Chicago and Southern Air Lines

Last updated
Chicago and Southern Air Lines
IATA ICAO Call sign
CSCSAC & S
FoundedJune 15, 1933;
91 years ago (1933-06-15)
(incorporated in California as Pacific Seaboard Air Lines
Commenced operationsJune 25, 1933;
91 years ago (1933-06-25)
Ceased operationsMay 1, 1953;
71 years ago (1953-05-01)
(merged into Delta Air Lines)
Headquarters Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Founder Carleton Putnam
C&S Douglas DC-3 "City of St Louis" at St Louis airport Douglas DC-3 NC25626 C&S 09.50 edited-3.jpg
C&S Douglas DC-3 "City of St Louis" at St Louis airport

Chicago and Southern Air Lines (C&S) was a United States trunk carrier, a scheduled airline that started life as Pacific Seaboard Air Lines in California and was organized on June 15, 1933. Following the move from California, the airline's headquarters were initially located in St. Louis, Missouri, and were then moved to Memphis, Tennessee, which also served as a hub for the carrier. [1] [2] C&S was merged into Delta Air Lines in 1953, thus providing Delta with its first international routes.

Contents

History

California carrier

Pacific Seaboard Air Lines was incorporated in California on June 15, 1933. [3] The first service was operated on June 25, 1933, in Carleton Putnam's single engine Bellanca CH-300 "Miss San Jose," Putnam piloting the aircraft. [4] Three Bellanca CH-300s were flown in the California operation. The new airline only flew passengers on the West Coast of California on "The Scenic Route." This route was up the coast of California from Los Angeles (Grand Central Air Terminal at Glendale) to San Francisco's Mills Field. Stops were made at seven destinations located near or on the Pacific Ocean including Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Monterey, Salinas and San Jose. [5] For a short period, Pacific Seaboard Air Lines also flew from San Francisco to the capital of California, Sacramento. The primary competition on the L.A.-San Francisco route was United Airlines with twin-engine, ten-passenger, Boeing 247s. United, which also flew the San Joaquin Valley route in California, had the U.S. Air Mail contract and more comfortable aircraft. Putnam decided the only way he could stay in business was to get a U.S. Air Mail contract. In four months and one week, 1113 passengers were carried.

Mississippi Valley airmail contract

On February 9, 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt canceled all the U.S. Mail contracts. The U.S. Army operated the air postal service for a few weeks, and then the government called for new bids on the Air Mail routes. Putnam bid on and received the Air Mail route between Chicago and New Orleans by way of Peoria, Springfield, St. Louis, Memphis, and Jackson (Air Mail Route 8). Two more Bellanca CH-300s were purchased, bringing that fleet to five aircraft. Putnam had to start service in 30 days or forfeit his US$50,000 (equivalent to $1.1 million in 2023) performance bond. Air mail service started June 3, 1934, and passenger service started June 13 with the five Bellancas on "The Valley Level Route." The airline changed its name to Chicago and Southern Air Lines in 1935.

1940 Chicago & Southern Airlines (NBY 417577).jpg
1940

Trunk carrier

The 1938 Civil Aeronautics Act imposed a new regulatory regime on the US airline business. All airlines required certification by the new Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA), but as an airline flying scheduled service prior to the Act, C&S qualified for certification by grandfathering, which it received 17 March 1939. The CAA's regulatory role was spun off to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) in 1940. Thereafter, C&S would be regulated by the CAB as a trunk carrier. [6]

The June 1, 1940, Chicago & Southern timetable described the "Valley Level Route" as being "900 Miles of Flat Country" between Chicago and New Orleans via Memphis, with "Fine Airports" and "A Splendid Airway". [7] Chicago and Southern continued flying north to south routes in the Midwest, bringing air service to smaller markets such as Evansville, Indiana, and Paducah, Kentucky. The airline acquired its first Douglas DC-3 in 1940 and continued to operate the type until the 1953 merger with Delta Air Lines. [8] Some four-engined Douglas DC-4s were also operated postwar.

Postcard, 1946 In Flight With Chicago and Southern (NBY 367).jpg
Postcard, 1946

From 1946, the DC-4s were used to commence international services from Houston and New Orleans to Havana, Cuba; Santo Domingo (which was known as Ciudad Trujillo from 1930 to 1961), Dominican Republic; Kingston, Jamaica and Caracas, Venezuela. [9] The February 1, 1947 Chicago & Southern system timetable route map includes all of these destinations as well as Aruba, Netherlands Antilles; Camaguey, Cuba; Curacao, Netherlands Antilles; Port au Prince, Haiti and San Juan, Puerto Rico; however, it appears that although passenger traffic rights may have been granted or applied for, these additional destinations were not being served at this time. [10]

In October 1950 C&S took delivery of the first of six Lockheed L-649A Constellations. These larger pressurised airliners were placed in service from Chicago and St Louis to Houston, Memphis, New Orleans, Havana, Kingston, and Caracas.

