Enplanements in 1996, the first full year of service, total 90,907. Customer bookings accelerate to 94,322 during 1997.
Destinations visited in 1998-1999 continue include Iquique, Calama, Antofagasta, Copiapo, La Serena, Vina del Mar, Santiago, Talca, Chillan, Los Angeles, Concepcion, Temuco, Valdivia, Puerto Montt, Chaiten, Coyaique, and Puerto Natales.
ALTAFLIGHTS (CHARTERS), LTD.: P. O. Box 983, Edmonton International Airport, Edmonton, Alberta, T5J 2T2, Canada; Phone (403) 890-1330; Fax (403) 890-1331; Http://www. altaflights. com; Code AL; Year Founded 1995. AF(C) is established at Edmonton in 1995 to offer nonscheduled passenger and cargo services to points in the nation’s prairie and northern regions. Operations begin with a fleet that includes 2 Piper PA-34 Senecas, 3 Piper PA-31-310 Navajos, 1 Swearingen Metro II, and 6 small Cessnas.
Over the next five years, the company’s nonscheduled business expands and the concern enters the aircraft-leasing arena. To provide specific lift, Telford Resources, Ltd. purchases a 65% majority stake. As the new millennium approaches, the fleet includes 5 Fairchild Metroliner Ills, 1 Beech Super King Air, 2 Cessna 402s, 1 C-414, and 4 C-208 Caravans.
On May 3, 2000, Northern Alberta’s largest charter company purchases 9 Metro 23 s, previously operated by China Hainan Airlines Company, Ltd., from Fairchild Aerospace. Four serve as Metro III replacements and 5 are resold.
An expanded hanger facility is opened on the north side of Edmonton International Airport on June 10.
Company aircraft transport 67 Alberta firefighters to Missoula on August 9 to help fight the huge Montana wildfires.
ALTAI AIRLINES: Barnaui Aeroport, Barnaui 30, Altaiski Region, 656030, Russia; Phone 7 (382) 224 383; Code BZN1; Year Founded 1997. In 1997, Barnaul State Aviation Enterprise is reformed into a private stock company and renamed. It continues its original mission of providing both scheduled and charter passenger and cargo services to local and regional destinations. Andrei A. Frolov remains as director general and his fleet includes 4 Antonov An-26Bs, 5 Let L-401UVPs, 1 Tupolev Tu-154B, and 12 Yakovlev Yak-40s.
Service is maintained in 1998-1999. In early 2000, charges of fraud are made against the airline’s administration. On May 25, the carrier is declared bankrupt.
Unable to reorganize in a manner sufficient to meet Federal FSVT administrative and safety requirements, the company is put on notice that it will be shut down and liquidated on June 21. Support is rallied and termination is avoided.
As part of a developing relationship between Barnaul and Iraq, Altai, on behalf of the Russian Committee of Solidarity with the Iraqi People, undertakes an An-26B humanitarian flight to Baghdad on October 29. In addition to medical and educational supplies, the flight, unsanctioned by the UN, also takes along representatives from various local corporations who seek to upgrade business contacts.
ALTAIR: United States (1963-1966). During the early summer of 1963, Altair, Inc., the FBO at Frederick, Oklahoma, establishes a commuter airline division to provide scheduled regional passenger and cargo services. Certified by the FAA on August 6, the company inaugurates Cessna 205 revenue flights to Altus, Elk City, Clinton, Lawton, Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Wichita Falls.
Operations continue until 1966.
ALTAIR AIRLINES: United States (1966-1982). Altair is organized at Philadelphia by Tristram C. Colket Jr. on November 4, 1966. Like the Oklahoma commuter noted above, this concern is also named for a star in the Aquila (eagle) constellation. Early in 1967, the new company begins Beech B-80 Queen Air scheduled air taxi service on routes to Scranton, Richmond, and White Plains. The commuter grows steadily through the remainder of the decade and into the 1970s.
Direct flights begin on October 2, 1972, from Philadelphia to Islip, New York, and Bridgeport, Connecticut. Operations continue apace without incident in 1973-1976.
