information Services (AMRIS), SABRE Travel Information Network (S.T.I.N.) and SABRE Computer Services (SCS), plus newly formed SABRE Development Services and AMR Project Consulting and Risk Assessment units.

On April 29, American launched service from Dallas/Fort Worth to Brussels, its first new European service from DFW in five years.

On July 3, the American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum opened.

In July, AMR Corporation broadened the scope of its AMR Consulting Group subsidiary and renamed it AMR Training and Consulting Group.

In November, American announced codesharing agreements with two carriers,
British Midland and Gulf Air.

1994:
American in April signed a comprehensive, 20-year services agreement designed to give Canadian Airlines International access to state-of-the-art airline administrative services and computer technology.

On May 26, American introduced service between London's Gatwick Airport and its Nashville and Raleigh/Durham hubs. The airline also introduced service from Philadelphia to London's Heathrow Airport and increased frequencies between Heathrow and New York's JFK Airport. The expansion, and the introduction on June 16 of a second daily Chicago-Manchester flight, give American a total of 131 nonstop flights a week in the U.S.-U.K. market -- more service to Britain than any other U.S. airline.

International Flagship Service, American's premier international service, was introduced.

A new $10.5-million reservations center opened in San Juan.

1995:
American was named the "Best Airline for Domestic Flights" and announces major expansion of its U.S. - Canada operations. On Oct 24, American marked the 50th anniversary of the first American Overseas Airlines flight across the Atlantic.

American Eagle announced a $14 million expansion of its D/FW International Airport terminal facilities and adds 45 daily flights from D/FW. That same year on November 21, American Eagle boarded its 75 millionth passenger.

1996:
American announced that all flight to and from Europe, the Caribbean and leisure destinations in Mexico will become non-smoking flights. Ticketless travel and electronic gate readers were installed at American terminal facilities. Additionally, capabilities for passengers to use laptop computers in-flight and new navigation systems were installed in American aircraft.

In February, American announced a nearly $400 million program to enhance the airline's International Flagship Service and celebrated the 25th Anniversary of service to the Caribbean. On March 11, American launched the Net SAAvers program, allowing people to order tickets directly from American via the World Wide Web.

American's holding company, AMR completed an IPO of 18% of Sabre Group common stock - marking a further separation of SABRE and American Airlines.

1997:
American Airlines and Boeing finalized an innovative partnering relationship and American selected Rolls-Royce as the supplier of engines for all American Boeing 777s.

Installation of defibrillators on American's international fleet aircraft was completed and July 1, all American flights became non-smoking flights.

American's Net SAAver Fare e-mail program subscription list topped 1 million people.

American Eagle increased its capacity to the Bahamas by nearly 30% and the last Shorts 360 aircraft were replaced by more capable ATR-42 aircraft. Additionally, on June 17, American Eagle announced that it had placed an order for 67 50-seat Embraer region jets - the largest order for regional jets in the world at that time.

1998:
Robert Crandall retired as president of American Airlines on May 20. On that day Don Carty becomes President, CEO and Chairman of AMR. AMR sells the AMR Combs business unit to the BBA Group for $170 million. On Dec. 31, AMR closes the most profitable year in its history with $1.3 billion in earnings.

American and a group of major international air carriers announced the formation of oneworld, a global marketing and operational alliance between these carriers, on September 21. Additionally, American announces that it has formed a marketing agreement with Alaska Air and Horizon Air. American also announces that it will purchase Reno Air, a step to build up American's presence on the West Coast. American signs additionally orders for both the Boeing 777 and 737-800 in order to increase capacity and to accelerate the retirement of older aircraft.

American announced the addition of defibrillators to all of its aircraft, and said American Eagle would acquire small regional jets. Plans for a new Dallas reservations center also were announced.

American Eagle launches RJ service on May 15 between Chicago, Milwaukee, Cleveland and Cincinnati. In December, Eagle announces that it had purchased Business Express, a smaller regional airline with very strong ties to the northeast. American Eagle was also named as the regional airline of the year in 1998.

1999:

American dedicated the new Terminal B facilities at DFW and announced plans to build a new terminal at New York's JFK Airport, breaking ground in New York in November.

American also introduced the Boeing 777 and the 737-800 and completed the installation of defibrillators on all its aircraft. Also, American became the first airline to offer DVD in-flight video players on scheduled flights.