On 10 January 1953 a new service from New Orleans to San Juan, Puerto Rico was inaugurated. [11] According to the C&S timetable, this service was named the "Hai-Drico Rocket" and was operated once a week with a "New Luxury Constellation" on a southbound routing of Memphis - New Orleans - Port au Prince, Haiti - Ciudad Trujillo, Dominican Republic (now Santo Domingo) - San Juan with the return northbound flight continuing on from Memphis to St. Louis and Chicago. [12]

Merger with Delta Air Lines

On 1 May 1953, C&S merged with Delta Air Lines, which provided Delta with access to a Great Lakes route system in the upper Midwest as well as additional destinations in the south central U.S. including for the first time Houston, Texas and, importantly, to points in the Caribbean Sea region as well as Venezuela thus providing Delta with its first international routes. The airline operated as Delta-C&S for the next two years. [13]

1950 destinations

According to the October 1, 1950 Chicago & Southern Air Lines system timetable, the air carrier was serving the following domestic and international destinations: [14]

Domestic

The airline also previously served Peoria, IL during the mid-1940s. [15]

International

Aruba and Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles as well as Montego Bay, Jamaica all appeared on the route map of the above referenced Chicago & Southern system timetable dated October 1, 1950; however, this same timetable does not list any scheduled services operated by the airline into these destinations at this time.

Chicago & Southern's international service at this same time was operated by a flight the airline called "The Caribbean Comet" with a Douglas DC-4 propliner flying a daily round trip routing of Chicago - St. Louis - Memphis - New Orleans - Havana - Kingston - Caracas. [16]

Fleet in 1950

The October 1, 1950 Chicago & Southern system timetable lists three aircraft types being operated by the airline at this time: [17]

According to the C&S timetable, in 1953 Trans World Airlines (TWA) was operating the Martin 4-0-4 "Skyliner" on "thru-plane" interchange flights (see Transport hub) between Houston, Pittsburgh and New York City via an agreement with Chicago and Southern Air Lines, but the latter was no longer operating the Douglas DC-4. [18] [19] [20]

Prior to 1950, Chicago & Southern operated the following aircraft types: [21]

Legacy

Using the international route authority from New Orleans inherited from Chicago & Southern, Delta began flying one its first international jet services and in 1962 was operating then-new Convair 880 jetliners on a routing of San Francisco (SFO) - Dallas Love Field (DAL) - New Orleans (MSY) - Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ) - Caracas, Venezuela (CCS). [22] [23] Following its acquisition of Chicago & Southern, Delta operated former C&S Lockheed Constellation aircraft as well as "Super" Convair 340 propliners on its international flights to the Caribbean and Venezuela during the mid-1950s. [24] By the late 1950s, Delta had replaced the Constellations and was operating Douglas DC-7 propliners on these routes in addition to the Convairs. [25] The airline then introduced jet service with Convair 880 aircraft followed by Douglas DC-8 jetliners including stretched Douglas DC-8-61 (Super DC-8) aircraft on the Caribbean and Venezuela routes. [26] According to the Official Airline Guide (OAG), by late 1979 Delta was operating wide body Lockheed L-1011 TriStar flights on a daily basis nonstop between New Orleans and San Juan, Puerto Rico. [27]

Carlton Putnam remained on the Delta board of directors until his death in 1998. Following the C&S merger with Delta, he focused his attention on providing support for racial segregation.

Incidents and accidents

Timetables

Cs460901.jpg Cs490601.jpg Cs501001.jpg

See also

Bibliography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William P. Hobby Airport</span> Municipal airport serving Houston, Texas, United States

William P. Hobby Airport — colloquially referred to as Houston Hobby or other short names — is an international airport in Houston, Texas, located 7 mi (11 km) from downtown Houston. Hobby is Houston's oldest commercial airport, and was its primary airport until the Houston Intercontinental Airport, now known as the George Bush Intercontinental Airport, opened in 1969. Hobby was initially closed after the opening of Houston Intercontinental; however, it was re-opened after several years, and became a secondary airport for domestic airline service, and a center for corporate and private aviation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport</span> Third busiest airport serving the Tampa Bay area, Florida, United States

St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport is a public/military airport in Pinellas County, Florida, United States, serving the Tampa Bay Area. It is right on the northeast municipal boundary of Pinellas Park, 9 miles (14 km) north of downtown St. Petersburg, 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Clearwater, and 17 miles (27 km) southwest of Tampa.

