NORTH AMERICAN AIRLINES (3): United States (1981-1984)

Established at Miami in 1978 as Air Miami, this small third-level carrier becomes known from its affiliation as Air Florida Commuter. Services continue apace until December 1981, at which point the successful 105-employee carrier breaks with Air Florida, electing to operate as an independent.

On February 11, 1982, the new North American Airlines (2), employing its fleet of 4 CASA C-212-200s, 3 Cessna 402s, and 1 de Havilland DH 114 Heron begins daily roundtrip flights between Miami and

West Palm Beach, allowing passengers a connection with Eastern Air Lines flights into the Caribbean.

Other destinations now served include Fort Lauderdale, Sarasota, and Fort Myers. The carrier undergoes several ownership and management changes during the year and continues to resist publishing its statistics.

Scheduled daily roundtrips are inaugurated during 1983 between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach and the Bahamian destinations of Freeport, Treasure Cay, Marsh Harbour, North Eleuthera, and Bimini. These routes are discontinued in 1984, at which time the airline’s Florida business becomes charter and contract service. Scheduled operations are refocused to the northeast for the provision of flights between Atlantic City and New York City (JFK and LGA).

This strategy to generate additional traffic fails, forcing the carrier to cease trading.

NORTH AMERICAN AIRLINES (4): Suite 250, Building 75, North Hangar Road, John F Kennedy International Airport, Jamaica, New York, 11430, United States; Phone (718) 656-2650; Fax (718) 995-3372; Code XG; Year Founded 1989. Daniel McKinnon, former chairman of the CAB, founds the fourth NAA at New York (JFK) in 1989 to act as an American feeder airline for the Israeli carrier El Al Israel Airlines, Ltd.

Employing a Boeing 757-23A leased from Ansett Worldwide Aviation Services, the company begins linking Dallas (DFW), Los Angeles, and Washington, D. C. with Tel Aviv-bound flights from New York in January 1990. Charters are also operated to the Caribbean. During July, it is announced that El Al Israel Airlines, Ltd. will purchase 24.9% shareholding in a deal worth $400,000.

By year’s end, a total of 59,085 passengers have been flown and revenues of $14 million generated. There is an operating profit of $654,997, but a net loss of $355,672.

FAA 120-min. extended range twin-engine operations (ETOPS) certification for the B-757-23A is received in January 1991 and the carrier continues its charter operations and feeder work on behalf of El Al Israel Airlines, Ltd. Nonscheduled flights to Mexico are now made on behalf of Club Med and unrealized plans are made to commence European charters.

In May, the company becomes the first U. S. airline to operate a B-757 under the 120-min. ETOPS rule; the historic charter flight is made to Brize Norton RAF base, near Oxford, England.

Passenger boardings decline 18.6% to 48,000, but revenues increase by 40.9% to $16.18 million. Expenses ascend 9.1% to $14.7 million and guarantee an operating profit of $1.48 million. Net profit also climbs to $1.48 million.

A leased McDonnell Douglas MD-83 is placed into service in 1992. It allows the introduction of weekend charter operations from U. S. cities to certain of Club Med’s Caribbean destinations plus the execution of military charters. The company, through its feed arrangement, also allows El Al Israel Airlines, Ltd. to commence Dallas (DFW) to Tel Aviv service on October 20. Passengers aboard a NAA flight at Dallas (DFW) are flown to New York (JFK) with Kosher catering and a Hebrew-speaking flight attendant en route. Upon landing, travelers transfer directly to an El Al Israel Airlines, Ltd. flight at an adjacent gate and continue on to Tel Aviv; the flight from Israel to Texas is conducted in reverse order.

Customer bookings ascend 18.8% to 57,000. Income exceeds costs and there are profits: $891,000 (operating) and $526,000 (net).

Airline employment is increased by 7.5% in 1993 to 100; however, the fleet is unchanged.

Passenger boardings slip 7% to 53,000. Revenues ascend 19.2% to $24.9 million and expenses jump 21% to $24.19 million. Operating income declines to $701,052 and net profit drops to $450,054.