American began an expansion of its West Coast service, and American Eagle opened a new terminal in Los Angeles and took delivery of its first 37-seat Embraer ERJ-135.

2000's:

2000:

American announced More Room Throughout Coach, removing an average of two rows on every aircraft to add legroom throughout the entire coach cabin. American later decided to expand legroom in business class.

In March, American received the CIO Magazine's 2000 Web Business 50/50 Award for its AA.com web site.

AMR completed the spin-off of SABRE into its own company.

American announced plans to renovate Terminal B at Boston's Logan Airport and also announced the addition of fully flat Flagship Suite seating for its Boeing 777. Also, American named Alliance as the "maintenance home" for its 777 fleet.

2001:

In January, American's first aircraft featuring bigger overhead storage bins took to the skies. Also, American announced that it had agreed to purchase substantially all the assets of Trans World Airlines, Inc.

In April, American Airlines completed acquisition of TWA's assets. At about the same time, American opened a new Admirals Club and Lounge facilities at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport in memory of former Special Services employee Walter Henry Hagan.

American Eagle accepted delivery of 15 44-seat regional jets (ERJ-140) manufactured by Embraer of Brazil. American also announced plans to accelerate retirement of 36 aircraft -- 19 DC-9s, 12 Boeing 727s, 4 MD-11s and one Fokker 100.

American Airlines was recognized by the State of California EPA's 2001 Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards Program. The award complemented the previous Breath of Life Award, the Clean Cities Award at El Paso and the National Clean Cities Award received by American Airlines earlier this year.

In October, American announced that it will accelerate construction of its new $1.3 billion terminal at New York's JFK Airport, advancing the completion date nine months to September 2006.

2002:

On April 2, Gerard J. Arpey was elected President and Chief Operating Officer of American Airlines.

In April, American began daily nonstop Boeing 777 service between New York JFK and Tokyo, giving AA four U.S. gateways to Japan.

On April 30, American operated its final Boeing 727 passenger flight, marking the retirement of an airline industry workhorse by its largest operator. AA began flying the 727 in 1964 and was among the first to operate the airplane. At its peak, AA operated 182 Boeing 727s.

American was named to DiversityInc.com’s annual list of Top 50 Companies for Diversity, coming in 15th. AA was the only airline to make the list.

On August 1, American officially dedicated its $300 million improvement project at Los Angeles International Airport’s Terminal 4, culminating four years of work on what was the largest project of its type ever undertaken by a single carrier at LAX.

In a move to make popular Web fares more widely available to consumers while reducing its total distribution costs, American on Sept. 25, 2002, announced its innovative EveryFare program. With EveryFare, AA provides traditional travel agents in the U.S. and Canada the option to access and sell its very low Web fares, previously offered only via American’s own Web site, AA.com, and select low-cost distribution channels. In exchange, travel agents provide AA with long-term distribution cost savings through a creative cost-sharing arrangement.

2003:

On April 24, 2003, Edward A. Brennan was named Executive Chairman of AMR Corporation and Gerard J. Arpey became Chief Executive Officer and President of AMR.

In 2003, Gerard Arpey unveiled the “Turnaround Plan.” This four-part initiative became the blueprint for steering the company away from the brink of bankruptcy and securing its long-term future.

2004:

        On Jan. 14, 2004, American celebrated the 30th anniversary of operating the first commercial flight ever to carry passengers to the new Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The inaugural flight on Jan. 14, 1974, was AA Flight 341 from Memphis to DFW.

In April 2004, American began daily nonstop service between Los Angeles and Tokyo with Boeing 777 aircraft.

Gerard J. Arpey was elected Chairman of AMR Corporation and American Airlines, Inc., in May 2004.

        On July 10, 2004, Albert V. Casey, who served as Chairman and CEO of American from 1974 until 1985, died at his home in Dallas, Tex. He was 84.

        In June 2004, AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines and American Eagle, celebrated 65 years of being listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

 

2005:

        In July 2005, American opened the first phase of its new 1.5-million-square-foot terminal at New York’s Kennedy International Airport.

        In October 2005, American began operating from the new 2.1-million-square-foot International Terminal D at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

        On Nov. 14, 2005, American launched daily nonstop service between Chicago and Delhi, India, flying the 7,500 miles – AA’s longest nonstop route – with Boeing 777 aircraft. While planning for the new service, American relied on its Indian Employee Resource Group for advice on advertising and menu selections.