Panama City–Bay County International Airport was a public airport 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Panama City, in Bay County, Florida. It was owned and operated by the Panama City–Bay County Airport and Industrial District. All airline services moved to the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport on May 22, 2010, but the airfield was open to general aviation aircraft until October 1, 2010. The grounds will eventually be turned over to LUK-MB1 LLC, which plans to remove the runways and build homes, shops, walking trails and a marina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport</span> Airport in Potter County, Texas

Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport is a public airport six miles (10 km) east of downtown Amarillo, in Potter County, Texas, United States. The airport was renamed in 2003 after NASA astronaut and Amarillo native Rick Husband, who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in February of that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corpus Christi International Airport</span> Airport in Corpus Christi, Texas, United States

Corpus Christi International Airport is 6 miles west of Corpus Christi, in Nueces County, Texas. It opened in 1960, replacing Cliff Maus airport at 27.767°N 97.44°W, where the Lozano Golf Center is now located.

Jack Brooks Regional Airport, formerly Southeast Texas Regional Airport, is near Port Arthur, Texas, nine miles (14 km) southeast of Beaumont and northeast of Port Arthur. It was Jefferson County Airport, but its name was changed to honor former U.S. Representative Jack Brooks. The airport is southwest of the city of Nederland in unincorporated Jefferson County, and is used for general aviation. Southwest Airlines ended scheduled jet service in 1980 and several other airlines have started and ended service as well including American Eagle, Continental, Delta/Delta Connection and United Express. The latest chapter is the resumption of service by American Eagle for American Airlines to Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Pacific Air Lines</span> Defunct airline of Canada (1942–1987)

Canadian Pacific Air Lines was a Canadian airline that operated from 1942 to 1987. It operated under the name CP Air from 1968 to 1986. Headquartered at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, British Columbia, it served domestic Canadian as well as international routes until it was purchased by Pacific Western Airlines and absorbed into Canadian Airlines International.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faaʻa International Airport</span> Main airport of French Polynesia

Faaʻa International Airport, also known as Tahiti International Airport, is the international airport of French Polynesia, located in the commune of Faaa, on the island of Tahiti. It is situated 5 km (3.1 mi) southwest of Papeete, the capital city of the overseas collectivity. It opened in 1960. Regional air carrier Air Tahiti and international air carrier Air Tahiti Nui are both based at the airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Airways</span> US airline (1949–1979) that merged into Republic

Southern Airways was a local service carrier, a scheduled airline certificated by the federal Civil Aeronautics Board, in the United States, from its founding by Frank Hulse in 1949 until 1979, when it merged with North Central Airlines to become Republic Airlines. Southern's corporate headquarters were in Birmingham, with operations headquartered at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, near Atlanta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Barbara Municipal Airport</span> Municipal airport in Goleta, California, United States

Santa Barbara Municipal Airport is 7 miles west of downtown Santa Barbara, California, United States. The airfield covers 948 acres (384 ha) of land and has three runways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billings Logan International Airport</span> Public airport in Billings, Montana, United States

Billings Logan International Airport is in the western United States, two miles northwest of downtown Billings, in Yellowstone County, Montana. It is the fourth busiest airport in Montana, having been surpassed in recent years by Bozeman, Missoula, and Flathead County (Kalispell) in number of annual enplanements. Owned by the city of Billings, the airport is on top of the Rims, a 500-foot (150 m) cliff overlooking the downtown core, and covers 2,500 acres of land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyler Pounds Regional Airport</span> Airport

Tyler Pounds Regional Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located 3 mi (4.8 km) west of Tyler, in Smith County, Texas, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Maria Public Airport</span> Municipal airport in Santa Maria, California, United States

Santa Maria Public Airport is three miles (5 km) south of Santa Maria, in northern Santa Barbara County, California, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Smith Regional Airport</span> Public airport in Fort Smith, Arkansas, US

Fort Smith Regional Airport is a public use airport located near the Interstate 540 freeway three nautical miles (6 km) southeast of the central business district of Fort Smith, in Sebastian County, Arkansas, United States. FSM is governed by the Fort Smith Airport Commission as established by the City of Fort Smith, Arkansas. It serves the transportation needs of residents and businesses of western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. FSM is currently served by American Eagle, the regional airline affiliate of American Airlines. It has a large population of corporate and general aviation aircraft. A full-service fixed-base operator (FBO), Signature Flight Support, provides service to general aviation, airline, and military operators.

