This member of the TEA Group is established at Rome in early 1989 to offer inclusive-tour services to destinations in North Africa and the Mediterranean. The fleet is equipped with 3 Boeing 737-3M8s and begins operations in late fall.
The company is not strong enough to continue on its own and ceases trading shortly after the failure of its Belgian parent in September 1991.
TRANS EUROPEAN AIRWAYS-U. K., LTD.: United Kingdom (1989-1991). The failed British charter operation Mediterranean Express, Ltd. is acquired by the TEA Group in January 1989 and is reformed at Birmingham as TEA U. K., Ltd. The company is equipped with 2 leased Boeing 737-3Y0s and 1 B-737-2M8, which is almost immediately leased to G. B. Airways, Ltd. of Gibraltar. Operations to European destinations commence in the fall.
The company is not strong enough to continue on its own and ceases trading shortly after the failure of its Belgian parent in September 1991. For the second time in three years, the carrier is bought out of liquidation, this time by the investment group 3i and Air Malta, Ltd., both of which take 30% shareholding, and its TEAU. K., Ltd. managers, who secure the remaining stake and reform the company as Excalibur Airways, Ltd.
TRANS EXEC AIR SERVICE: 2828 Donald Douglas Loop North, Santa Monica, California 90405, United States; Phone (310) 3999435; Fax (310) 392-2474; Year Founded 1979. David L. Bilson founds Trans Exec at Santa Monica in 1979 to provide executive and small group passenger charters, initially in support of the motion picture industry. It will also undertake passenger transfer and aerial photography with helicopters. Over the next 20 years, the company grows to a point where it is operating not only within the U. S., but to destinations worldwide, from bases at Santa Monica and Van Nuys.
In 2000, President Bilson employs 10 pilots, who, from Santa Monica, operate 1 each IAI 1124 Westwind I and Cessna 501 Citation I, plus 1 each August A-109 and Bell 206B JetRanger. Another Westwind I is stationed at Van Nuys, along with two Grumman G-1159 Gulf-stream IIs.
One of the Gulfstream IIs overshoots the runway while landing at Van Nuys on February 18 and crashes into four small aircraft and a truck. Although all of the aircraft and the ground vehicle are seriously damaged, no injuries are reported.
TRANS FLORIDA AIRLINES: P. O. Box 10150, Daytona Beach, Florida 32120, United States; Phone (904) 252-3053; Fax (904) 2520037; Code TF; Year Founded 1966. Originally estbalished by Robert
D. Willman at Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1964 as the FBO Daytona Aviation, this concern diversifies in 1966, after obtaining an FAA FAR 121 airline certificate. Privately funded, the new supplemental air-charter carrier inaugurates contract and charter Douglas DC-3 flights in 1967 to destinations throughout Central America, the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the southeast U. S. A flight school is opened in 1968 and, between 1973 and 1975, Trans Florida provides life for the affiliated travel club Holiday Hunters, employing a former Trans World Airlines (TWA) Lockheed L-049 Constellation. The Connie is sold to a Dominican Republic firm in 1976, the FBO is shut down in 1977, and the ground school closes in 1978. All of these late 1970s actions occur as the concern’s passenger charter business grows.
The first Convair CV-240 is acquired in 1979 and is employed to initiate return charter flights to the Bahamas on behalf of the gambling industry. During the next decade, the fleet grows to include 4 CV-240s and 1Vickers Viscount 700.
The first Convair freighter is introduced in 1991, a year after the Vickers is withdrawn. In 1993, the Federal Aviation Administration mandates that all aircraft with more than nine seats in commercial passenger service be outfitted with TCAS warning gear. As the cost of the installation of such equipment aboard a TFA CV-240 would exceed the cost of the entire aircraft, President Willman exits the holiday charter business to concentrate exclusively on freight. In 1994, the bulk of the fleet is transferred to San Juan and begins the operation of feeder flights on behalf of Federal Express (FedEx) and Silver Express.
By 1998, President Willman oversees a workforce of 25 and a fleet of 4 CV-240s (2 are parked for cannibalization of spare parts) and 3 CV-240Fs. Just after takeoff from San Juan on September 24, a CV-240 with two crew and a passenger elects to return to its point of origin. The aircraft turns to land on Runway 28, but loses altitude and crashes. Although no fatalities occur, the plane is destroyed beyond repair.