 

2006:

        In 2006, American celebrated the 25th anniversary of its AAdvantage program – the world’s first frequent flyer program that revolutionized the airline industry and set the standard for similar initiatives in many other businesses. AAdvantage began with 300,000 members. Today, it has more than 50 million members.

        On April 2, 2006, American launched its first-ever service to China by inaugurating a daily nonstop Boeing 777 flight between Chicago and Shanghai. It had taken 14 years of negotiations with U.S. and Chinese governments to gain authorization.

        On June 11, 2006, American celebrated 35 years of service to Puerto Rico, now the focal point of its Caribbean route network.

        On Sept. 20, 2006, Postmaster General Jack Potter joined Gerard Arpey to sign a new $500 million agreement with American Airlines to transport U.S. Mail. American had lost the contract in 2005. This renewal was due largely to the extraordinary efforts of employees in re-engineering American’s processes for handling U.S. mail.

        In October 2006, C.R. Smith, aviation pioneer and long-time head of American Airlines, was inducted into the Texas Transportation Hall of Honor.

2007:

        On Jan. 17, 2007, American relocated to Terminal 2 at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport. It was a move that significantly improved convenience for travelers to and from Japan by housing American and four of its fellow oneworld Alliance airlines in the same Narita facility.

        In May, 2007, American moved its international service at New York’s Kennedy International Airport into Concourse B of its new $1.3 billion JFK terminal. The new terminal is near a new U.S. Customs and Immigration facility. The move set the stage for improving the overall travel experience for passengers arriving into and departing from the JFK gateway.

        On May 19, 2007, American celebrated the 25th anniversary of its nonstop service between Dallas/Fort Worth and London. An American Boeing 747 operated the first DFW-London Gatwick trip on May 19, 1982.

        By June 2007, 79 lives had been saved using automatic external defibrillators.

        American announced plans to begin daily nonstop service between Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Buenos Aires, Argentina, effective Dec. 13, 2007.

        In September, 2007, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded American the tentative right to begin service between Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and Beijing, China, effective March 25, 2009. American already flies daily between Chicago O’Hare and Shanghai, China.

        In September, 2007, American marked its 65th anniversary of service to Mexico. The airline began serving Mexico on Sept. 6, 1942. Today, American and its regional affiliate, American Eagle, jointly offer more than 360 weekly flights between Mexico and the U.S. and serve 14 Mexican cities from five of their largest hubs.

        In October, 2007, American announced that it will begin nonstop service between Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Moscow, Russia, on June 2, 2009.

        On Oct. 26, 2007, American launched nonstop Boeing 767-300 service between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and London’s Stansted Airport.

        In November, 2007, AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines, announced that it plans to divest American Eagle, its wholly owned regional carrier. The company said it expects to complete the divestiture in 2008, but that the form of the divestiture is still under study.

        In 2007, American introduced new self-service machines equipped with both passport and barcode readers, opening a new world of possibilities for customers traveling on domestic and international e-tickets. The new, more reliable machines will also reduce annual maintenance costs.

        As of 2007, American had established agreements with 62 other airlines to provide aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul services. Working together, American and the Transportation Workers Union (TWU) bucked the industry’s outsourcing trend and brought in new customers to preserve jobs.

 

2008:

        In January 2008, employees at American’s Kansas City maintenance base completed the first aircraft installation of the Aircell Internet broadband connectivity solution. American is the first U.S. airline to offer the broadband solution. AA plans to install and test the technology in 2008 on all 15 of its Boeing 767-200 aircraft that primarily fly transcontinental routes.

        In January 2008, American introduced a mobile version of AA.com that allows customers to access many of the helpful features of AA.com via a Web-enabled cell phone or other Web-enabled device. With the mobile feature, customers can conveniently log on to AA.com wherever their cell phone or PDA works – in the middle of a city or miles out in the country, in the United States or overseas – without the need for a desktop or laptop computer.

        The American Airlines Cargo Division (AA Cargo) received the “International Airline of the Year” awards from the Delivery and Logistics Association at its annual AirCargo 2008 Conference in Orlando, Fla.

        In March 2008, American launched Travel Bag, a new application on the Facebook Platform that makes it easy for users to share travel experiences with friends in their network, offer and read reviews and comments on things such as restaurants and shops, and even create countdowns for upcoming events or trips to let friends know what they’re doing.

