Top U.S. Carriers

[cessna157]

In your opinion..."Greatest U.S. Flag Carrier OF ALL TIME"...that opens the list up just a bit!
So who would it be? TWA, Pan Am, Eastern, Braniff, PSA, Piedmont, Northeast?

I would say I'm torn between TWA and Pan Am...

When you say "Flag Carrier", which definition do you mean?  Usually, "Flag Carrier" is an airline that is state owned.  This would never be the case of any US based airlines (other than military carriers).


Do you mean internationally flying airlines?

[american2492]

No the question I am intending is if.... We had to have a U.S. "flag carrier" a national represented airline who would it be? Essentially who would be the British Airways of the U.S.?

[cessna157]

Ahhhh, okay, we're on the same frequency now.


Well, then the answer is an easy one.  Comair, of course!     

[american2492]

Hmmm as pretty as that cr9 i see at ohare everytime I am there is.... They dont even have any planes that could fly overseas haha

[joeyb747]

No I meant at the time AA and United were the largest carriers. I know that AA replaced its 727 fleet with the MD-80... .What did united replace its 727s with?

United replaced it's B727s the A319/A320...

And American was operating the MD-80 LONG before it retired the B727...
They replaced the B727 with the B737-800...

[joeyb747]

Ahhhh, okay, we're on the same frequency now.


Well, then the answer is an easy one.  Comair, of course!     

  Agreed!

Maybe I should have worded that differently...how about "Greatest U.S. Based Airline Of All Time":

I would still say Pan Am or TWA. 

[american2492]

I am sad to say I never got to fly on Pan Am.... the stories I hear are amazing though. Its like there was so much pride when you were able to say... ya i work for pan am

[cessna157]

I am sad to say I never got to fly on Pan Am.... the stories I hear are amazing though. Its like there was so much pride when you were able to say... ya i work for pan am

Call me sentimental, but I flew out of the JFK Pan Am saucer on almost a daily basis, and I just couldn't help but to think of the history of the place where my jet was parked.

[american2492]

you flew for or on them?

[cessna157]

you flew for or on them?

Neither.  My airline parks at 2 (sometimes 3) gates under the saucer right now.

[joeyb747]

you flew for or on them?

Neither.  My airline parks at 2 (sometimes 3) gates under the saucer right now.

Are you referring to the old Pan Am Worldport Delta took over? That place does have a ton of history.

Very much like the Saarinen, or T5, or TWA Flight Center...whatever you would like to call it. Jet Blue has rejuvenated T5, including the landmark Saarinen Terminal. Great building!

[american2492]

Where does comair fly from in NYC?

[cessna157]

Where does comair fly from in NYC?

Well, let's see...

JFK - our largest hub in the system.  We've got 30-40 gates there, including pad 11.
LGA - still quite a large hub for us.  We practically own the 5 parking spots on the southwestern blast fence, plus a couple gates at the terminal.
EWR - a few flights a day to CVG and ATL
HPN - a few flights a day to CVG  (this might all be RP now though)

I think thats it?  We don't go to ISP or SWF anymore.  Does BDL count as NYC?  We do a lot there too

[american2492]

How did you get involved with comair?

[cessna157]

How did you get involved with comair?

Well, it all started when my mommy and daddy met and fell in love....
skip a few years...
When I was 12 years old, I decided it would be my dream to fly for Comair
skip a few years...
Went to college, got 2 degrees in aviation, graduated, started working in non-flying positions for Comair, then 4 years later, was hired on as a first officer.