Service is maintained in 1999-2000, during which years the active fleet is reduced to just the 3 CV-240Fs and 1 CV-240. Destinations served from San Juan include Borinquen, plus Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, and Santiago in the Dominican Republic.
During the late spring of the latter year, the company’s affiliation with Silver Express ends and the company returns to Daytona Beach from San Juan to offer charters in its own livery with two CV-240Fs.
TRANS GLOBAL AIRLINES: United States (1978-1984). Founded at Newark (EWR) on May 1, 1978, this new nonscheduled carrier receives CAB permission in 1980 to inaugurate charter services. A workforce totaling 42 is assembled and a single Douglas DC-8-62 is leased from Arrow Air.
Delays in financing cause the airline to delay its initial revenue service, requiring that the Arrow narrow-body be returned. Flights finally commence on July 5, 1984, when a tour group is flown to Oporto in Portugal on board a DC-8-62 once owned by Braniff International Airways. The carrier fails before the end of October and plans for a relaunch are abandoned.
TRANS ISLAND AIR, LTD.: South Ramp, Grantley Adams International Airport, Christ Church, Barbados; Phone (246) 428-1654; Fax (246) 428-0916; Code TRD; Year Founded 1990. Trans Island is established at Barbados in 1990 to offer regional passenger charters to points in the Caribbean. Under the direction of Herbert Yearwood, revenue flights begin with 2 Cessna 402Cs and 3 Britten-Norman BN-2B Islanders.
Service is maintained and holiday and sight-seeing flights are offered without incident or headline during the remainder of the decade. In September 2000, one each Cessna and Islander are put up for sale.
TRANS INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES (1): United States (19601979). To avoid confusion with the rotary-wing carrier Los Angeles Airways, Los Angeles Air Service, owned by Kerkor “Kirk” Kerko-rian, changes its name on July 18, 1960. On November 14, two Lockheed L-1049H Super Constellations are chartered from The Flying Tiger Line. In May 1961, an L-1049H is purchased from Trans-Canada Air Lines, Ltd. The carrier stops individual ticketing in October to concentrate entirely on group charters and inclusive-tour flights. Revenues for the year are $236,604.
The company becomes the first supplemental carrier to order a Douglas Jet Trader when it makes a request on June 11, 1962, for three of the DC-8-54TJs. It is also the first to offer jetliner service following the delivery of a Douglas DC-8-51 on June 22. It is paid for with money borrowed by the carrier’s owner, but helps the airline’s profits to jump to $1.1 million.
On an unhappy note, a Lockheed L-1049H freighter crash-lands at Clark AFB, Philippines, on August 10. Two of the six crewmen are hurt.
Four L-1049Hs acquired from the Hughes Tool Company are leased to Capitol Airways and are employed by that supplemental later in the year.
The ex-Hughes Super Constellations continue to be employed throughout 1963. The first DC-8-54TJ is received in April and enters service on the carrier’s long-haul routes. The other two Jet Traders also arrive during the year.
One of the new Jet Traders, on May 22, operates a military charter from Travis AFB, California, to Saigon via several intermediate stops, transporting a record cargo of 87,000 pounds.
On March 1, 1964, one of The Flying Tiger Line Super Constellations is purchased. The Studebaker Corporation purchases control in October for $2.7 million in a stock transaction. Airline employment is now 139 and the fleet consists of 6 aircraft
Enplanements total 118,882.
New military contracts are received, beginning in 1965, for flights on the transpacific Vietnam airlift. Additionally, the first of several contracts is signed with Japan Air Lines Company, Ltd. (2) for the training of its pilots.
The CAB grants TIA-1 permanent certification on April 1, 1966 as one of 10 airlines of its class so favored. Transatlantic authority is received on April 5, with Latin America/Pacific permissions given on September 30. The same day, the L-1049H acquired from The Flying Tiger Line is sold back to the huge freight operator.
When the Studebaker Corporation elects to withdraw from the air transport business, it sells the company back to Kirk Kerkorian in September for $200,000 less than it cost to acquire in the first place.
Revenues for the year are $22,162,781. Expenses are $14,659,258 and a net profit of $3,854,336 is reported.