        In April 2008, American added another level of convenience, flexibility and choice for customers by offering the option to pay by electronic check when buying tickets on the airline’s AA.com Web site. This allows customers who purchase tickets at AA.com to pay directly from any personal bank account – such as a checking account or saving account – that is funded in United States dollars.

        In April 2008, American presented Golden Heart awards to 19 flight attendants who have administered emergency medical attention by using onboard defibrillators. In ceremonies for the awards, American and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents AA’s flight attendants, also honored the 82 people whose lives have been saved since American became the first airline to install defibrillators on its aircraft in 1997.

        In April 2008, American expanded the diversity and inclusion information on its AA.com Web site, further enhancing the airline industry’s most comprehensive online resource for such information. AA’s commitment to diversity and inclusion can be explored within the site’s “About Us” section, just one click from the home page.

        On May 1, 2008, American celebrated the 10th anniversary of its nonstop service between Chicago and Tokyo. AA opened the route on May 1, 1998.

        In May 2008, American served 260 cities (excluding codeshares with partner airlines) with 655 aircraft. American carries more passengers between the US and Latin America (12.1 million in 2004) than any other airline, and is also strong in the trans/inter/intracontinental market.

        On June 2, 2008, American launched its first-ever service between the U.S. and Russia with a daily nonstop Boeing 777 flight between Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow. AA became the first U.S. carrier to fly directly from Chicago to Domodedovo Airport.

        In June 2008, American added thousands of additional hotel properties to its AA.com Web site. Combined with a new Price-Match Guarantee and a No Cancellation or Change Fee policy on all hotel bookings, the added properties made AA.com an even more compelling customer resource for booking hotel stays.

        In June 2008, American celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Chefs’ Conclave, a program that enlists the expertise of prominent and well-respected chefs to help AA craft the direction of its inflight food service. American was the first airline to gather such culinary expertise when the Chefs’ Conclave was founded in 1988. The stars of today’s Conclave are Nancy Brussat of Convito Cafe’ & Market, Dean Fearing of Fearing’s, and Stephan Pyles of Stephan Pyles.

        On August 11, 2008, American and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s largest breast cancer organization, announced an expanded partnership with the unveiling of two specially co-branded aircraft – an American Airlines 757 and an American Eagle Embraer 145 – each incorporating the renowned vivid pink-ribbon motif. Under the broadened partnership, American becomes Komen for the Cure’s official airline and first-ever Lifetime Promise Partner. AA pledged to raise $1 million annually for eight years to fund Komen for the Cure’s first Promise Grant – a $7.5 million, five-year study to inflammatory breast cancer at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

        In August 2008, American announced it will take delivery of another six Boeing 737-800 aircraft in 2010, bringing the total of 737-800s to be delivered to American in 2009-2010 to 76 aircraft. AA also has firm commitments made previously for 11 737s in 2013. The announcement was another step in American’s fleet renewal plan designed to replace its MD-80 fleet with more fuel-efficient 737 aircraft while also lessening AA’s impact on the environment and continuing its investment in products and services for the benefit of customers.

        In August 2008, retired American Airlines Captain Dave Harris was honored by the Organization of Black Airline Pilots for being the first African-American to fly for a commercial airline. Capt. Harris retired from AA in 1994 after more than 30 years of service.

        In August 2008, American became the first airline to offer full in-flight internet in the U.S. when it launched the mobile broadband service, Gogo provided by Aircell, on its entire fleet of Boeing 767-200 aircraft.

        On Sept. 15, 2008, AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines, completed the sale of American Beacon Advisors, its wholly owned asset-management subsidiary, to Lighthouse Holdings, which is owned by investment funds affiliated with Pharos Capital Group and TPG Capital, two leading private equity firms. AMR received a total compensation of $480 million. While primarily a cash transaction, AMR will acquire a small equity stake in the parent company of Lighthouse Holdings. American Beacon will continue to provide a number of services for AMR and its affiliates.

        In September 2008, American announced that it had completed upgrades to its Boeing 777 fleet, giving premium customers greater comfort, flexibility, convenience and privacy. With the upgrades, all 47 Boeing 777 aircraft now feature luxurious Flagship Suite and next-generation Business Class.

        During September 2008, the American Airlines Cargo Division played a key role in bringing an extraordinary exhibition, Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharoahs, from London to the U.S. for an extended engagement at the Dallas Museum of Art. AA Cargo was entrusted with shipping more than 130 priceless artifacts.