The workforce is cut to 60 in 1994 and the leased fleet still includes one each leased B-757-23A and MD-83.

Traffic figures are only reported for a portion of the year and these show enplanements of 26,000. Revenues jump 5.7% to $26.3 million and expenses rise 7.2% to $25.93 million. The resulting operating surplus is down to $369,000, while net gain drops to $300,000.

Operations continue apace in 1995-1996. A B-757-28AER is chartered and the carrier offers wet-lease services on behalf of not only El Al Israel Airlines, Ltd., but other foreign carriers as well. In addition, the company bids on and wins a number of U. S. military charters.

Enplanements in the latter year total 148,890.

In October 1997, the carrier contracts with the International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) for the seven-year charter of a B-737-800, beginning the following May.

Passenger boardings accelerate 11.9% to 169,000. Operating revenues climb 20.1% to $53.3 million, and a net $1-million profit is banked.

The B-737-8Q8 arrives in June 1998 and joins the company’s other airline’s in providing regularly scheduled subservice for El Al, as well as on charters under its own initiative into the Caribbean.

When its own B-757-28A is disabled on November 4, North American’s B-757-28AER is wet-leased the next day to Guyana Airways Corporation to ensure continuity of its flights between New York and Guyana.

Late in the year, a former Middle East Airlines, S. A.L. (2) B-747-2B4BC is obtained for charter operations.

During the 12 months, customer bookings climb 15.4% to 195,000. Revenues rise 15.7% to $59.36 million, while costs are up to $57.68 million. The operating profit is $1.68 million and there is a $1.38-million net profit.

Early in 1999, the Jumbojet is placed into service for the next two years on behalf of Malta-based North Atlantic Airways Cargo. The aircraft, crew, management, and insurance (ACMI) contract is similar to that employed by Atlas Air with British Airways, Ltd. (2).

Nonstop Next Generation B-737-8Q8 Saturday roundtrips commence on June 26 from New York (JFK) to San Salvador. Twice-weekly B-757-28A return charters to Guyana from New York (JFK) commence on July 16.

Passenger boardings this year dip 4.6% to 186,000. Operating revenues climb 12.6% to $66.87 million, while expenses rise 15.5% to $66.21 million. Profits are down to $257,000 (operating) and $60,000 (net).

Airline employment at the beginning of 2000 stands at 275, a 77.4% increase over the previous 12 months.

AirlinersOnline. com reports on June 27 that arrangements have been completed by Dan McKinnon (51.1%) and El Al Israel Airlines, Ltd. (49.9%) for the sale of majority shareholding (75.1%) in NAA to LASV Enterprises, Inc.

The twice-weekly frequencies between New York (JFK) and Georgetown, Guayana, are increased to thrice weekly on July 3.

On September 3, Republican presidential candidate George Bush transfers to a North American B-757-28A that has been given temporary “Bush-Cheney” titles. The previously employed Miami Air International B-727-225A is turned over to vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney, who has been making his appearances aboard a crowded Gulf-stream IV executive jet. The Dash-28A will be returned to NAA after the November election.

AB-757-28Astill wearing its green tail, but with NAA titles, is leased from JMC Airlines, Ltd. and begins providing Caribbean charter flights in early November.

On a three-month trial basis beginning on December 22, Friday B-757-28A return charters are offered from New York (JFK) to Tobago.

NORTH ATLANTIC AIRWAYS (PTY.), LTD.: 7078 Halfway House, Johannesburg, 1685, South Africa; Phone 27 (11) 315 1267; Fax 27 (1) 315 1269; Code NAA; Year Founded 1998. NAA is established at Johannesburg in 1998 to provide both scheduled and charter all-cargo services to points around the world. Revenue flights commence employing a single Boeing 747-200F wet-leased from the American International Airways (3) division of Kitty Hawk Air Cargo.

The AIA unit is renamed Kitty Hawk International Airlines in February 1999, only to later be sold off. The fate of the NAA Jumbojet is unknown.