While on initial approach on April 9, 1977, a Nord 262A on a ferry flight with three crew collides at 4,500-ft. with a Cessna 195 with one pilot. Both aircraft crash 6 mi. S of Reading and there are no survivors.
Enplanements for the year total 170,177.
During 1978, the year the Airline Deregulation Act becomes federal law, Altair flies a record 195,156 customers with its fleet of 6 Aerospatiale Nord 262s and 6 Beech 99s.
Passenger boardings jump 12.1% to 195,156 while freight traffic rises 4.2% to 217,709 pounds.
Founder and President Colker becomes CEO/board chairman in 1979, being succeeded as president by Michael L. Lehrman. The decision is taken to acquire jet equipment and orders are placed for 3 Fokker F.28-4000s.
Enplanements rise by 30.7% to 257,000. Still, losses are suffered: $2.95 million (operating) and $3.33 million (net).
Altair is subjected to a strike on April 13, 1980 by members of the local chapter of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. The job action will be terminated by a mediated agreement reached on August 20.
Despite the acquisition of 3 Fokker F.28-4000s, the company, in opening its new jetliner service on October 15, has chosen to compete on routes already flown by the larger USAir and Piedmont Airlines (1).
As a result, passenger traffic drops a sharp 38.9% to 182,552; cargo is also down, by 30%, to 141,378 pounds. The traffic decline coupled with higher fuel prices and recession results in a jump in expenses of 42.07% to $18.94 million when overall operating income is up by just 2% to $10.58 million. The operating loss deepens to $8.36 million and a $9.6-million net loss must be reported.
The workforce totals 481 at the start of 1981. Henry T. Hill succeeds Michael Lehrman as CEO and after the PATCO air traffic controllers’ strike is resolved, Altair expands its Florida and East Coast corridor route network, hubbing on Philadelphia. Three more F.28-4000s are placed into operation along with 4 Douglas DC-9-31s leased from Air Canada, Ltd. as the last Nord 262 is sold and orders are placed for 6 Douglas DC-9-32s.
As a result of this capacity and good fortune, enplanements rise a dramatic 27.6% to 232,876 and cargo skyrockets an unbelievable 790.9% to 143,000 FTKs. Still, most of this success came before the PATCO air traffic controllers’ strike and subsequent FAA ATC service cutback. The carrier now goes into a fiscal tailspin.
The financial exigencies of deregulation and the reversals of 1981 prove fatal in 1982. Severe cash-flow problems are encountered and even though 371,000 passengers (down 5.3%) are flown by September (including a number over a new route to Providence, Rhode Island, initiated in February), the carrier cannot go any further.
Having lost a reported $34 million in two years, Altair ceases operations on November 9 and files for Chapter XI bankruptcy protection two days later, owing its creditors more than $2.6 million. Flights to 16 East Coast cities are affected and 652 employees are put out of work.
ALTAIR LINEE AEREE, S. p.A.: Italy (1980-1986). Established at Parma in late 1980, privately owned ALA is established to offer package holiday and inclusive-tour flights to resort areas in Britain, the continent, and throughout Italy. A fleet of 3 Sud-Est SE-210 Caravelle XBs and 2 Caravelle IIIs is assembled, allowing revenue flight operations to commence in March 1981 and continue without incident in 1982.
While on its takeoff roll from Milan on July 2, 1983, an SE-210 Car-avelle III with 7 crew and 82 passengers suffers an uncontained engine failure that necessitates an immediate abort. Although the aircraft is damaged, no injuries are reported.
Services continue but deteriorate in mid-decade in the face of a growing recession. Operations halt in 1986.
ALTUS AIRLINES: United States (1963-1989). Altus Flying Service is organized at the airport of its Oklahoma namesake in the summer of 1963 to offer scheduled passenger and cargo services to destinations in the southwest part of the state. Employing Piper lightplanes, revenue services commence on August 6.