        In late September 2008, American was preparing for the introduction of PriorityAAcess privileges for its top customers. PriorityAAccess is an array of enhancements designed to make the airport process and overall travel experience more convenient. It is aimed at American’s AAdvantage elite status members, First and Business Class travelers, AAirpass customers, and passengers traveling on full-fare Economy Class tickets.

        In late September, American wrote a letter to Congress supporting passage of the proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act. The letter noted that American was the first major airline to implement same-sex domestic partner benefits, first to implement both sexual orientation and gender identity in its workplace non-discrimination policies, and first to have a recognized LGBT employee resource group – GLEAM.

        On Oct. 15, 2008, American announced that it will enter a purchase agreement with Boeing to acquire 42 fuel-efficient Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, with rights to acquire up to 58 additional 787 aircraft. The initial 42 Boeing 787-9 aircraft is scheduled for delivery beginning in September 2012 and ending in 2018. The 58 additional 787 aircraft may be scheduled for delivery beginning in 2015 and ending in 2020.

        On Oct. 26, 2008, American relocated its operations at Raleigh/Durham International Airport into the airport’s new Terminal 2. American has been serving RDU since 1985.

        In October 2008, American Airlines Cargo Division announced its participation in the U.S. launch of an air cargo industry e-freight initiative which supports a move toward paperless documentation. E-freight eliminates the need to send 12 paper documents with air cargo shipments.

        On Nov. 13, 2008, American introduced mobile boarding passes at selected airports for use with mobile phones or PDAs. The service gives customers at select airports the choice to receive their boarding passes electronically on their mobile phones or PDAs.

        On Nov. 20, 2008, American Airlines Chairman and CEO Gerard Arpey was nominated Chairman of the Governing Board of oneworld, the leading quality global alliance. American is a founding member of oneworld.

        In December, 2008, American announced that it will begin daily nonstop service between Dallas/Fort Worth and Madrid, Spain, on May 1, 2009. Madrid will be American and American Eagle’s 34th international destination at the DFW hub.

        In December, 2008, American re-opened its Flagship Lounge in Concourse E at Miami International Airport.

2009:

        On Jan. 16, 2009, American announced that it had implemented an Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) in conjunction with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants and the Federal Aviation Administration. The safety partnership encourages flight attendants to voluntarily report safety-related information. AA’s program is the largest ASAP in the world.

        In January, 2009, American Airlines and NBC Universal announced that they had reached an agreement for inflight broadcast content starting on March 1, 2009.

        In February, 2009, American announced that its popular “Search by Price & Schedule” option on the AA.com Web site is now available in Spanish on AA.com en Español.

        On Feb. 3, 2009, American opened a new Admirals Club lounge at Washington Dulles International Airport as the last stage of AA’s relocation into Terminal B at Dulles.

        In February, 2009, American enhanced its “Remember Me” speech-recognition technology, making it more convenient than ever for customers who call to get departure gate, flight times and other information about upcoming trips.

        In February, 2009, the oneworld global alliance that includes American Airlines as a founding member marked its 10th anniversary.

 

 

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One of several types of aircraft used by American Eagle during the 1980s and 1990s, the BEa Jetstream Super 31 could carry 19 passengers.

 

 

 

American Airlines added the Boeing 757 to its fleet in 1989. The 757 shares the same fuselage width as the earlier Boeing 707 and in many ways the 757 is really a much more efficient, twin engined 707. Seating 176 passengers in a two-class configuration, American's 757s are used mostly on medium haul or high-density routes. Behind the MD-80, the 757 is the second most numerous aircraft in American’s fleet (American operates 102 Boeing 757s). To mark the 50th anniversary of the first American Airlines jet powered commercial flight, American painted a Boeing 757 in the 1959 paint scheme carried on American’s first Boeing 707. This "retro-jet" is seen at Dallas, TX in the spring of 1999 during a celebration of 50 years of jet service from Love Field.

 

 

 

Donald J. Carty
Chairman, President and CEO of AMR CORPORATION and AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC

 

 

 

This sleek twin engined regional airliner has opened new possibilities for American Eagle. The performance of the pure jet powered RJ-145 is unmatched by any turbo-prop, allowing it to fly higher, faster, farther and quieter than its propeller driven competition. The RJ-145 range has allowed Eagle to introduce much longer point-to-point routes than were practical with either the Saab 340 or the ATR-72 (D/FW to Milwaukee for example).