COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 481211

Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

49companies1919–2001founding years49still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedFlying Boat, Inc. (Chalk's Ocean Airways)
1919
FoundedFinnair Oyj
1923
FoundedLan Chile S.A.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedAir Canada
1937
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedBraathens ASAFoundedThe SAS Group
1946
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedPetroleum Helicopters, Inc.
1949
FoundedBristow Helicopters Ltd.
1953
FoundedTAROM S.A.
1954
FoundedAustrian Airlines AG (Österreichische Luftverkehrs AG)
1957
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedEvergreen International Aviation, Inc.
1960
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedExecutive Jet, Inc.
1964
FoundedBahamas Air Holdings Ltd.
1970
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
FoundedSwiss International Air Lines Ltd.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
FoundedAir Methods Corporation
1980
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedHong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd.
1985
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
FoundedAS Estonian Air
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
FoundedSterling European Airlines A/S
1994
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Flying Boat, Inc. (Chalk's Ocean Airways) →
Active · founded 1919
Flying Boat, Inc., which does business under the trade name Chalk's Ocean Airways, is the world's top seaplane airline.
Ceské aerolinie, a.s. →
Active · founded 1923 · Czech Republic
Ceské aerolinie, a.s., also called Czech Airlines or CSA, flies to approximately 70 destinations in more than 40…
Finnair Oyj →
Active · founded 1923 · Finland
Based in Helsinki, Finnair Oyj is the national airline of Finland and the fifth oldest airline in the world.
Sabena S.A./N.V. →
Active · founded 1923 · Belgium
Sabena S.A./N.V.
LOT Polish Airlines (Polskie Linie Lotnicze S.A.) →
Active · founded 1929 · Poland
Polskie Linie Lotnicze S.A., or LOT Polish Airlines, was the first airline in Eastern Europe to ditch its fleet of old…
Lan Chile S.A. →
Active · founded 1929 · Chile
Four million passengers a year fly Lan Chile S.A., or LanChile as it has been styling itself since the mid-1990s.
SAA (Pty) Ltd. →
Active · founded 1934 · South Africa
SAA (Pty) Ltd., better known as South African Airways, is the largest domestic carrier in South Africa, operating 575…
Aer Lingus Group plc →
Active · founded 1936 · Ireland
A relatively late starter among European flag carriers, Aer Lingus Group plc has grown quickly in its first few decades…
Air Canada →
Active · founded 1937 · Canada
Air Canada is the only national, full-service airline based in Canada.
Icelandair →
Active · founded 1937 · Iceland
Icelandair (Fluglei'ir hf.), Iceland's largest publicly traded company, has played off its unique mid-Atlantic location…
Braathens ASA →
Active · founded 1946 · Norway
Braathens ASA is Norway's largest airline.
Bradley Air Services Ltd. →
Active · founded 1946 · Canada
Bradley Air Services Ltd.
Kenmore Air Harbor Inc. →
Active · founded 1946
Kenmore Air Harbor Inc.
The SAS Group →
Active · founded 1946 · Sweden
The SAS Group is made up of the Scandinavian Airlines System and SAS International Hotels d.b.a.
Société Luxembourgeoise de Navigation Aérienne S.A. →
Active · founded 1948 · Luxembourg
Société Luxembourgeoise de Navigation Aérienne S.A.
Société Tunisienne de l'Air-Tunisair →
Active · founded 1948 · Tunisia
Société Tunisienne de l'Air-Tunisair (Tunisair) is Tunisia's state-sponsored international airline.
Petroleum Helicopters, Inc. →
Active · founded 1949
Petroleum Helicopters, Inc.
Seneca Foods Corporation →
Active · founded 1949
A familiar name to consumers throughout the United States, Seneca Foods Corporation processes vegetables and fruits,…
All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1952 · Japan
All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd.
Bristow Helicopters Ltd. →
Active · founded 1953 · United Kingdom
Bristow Helicopters Ltd.
Japan Airlines Company, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1953 · Japan
Japan Airlines Company, Ltd.