The airline becomes a public corporation on June 28, 1967. On October 20, a third consecutive one-year contract is signed to training pilots for Japan Air Lines Company, Ltd. (2). By the end of the year, the fleet comprises 3 DC-8-61Fs, 2 DC-8-35Fs, and 1 DC-8-51F leased out to Delta Air Lines. The latter will be sold to the Atlanta-based company. Orders are made or remain outstanding for two B-727-121QCs and three (later seven) DC-8-63CFs.
A total of 240,221 charter passengers are originated and 22,330,465 freight ton-miles are flown. Revenues rise to $31,557,029. Profits are $8,569,636 (operating) and $5,391,030 (net).
Kerkorian elects to withdrawn again in 1968 and 58% majority shareholding is purchased by Transamerica Corporation on April 23. Kerko-rian’s personal profit is $104 million. Two B-727-121QCs and a DC-8-63CF are delivered. The carrier is the first supplemental to order the DC-10. The company now begins to specialize in the transport of livestock, as 7,000 head of cattle are transported from California to Chile.
On the year, 491,000 charter passengers are accommodated and cargo ton miles increase a significant 113%. Revenues jump 54% to $48,582,000. Profits are also up, both operating ($10,415,561) and net ($6,534,574).
The fleet is augmented in early 1969 by the delivery of another DC-8-63CF. The remainder of the stretched Jet Trader order is completed by late fall, at which time the three DC-8-61CFs and two DC-8-35Fs are used for leasing operations. The two Boeing 727-121QCs are retained for short-haul services.
Although a passenger count is not released, figures show that 1.96 billion revenue passenger miles are operated. Income accelerates to $51,095,000 and profits continue to be made. Both operating ($4,682,000) and net ($4,012,000) income exceed the $4-million mark.
Two (later three) DC-10-30CFs are ordered in 1970.
Actually filmed at Long Island’s Islip-MacArthur Airport, the beginning of the motion picture The Out of Towners depicts the departure from an “Ohio airport” of Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis aboard a TIAB-727-121QC.
Eleven of the company’s most senior aircrew are killed when a DC-8-63CF crashes after stalling on takeoff from New York (JFK) on October 8 on Ferry Flight 863 to Washington, D. C. (lAD) to pick up passengers for a flight to London (LGW).
Revenue passenger miles flown jump 30% to 2.54 billion. Revenues accelerate 21.5% to $62,078,000. Led by increased fuel prices, costs climb by $8 million to $36,246,000. Although the operating profit is $8,359,000, the net profit declines to $2,388,000.
In 1971, TIA transports 702,450 charter passengers and places orders for 3 DC-10-30CFs.
The workforce in 1972 is 928. The CAB grants a temporary exemption to fly holiday service into Mexico. Sales incentive flights are increased throughout the year and on September 9 the carrier begins flying the first of seven charter groups from the U. S. West Coast to New Zealand on behalf of Unitours, Inc.
Now the nation’s largest supplemental airline, the carrier’s passenger boardings increase 37% to 1,115,000. Freight traffic reflects the general decline in Southeast Asian military business, being down a full 35%. Income is $74.27 million and expenses are $69.97 million. Consequently, profits are made: $4.30 million (operating) and $1.93 million (net).
Airline employment in 1973 rises by 124. Three DC-10-30CFs are placed into service on April 27 and give the company the largest wide-body capability of any U. S. charter airline. TIA becomes the first airline anywhere to operate a DC-10 all-cargo flight. The inaugural service outbound from Oakland to Hong Kong late in the year transports fresh California produce, while the return flight brings a plane full of clothing.
The fuel crisis has an impact on business. Charter passenger bookings fall 34.5% to 730,000 and although 22.85 million freight FTKs are flown, the figure represents a decline of 44.1%. On revenues of $73,487,000, expenses are $70,553,000. The operating profit is $2.93 million and the $4.95-million net gain is the highest for any U. S. supplemental this year.
The carrier employs 952 in 1974. New DC-10-30CF configurations are adopted as TIA begins operating charter programs to Hong Kong and to destinations throughout South America.
On June 4, it is announced that Trans International has negotiated a $35-million agreement with Travel Enterprises, Inc., under which 500 flights involving 125,000 persons will be made between the U. S. and Hawaii.
Flight attendants, members of the Teamsters, walk out on July 15; their job action ends on July 21 with a mutual agreement concerning issues.
