COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 488119

Other Airport Operations

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

38companies1920–1996founding years34still active4no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedQantas Airways Ltd.
1920
FoundedCeské aerolinie, a.s.
1923
FoundedDeutsche Lufthansa AG
1926
FoundedSerco Group plc
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
FoundedIcelandair
1937
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
FoundedAirborne Freight Corporation
1946
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedAll Nippon Airways Co., Ltd.FoundedGrupo Ferrovial, S.A.
1952
FoundedKuwait Airways CorporationFoundedTAROM S.A.
1954
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedEvergreen International Aviation, Inc.
1960
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedPenauille Polyservices SA
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
FoundedInternational Total Services, Inc.
1978
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedHong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd.FoundedThe Emirates Group
1985
FoundedBAA plc
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
FoundedNational Express Group PLC
1988
FoundedAS Estonian Air
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
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.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
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

Qantas Airways Ltd. →
Active · founded 1920 · Australia
Qantas Airways Ltd.
Qantas Airways Ltd. →
Active · founded 1920 · Australia
Qantas Airways Ltd.
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…
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…
Deutsche Lufthansa AG →
Active · founded 1926 · Germany
Deutsche Lufthansa AG (commonly referred to as Lufthansa) is the largest airline in Germany and one of the three…
Deutsche Lufthansa AG →
Active · founded 1926 · Germany
Deutsche Lufthansa AG (commonly referred to as Lufthansa) is the largest airline in Germany and one of the three…
Serco Group plc →
Active · founded 1929 · United Kingdom
Serco Group plc provides facilities management and other engineering services for a variety of governmental and…
Serco Group plc →
Active · founded 1929 · United Kingdom
Serco Group plc provides facilities management and other engineering services for a variety of governmental and…
Icelandair →
Active · founded 1937 · Iceland
Icelandair (Fluglei'ir hf.), Iceland's largest publicly traded company, has played off its unique mid-Atlantic location…
Icelandair →
Active · founded 1937 · Iceland
Icelandair (Fluglei'ir hf.), Iceland's largest publicly traded company, has played off its unique mid-Atlantic location…
Airborne Freight Corporation →
Active · founded 1946
Airborne Freight Corporation is the third largest express delivery company in the United States.
Airborne Freight Corporation →
Active · founded 1946
Airborne Freight Corporation is the third largest express delivery company in the United States.
All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1952 · Japan
All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd.
All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1952 · Japan
All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd.
Grupo Ferrovial, S.A. →
Active · founded 1952 · Spain
Grupo Ferrovial, S.A.
Grupo Ferrovial, S.A. →
Active · founded 1952 · Spain
Grupo Ferrovial, S.A.
Kuwait Airways Corporation →
Active · founded 1954 · State of Kuwait
Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) is the flag carrier of Kuwait.
Kuwait Airways Corporation →
Active · founded 1954 · State of Kuwait
Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) is the flag carrier of Kuwait.
TAROM S.A. →
Active · founded 1954 · Romania
TAROM S.A.
TAROM S.A. →
Active · founded 1954 · Romania
TAROM S.A.
Evergreen International Aviation, Inc. →
Active · founded 1960
The "airline's airline," Evergreen International Airlines, Inc.
Evergreen International Aviation, Inc. →
Active · founded 1960
The "airline's airline," Evergreen International Airlines, Inc.
Penauille Polyservices SA →
Active · founded 1970 · France
Fast-rising Penauille Polyservices SA is one of the world's leading commercial services companies, operating through…
Penauille Polyservices SA →
Active · founded 1970 · France
Fast-rising Penauille Polyservices SA is one of the world's leading commercial services companies, operating through…
International Total Services, Inc. →
Active · founded 1978
International Total Services, Inc.
International Total Services, Inc. →
Active · founded 1978
International Total Services, Inc.
Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd. →
Defunct · founded 1985 · Hong Kong
Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd., better known as Dragonair, is Hong Kong's second largest airline.
Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd. →
Defunct · founded 1985 · Hong Kong
Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd., better known as Dragonair, is Hong Kong's second largest airline.
The Emirates Group →
Active · founded 1985 · United Arab Emirates
The Emirates Group is composed of airport services provider DNATA (the Dubai National Air Transport Association) and…
The Emirates Group →
Active · founded 1985 · United Arab Emirates
The Emirates Group is composed of airport services provider DNATA (the Dubai National Air Transport Association) and…
BAA plc →
Active · founded 1987 · United Kingdom
BAA plc is a holding company for the world's largest organization of airports.
BAA plc →
Active · founded 1987 · United Kingdom
BAA plc is a holding company for the world's largest organization of airports.
National Express Group PLC →
Active · founded 1988 · United Kingdom
If you have ever used public transportation in the United Kingdom or Australia, or ridden on a school bus in the United…
National Express Group PLC →
Active · founded 1988 · United Kingdom
If you have ever used public transportation in the United Kingdom or Australia, or ridden on a school bus in the United…
AS Estonian Air →
Defunct · founded 1991 · Estonia
AS Estonian Air is the national airline of Estonia.
AS Estonian Air →
Defunct · founded 1991 · Estonia
AS Estonian Air is the national airline of Estonia.
Swissport International Ltd. →
Active · founded 1996 · Switzerland
Swissport International Ltd.
Swissport International Ltd. →
Active · founded 1996 · Switzerland
Swissport International Ltd.
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