Airlines of the USA

From the earliest days of powered flight the United States has been a pioneer in air travel both for the purpose of transporting passengers and cargo. Beginning with the air mail industry, new companies started in every region to bid for contracts to carry mail. Many of these would grow into household names such as Northwest and United Airlines, whilst others started by providing passenger service to small communities and would grow into significant feeder carriers for the larger airlines. From the early beginnings through the mergers, bankruptcies and the rise of the low cost and charter carriers, this book uncovers the stories of America's best-known airlines, with details of their fleets, bases and route networks. Find out why once giant carriers such as Pan Am and TWA no longer grace our skies, and how airlines like Southwest and PSA inspired a new breed of low cost travel that would take the world by storm.