Negotiations are undertaken to acquire Howard Korth’s Saturn Airways and at year’s end, officials of the two carriers file their agreement with the CAB seeking regulatory consent.
Boardings advance 9% to 753,000, but freight traffic is off by 7.7%. The nation’s largest supplemental has income of $104.63 million, while expenses are kept to $100.88 million. The operating profit is $3.74 million. A net $1.48-million loss is suffered.
Employment in 1975 grows to 1,041 and planning continues apace for the acquisition of Saturn Airways.
Although passenger boardings are down by 7% to 701,000, freight skyrockets 149% to 52.41 million FTKs. Expenses of $105.74 million are submerged into total income of $123.34 million and as a result, the operating profit is $17.6 million while a net income of $4.98 million is reported.
The number of employees is increased by 46.4% in 1976 to 1,524. The CAB grants final permission in the spring for acquisition of the Oakland-based supplemental Saturn Airways and its fleet of Hercules freighters. Meanwhile, emphasis is placed on increasing tour packages available from the U. S. West Coast to Europe and Israel. ADC-10-30CF is reconfigured to handle 376 passengers. The official Saturn Airways takeover occurs on December 1.
Customer bookings for TIA (exclusive of Saturn) total 705,000 for the year while cargo skyrockets 101.7% to 105.722 million FTKs. Operating revenues are $133.788 million while expenses are kept at $121.39 million. This happy imbalance results in an operating profit of $12.39 million and net gain of $3.12 million.
In January 1977, integration of TIA and Saturn Airways into the world’s largest charter carrier is completed.
On April 14, the company receives authority to fly into Mexico and Canada. Beginning September 10, Teamster flight attendants again strike the company.
Enplanements for the year are 675,000 while a total of 347.65 million FTKs are operated.
In 1978, President/CEO Henry P. Huff oversees a workforce of 1,715 and operates a fleet of 6 DC-8-63CFs, 2 DC-8-61s, 3 DC-8-61Fs, 3 DC-10-30CFs, 12 Lockheed L-100-30 Hercules, and 9 L-188AF Electra freighters.
The flight attendants accept a mediated agreement on January 11.
A DC-10-30CF, with 376 American tourists aboard, skids from the runway during its July 2 takeoff from Shannon Airport in Ireland; no injuries are reported.
Charter bookings increase by 22.1% to 866,000 passengers while cargo jumps 17.4% to 420.88 million FTKs.
The employee population in 1979 grows by 49.4% to 2,583. A DC-8-63CF with 250 aboard loses a tire during its takeoff from New York (JFK) on May 3, but is able to turn around and make a safe landing. Also in May, scheduled transatlantic passenger frequencies are started New York to Amsterdam via Shannon, in addition to passenger and cargo charters already flown. On October 1, the company name is changed to Transamerica Airlines.
TRANS INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES (2): United States (19841988). Employing the earlier corporate identity of its parent, TIA-2 is formed in late 1984 as a nonunion, wholly owned subsidiary of Transamerica Corporation’s air transport division, Transamerica Airlines, to offer charter and contract flights. Initially, the carrier takes over the routes and remaining assets of dormant Central American International, a freight line originally founded at Louisville, but which had closed its doors in 1982.
Airline employment in 1985 stands at 1,146. Service is launched from an Orlando base in early spring with a fleet that begins with 1 Douglas DC-8-54F, but which soon thereafter adds 6 DC-8-62Fs, 9 Convair CV-640s, 11 DC-6As, and 21 Lockheed L-100-30 Hercules freighters.
A total of 8.82 million FTKs are operated by December 31. Revenues for this start-up year are $1.9 million, but costs are $3.45 million. Consequently, the operating loss is $1.55 million; the net loss is $952,000.
When Transamerica Airlines ceases operations on September 30, 1986, the future of its subsidiary is in doubt. This Trans International is, however, reformed into a passenger and cargo charter carrier and obtains a new fleet of one DC-8-61F, the original DC-8-54F, and one Lockheed L-188AF.
Recertified, the company begins flying in April 1987 and by year’s end has transported a total of 81,000 passengers and 4.5 million FTKs.
The carrier survives only the first six months of 1988 before it shuts down and goes out of business.
During this time, it flies a total of 502.8 million revenue passenger kilometers and generates revenues of $3.79 million. The operating loss is $2 million and net loss is $943,000.
World History
