Eastern Airlines rises from the ashes!

[insureman]

Not sure if anyone posted this, but a group has begun the process with the FAA to revive Eastern Airlines. For those old enough to remember, Eastern was a major transporter of passengers to Disney World and had it's own attraction "If you had Wings". Man, am I dating myself.
If you had wings on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vmfc8aVW-U
Eastern's new website.

 

[pieface]

It was a great airline loved to fly them I wish they were still around.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The website for the new Eastern Airlines is http://easternairlines.aero

The Miami-based startup air carrier will have the name and visual identity of Eastern Airlines, but otherwise won't have much in common with the once mighty Eastern Airlines. Initially, the new Eastern will begin as a charter operator, but the company hopes to launch scheduled service.

Time will tell if the new Eastern is able to survive. I wish them well. It will take more than name recognition (from people old enough to remember the old Eastern before it went bankrupt in 1991) to be a success.

It's alarming how little competition there is in the airline industry these days, with just four airlines controlling almost the entire U.S. airline industry: United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines (which is now the same company as US Airways, a brand that will disappear).

There have been around a half dozen attempts to a launch a new airline with the name and visual identity of PanAm (Pan American World Airways), the other great air carrier that went bankrupt in 1991. Some got off the ground, but subsequently failed.

 

[wiigirl]

It was a great airline loved to fly them I wish they were still around.

Me too...

 

[mm1971]

I remember flying Eastern when I was a kid and the "you've got wings" song is now stuck in my head for the next three weeks. It will be interesting to see if they actually get approval and up and running again. I wonder if it has something to do with all of the airline consolidations lately. Opens up some new space for additional airlines to give it a shot.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Does anyone remember DirectAir, Freedom Airlines, MetJet, new PanAm, MAXjet, ATA Airlines (was American Trans Air), or Skybus Airlines?

You'll probably find most of these by performing searches against the DISboards transportation forum.

Startup airlines have not done well in the 21st century. I'm sure there are others that I have not listed here.

JetBlue (which began service in 1998) is a happy exception.

 

[mm1971]

Does anyone remember DirectAir, Freedom Airlines, MetJet, new PanAm, MAXjet, ATA Airlines (was American Trans Air), or Skybus Airlines?

You'll probably find most of these by performing searches against the DISboards transportation forum.

Startup airlines have not done well in the 21st century. I'm sure there are others that I have not listed here.

JetBlue (which began service in 1998) is a happy exception.

I agree.

I do remember Skybus. The question is "would people view Eastern Airlines as a start up?" That may be why they are trying to revive the old brand. Just think how many people remember Eastern in a positive way. It may help to get them launched a little quicker than a new name/start up. I'll follow along with them as I find it interesting.

 

[cubsblue]

I remember two things about flying Eastern back in the early 70's. They had good breakfast (at least for a 5 year old) and they gave me pilot's wings. My review would have to be positive.

 

[ChrisFL]

Didn't Eastern get resurrected once in the 90's or am I imagining things?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Didn't Eastern get resurrected once in the 90's or am I imagining things?

You might be thinking of Kiwi Airlines (officially Kiwi International Airlines), which was founded by Eastern Airlines pilots who became "flightless birds" due to the shutdown of Eastern. Kiwi operated through most of the 1990s, but eventually failed.

 

[taylor3297]

Didn't Eastern get resurrected once in the 90's or am I imagining things?

No you aren't imagining things but cannot remember the date. I was on Easterns first flight from ATL to RDU when they began service again. When we landed at RDU, there was a small marching band, all kinds of people greeting us and refreshments.

Now who remembers Piedmont airlines?

 

[GOOFY D]

Wow, interesting. My Dad worked at Eastern for over 25 years (before their financial problems and takeover by Texas Air). We used to fly them often (and remember the wings).

 

[insureman]

My first flight was on Eastern to Navy boot camp in Orlando.

 

[Disneylover99]

We always flew Eastern in the late 70's. I think I still have an Eastern pin buried in my jewelry box.

 

[Jimsig]

Can't forget Midway airlines. There were two versions. First one from 1976 to 1991 and I believe every thing may have flow through Midway in CHI. The second lasted from 1993 to 2003 and all their flights connected through Raleigh/Durham. I actually flew one of the last flights on Midway 2 days before 9-11 from RDU to BOS, they flew there last flights the morning of 9-11. They shared the same terminal and gates with AA in BOS and the gate I landed at was right near the security the terrorists used that day doing a dry run at Logan. My now wife was waiting for me right at the gate when I arrived and we often wondered if they walked right by us.

 

[Planogirl]

We regularly flew Texas International and then Continental. Now it's really down to Southwest for us.

There is also Frontier in the west which we've enjoyed. I think that they are still independent.

I'd be excited to see another airline rise!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

As I noted earlier in this thread, there are four mega-airlines in the United States: American Airlines (which is now the same company as US Airways, a brand that will disappear), Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines.

There are seven independent airlines of any real consequence in the United States: JetBlue Airways, Alaska Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Allegiant Air, and Virgin America.

Then there are companies such as SkyWest Airlines and Republic Airlines that operate regional jet services for the major airlines, flying under such brands as American Eagle and United Express.

Nearly at the bottom are charter airlines. Small charter airlines own just a single aircraft -- and that's where the new Eastern Airlines falls in.

Even lower than that are the "virtual" airlines, such MetJet, which went out of business last year after operating without even owning or leasing an aircraft. MetJet chartered Sun Country to operate its flights, using aircraft painted in Sun Country livery.

I hope the new Eastern is successful. It will be hard to break into the "major leagues" of air carriers. Buying the rights to the Eastern Airlines name and graphic identify appears to have been a smart move. We wouldn't even be discussing the new Eastern if it wasn't for that.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

We regularly flew Texas International and then Continental. Now it's really down to Southwest for us.

There is also Frontier in the west which we've enjoyed. I think that they are still independent.

I'd be excited to see another airline rise!

Frontier just sold to spirit...an airline that has consistently circled the bowl

Horrid...the charge you for toilet paper and oxygen in the cabin

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Frontier just sold to spirit...an airline that has consistently circled the bowl

Horrid...the charge you for toilet paper and oxygen in the cabin

Frontier Airlines was not sold to Spirit Airlines. There are no plans to merge Frontier into Spirit.

Republic Airways Holdings Inc., which owned Frontier, sold Frontier to Indigo Partners, a private investment group led by former Spirit chairman William Franke. The deal was announced in October 2013 and closed in December 2013.

Franke is applying the formula that worked at Spirit, turning Frontier into an ultra-low-cost carrier similar to Spirit.

I guess I'll add Frontier to the short list of airlines that I will absolutely avoid.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Frontier Airlines was not sold to Spirit Airlines. There are no plans to merge Frontier into Spirit.

Republic Airways Holdings Inc., which owned Frontier, sold Frontier to Indigo Partners, a private investment group led by former Spirit chairman William Franke. The deal was announced in October 2013 and closed in December 2013.

Franke is applying the formula that worked at Spirit, turning Frontier into an ultra-low-cost carrier similar to Spirit.

I guess I'll add Frontier to the short list of airlines that I will absolutely avoid.

You're right...I fell for the hook of the news story when that happened - republic and spirit in the same sentence.

Either way...it ain't good for the passenger...as always