TAROM S.A. →
Active · founded 1954 · Romania
TAROM S.A.
Pakistan International Airlines Corporation →
Active · founded 1955 · Pakistan
Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (PIA) is the flag carrier of Pakistan, whose government owns 85 percent of…
TransBrasil S/A Linhas Aéreas →
Active · founded 1955 · Brazil
TransBrasil S/A Linhas Aéreas, Brazil's third-largest airline, flies about three million passengers a year.
Austrian Airlines AG (Österreichische Luftverkehrs AG) →
Active · founded 1957 · Austria
Austrian Airlines AG (Österreichische Luftverkehrs AG) has traditionally been known as 'little brother' to its German…
Royal Nepal Airline Corporation →
Active · founded 1958 · Nepal
Royal Nepal Airline Corporation (RNAC) is the state airline of Nepal, and one of the driving forces behind the…
China Airlines →
Active · founded 1959 · Taiwan
Although China Airlines (CAL) became something of a pariah when the United Nations recognized the People's Republic of…
Evergreen International Aviation, Inc. →
Active · founded 1960
The "airline's airline," Evergreen International Airlines, Inc.
TAM Linhas Aéreas S.A. →
Active · founded 1961 · Brazil
TAM Linhas Aéreas S.A.
Executive Jet, Inc. →
Active · founded 1964
Executive Jet, Inc.
Air Mauritius Ltd. →
Active · founded 1967 · Mauritius
Air Mauritius Ltd.
Offshore Logistics, Inc. →
Active · founded 1969
Offshore Logistics, Inc., with headquarters in Lafayette, Louisiana, provides a variety of services to the petroleum…
Bahamas Air Holdings Ltd. →
Active · founded 1970 · Bahamas
Bahamas Air Holdings Ltd., or Bahamasair, is the national airline of the Bahamas.
Amtran, Inc. →
Active · founded 1973
Amtran, Inc.
CHC Helicopter Corporation →
Active · founded 1975 · Canada
CHC Helicopter Corporation is the largest provider of helicopter support to the world's offshore oil industry.
Swiss International Air Lines Ltd. →
Active · founded 1975 · Switzerland
Swiss International Air Lines Ltd.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation →
Active · founded 1978
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, a medium-sized company located in Savannah, Georgia, is a world leader in the design,…
Lauda Air Luftfahrt AG →
Active · founded 1979 · Austria
Lauda Air Luftfahrt AG is a unit of Austrian Airlines Group specializing in charters and Far East travel.
Air Methods Corporation →
Active · founded 1980
Air Methods Corporation is one of the world's leading airborne healthcare companies, providing air medical emergency…
Mesa Air Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1983
Five million passengers a year fly Mesa Air Group, Inc., although they may not know it by name: the company operates…
Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd. →
Active · founded 1985 · Hong Kong
Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd., better known as Dragonair, is Hong Kong's second largest airline.
China Eastern Airlines Co. Ltd. →
Active · founded 1988 · China
China Eastern Air Co.
EVA Airways Corporation →
Active · founded 1989 · Taiwan
EVA Airways Corporation, or EVA Air, is Taiwan's second largest airline.
AS Estonian Air →
Active · founded 1991 · Estonia
AS Estonian Air is the national airline of Estonia.
Air Berlin GmbH & Co. Luftverkehrs KG →
Active · founded 1991 · Germany
Air Berlin GmbH & Co.
Air Sahara Limited →
Active · founded 1993 · India
Air Sahara Limited is a leading private airline in India, owned by the diversified Sahara India Parivar group.
Sterling European Airlines A/S →
Active · founded 1994 · Denmark
Sterling European Airlines A/S (SEA) is Scandinavia's leading low-fare airline.
WestJet Airlines Ltd. →
Active · founded 1994 · Canada
WestJet Airlines Ltd.
Société d'Exploitation AOM Air Liberté SA (AirLib) →
Active · founded 2001 · France
Société d'Exploitation AOM Air Liberté SA (AirLib) is France's second largest airline.
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