Operations continue apace during the remainder of the decade and into the 1970s, by which time the company has been reformed into Altus Airlines, a certified commuter. The fleet is expanded during these years by the addition of Cessna 402s and Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders and destinations visited now include Lawton, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Tulsa, and Wichita.
Although charters are offered, scheduled services are suspended between November 1974 and 1982. President Richard Maffry resumes scheduled offerings in midyear, flying 1 Cessna 402 over a single round-trip daily route to Oklahoma City.
Just after takeoff from Altus on February 6, 1985, a Cessna 402, with 1 pilot and 1 passenger, suffers the failure of its left engine; while attempting a return to its point of origin, the aircraft crashes and there are no survivors.
Also in February, Altus is purchased by John Gover, who increases the company fleet to 4 C-402s. Roundtrip scheduled services are resumed, eight per week-day between Oklahoma and Dallas-Fort Worth and four per day on weekends.
During the summer of 1987, Altus signs up with Braniff, Inc. to offer “Braniff Express” feeder services at Oklahoma City. These continue until the major partner goes out of business on September 28, 1989 taking its Altus affiliate with it.
ALYESKA AIR SERVICE: United States (1982-1989). Kenneth Triplett founds AAS at Anchorage in 1982 to provide scheduled passenger and cargo flights to local communities and bush destinations. Revenue flights commence with Piper and Cessna lightplanes and continue apace until the company encounters regulatory difficulties at decade’s end.
Alyeska’s certificate is pulled by the FAA on July 7, 1989.
ALYEMDA DEMOCRATIC YEMEN AIRLINES: South Yemen, (1971-1996). The new national carrier of the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen, or South Yemen, is formed under a presidential decree at Khormaksar Airport on March 11, 1971. The new entrant replaces Brothers Air Services Company, Ltd. (BASCO) formed four years earlier.
Employing BASCO’s 3 Douglas DC-3 and DC-6B, Alyemda launches operations the next day over the former routes pioneered by Aden Airways, Ltd.
On August 22, 1972, the DC-6B en route from Beirut to Cairo with 59 aboard is hijacked by two men and a woman and forced to fly to Benghazi, Libya, via Nicosia, Cyprus; there the pirates surrender to Libyan authorities.
Gunman Ytemeni N. A. A. Bakr hijacks the same DC-6B with 15 passengers en route from Yemen to Ethiopia on August 25, 1973, and diverts it to Kuwait; there the pirate surrenders after receiving promises from his government to investigate certain problems in Yemen. Stolen twice in a year, the Douglas is returned to service in early September. It is now joined by a DC-6A and a second DC-6B.
The carrier’s first Boeing 720B, previously operated by American Airlines, is delivered on November 25, 1974 and employed early in 1975 to launch daily service to Jeddah. Expatriate British and Pakistani crews operate the new jet on Alyemda’s behalf.
In 1976-1978, General Manager Ahmed Masood Alalwani’s carrier employs 801 workers and possesses a fleet comprising 1 B-707-336C, 1 B-720B, 1 DC-6A/B, 1 DC-6Bs, and 4 DC-3s. The original DC-6B is retired during the former year.
A DC-3 with 3 crew and 16 passengers crashes into the sea off Aden on March 1, 1977; there are no survivors.
During 1979-1981, the airline’s average annual enplanement is 190,000. Airline employment reaches 1,180 and the fleet is altered to include 1 each B-707-336C, B-707-369C, and Tupolev Tu-154M. Regular domestic services are maintained along with flights to 12 destinations in the Middle East, India, and Bulgaria. The first of 2 new de Havilland Canada DHC-7-103s arrives in June of the latter year.
A B-707-348C is destroyed at Damascus on January 26, 1982; there is no other information concerning the loss.
While on final approach to Aden on May 9 a DHC-7-103 with 4 crew and 45 passengers suddenly loses power and crashes into the sea 2 km. short of the runway (23 dead).
The original Dash 7 must be written off following a nonfatal crash at Aden in July.
Operations continue apace in 1983 and destinations visited include Abu Dhabi, Addis Ababa, Al Ghayday, Beihan, Bombay, Damascus, Djibouti, Jeddah, Kuwait, Mogadishu, Qishn, Riyan, Sana’a, Seiyan, Sharjah, and Socotra.
En route from Aden to Kuwait on January 20 the B-707-369C with 50 passengers is hijacked by 3 gunmen, who divert it to Djibouti. There the pirates surrender and they will receive suspended prison sentences.
In 1984, 2 B-737-2R4CAs join the fleet, paid for in cash, along with 2 replacement DHC-7-103s. Enplanements total 122,000 and a $13-million operating profit is reported.
Frequencies are maintained in 1985 and a new international terminal building is inaugurated at the carrier’s Khormaksar International Airport base at Aden.
In January 1986, Chairman and Managing Director Abdulla Ali Abdulla’s carrier suspends operations and flees the country when civil disturbances destroy the workshops and stores at the Aden base. Six aircraft that are overseas are spared, as well as a DHC-7-103 stored in an undamaged hangar.
When the fighting stops, Technical Director Saeed Nagi Sinan becomes acting CEO and is faced with the task of repairing the terminal building, establishing workshops in temporary quarters, and the reestablishment of a pool of supplies. Chairman Ali Abdulla returns to duty and revenues for the year total $4.6 million.
Operations resume in 1987 and with the assistance of Boeing Aircraft Company, Alyemda is able to reprovision the airline; enplanements are slightly over 70,000 and revenues are $7 million.
The fleet in 1988 includes 1 B-707-336C, 1 B-707-369C, 2 B-737-2R4CAs, and 2 DHC-7-103s; the Soviet equipment is temporarily withdrawn. Passenger boardings climb to 104,200 and revenues total $10 million.
During the spring of 1989, a new route is inaugurated to Moscow via Athens. Orders are placed for 2 B-737-2R4CAs, with a third of the financing coming from the airline and two-thirds from the Central Bank of Yemen. Operations continue apace during 1990 and in April, the carrier agrees to coordinate its services with Yemenia Airways Corporation, the North Yemen airline. The People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen is united with the Yemen Arab Republic to form the Republic of Yemen in May of the same year.
In 1991, the fleet includes 2 B-737-2R4CAs, and 1 Tu-154M. Enplanements in the latter year total just 90,620, due largely to domestic and regional political crises.
Orders are placed in 1992 for 2 A310-304s. In October, a proposal is made to merge Yemenia Airways Corporation, the flag airline of the former Yemen Arab Republic, with Alyemda (Democratic Republic Airlines) to form Alyemda-Air Yemen. Abdulla Ali Abdulla of Alyemda would be appointed chairman of the combined operation and flights would continue over the previous routes of the partners, now made into one network. An agreement is sought with the Saudi government, which would sell its 49% interest in Yemenia Airways Corporation.
The proposal goes unfulfilled and, in 1993, Chairman Ali Abdulla’s company continues to fly independently with a fleet of 2 Boeing 737-2R4CAs, 1 Douglas DC-6, 1 Antonov An-12, and 1 An-26. The B-707-336C and B-707-369C are now employed as freighters.
In storage at Frankfurt, Germany, since December 1990 when it could not be delivered to Air Algerie, S. A., the first of 2 A310-304s is leased to the company by Airbus Industrie on June 22.
The workforce now stands at 1,258 as a new service is inaugurated to London. In July, a contract is signed with Royal Jordanian Airlines for the technical support of the airline’s 2 Airbuses.
The new London route is almost singly responsible for a 60.6% jump in passenger boardings to 230,000. A $1.84-million profit is generated because of this good partnership.
Technical Director Sinan is elevated to the post of chairman/CEO in September 1994, succeeding Chairman Abdulla. In December, the carrier is renamed Alyemen Yemen Airlines.
Operations continue apace in 1995 and the union with Yemenia Airways Corporation is finally completed on May 26, 1996 and the two are reconstituted as Yemenia (Yemen Airways).
World History