Memorial Field Airport is located in City of Hot Springs, in Garland County, Arkansas, United States, 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Downtown Hot Springs. It serves nearby Hot Springs National Park. The airport is used for general aviation; airline flights are subsidized by the federal government's Essential Air Service program at a cost of $1,637,012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport</span> Airport in Brownsville, Texas, United States

Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport is 5 mi east of downtown Brownsville, Cameron County, in the U.S. state of Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater Southwest International Airport</span> Airport in Fort Worth, Texas

Greater Southwest International Airport, originally Amon Carter Field (ACF), was a commercial airport serving Fort Worth, Texas, from 1953 until 1974. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) opened in 1974 a few miles north to replace Greater Southwest and Dallas Love Field as a single airport for the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The area is now a commercial/light-industrial park serving DFW International, centered along Amon Carter Boulevard, which follows the old north-south runway.

National Airlines was a trunk carrier, a scheduled airline in the United States that operated from 1934 until it merged with Pan Am in 1980. For most of its existence the company was headquartered at Miami International Airport, Florida. At its height, National Airlines had a network of "Coast-to-Coast-to-Coast" flights, linking Florida and Gulf Coast destinations such as New Orleans and Houston with cities along the East Coast as far north as Boston as well as with large cities on the West Coast including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. From 1970 to 1978, National, Braniff International Airways, Pan American World Airways and Trans World Airlines (TWA) were the only U.S. airlines permitted to operate scheduled passenger flights to Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wake Island Airfield</span> US Air Force airfield located on Wake Island in the Pacific Ocean

Wake Island Airfield is a military air base located on Wake Island, which is known for the Battle of Wake Island during World War II. It is owned by the U.S. Air Force and operated by the 611th Air Support Group. The runway can be used for emergency landings by commercial jetliners flying transpacific routes and has been used in the past by airlines operating jet, turboprop, and prop aircraft on scheduled flights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Mueller Municipal Airport</span> Former airport of Austin, Texas, United States (1930–1999)

Robert Mueller Municipal Airport was the first civilian airport built in Austin, Texas, United States. It was located a few miles northeast of downtown Austin. It was replaced as Greater Austin's main airport by the Austin–Bergstrom International Airport, which is located on the site of the former Bergstrom Air Force Base. The airport was named after Robert Mueller, a city commissioner who died in office in January 1927. Robert Mueller Municipal Airport was identified with the airport code AUS, which was reassigned to Austin–Bergstrom International Airport in 1999.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com, June 1, 1940 Chicago & Southern Air Lines system timetable
  2. ↑ "World Airline Directory." Flight International . May 16, 1952. "Chicago and Southern Air Lines" 592.
  3. ↑ "opencorporates California incorporation record for Pacific Seaboard Air Lines Company number 70154373". opencorporates.com. opencorporates. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  4. ↑ Lewis, W. David; Newton, Wesley Phillips (1979). Delta: The History of an Airline. Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia Press. p. 171. ISBN   9780820304656.
  5. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com, Summer 1933 Pacific Seaboard Air Lines system timetable
  6. ↑ "Chicago and Southern Air Lines, Inc.—Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity". Civil Aeronautics Authority Reports. 1. Civil Aeronautics Authority: 520–524. February 1939 – July 1940. hdl: 2027/uc1.b2938502 .{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
  7. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com, June 1, 1940 Chicago & Southern Air Lines system timetable
  8. ↑ Gradidge, 2006, p. 227
  9. ↑ Marson, 1982, p. 165
  10. ↑ http://www.airtimes.com, Feb. 1, 1947 Chicago & Southern Air Lines system timetable cover with route map
  11. ↑ Marson, 1982, p. 165
  12. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/cs1/cs5304/cs5304-4.jpg [ bare URL image file ]
  13. ↑ Delta Through the Decades
  14. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com, Oct. 1, 1950 Chicago & Southern Air Lines system timetable
  15. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com, Sept. 1946 Chicago & Southern Air Lines system timetable
  16. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com, Oct. 1, 1950 Chicago & Southern Air Lines system timetable
  17. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com, Oct. 1, 1950 Chicago & Southern Air Lines system timetable
  18. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com, April 1, 1953 Chicago & Southern Air Lines system timetable, page 5, General Information-Equipment
  19. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/cs1/cs5304/cs5304-4.jpg [ bare URL image file ]
  20. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/cs1/cs5304/cs5304-2.jpg [ bare URL image file ]
  21. ↑ http://www.deltamuseum.org, Chicago and Southern (C&S) Air Lines
  22. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com, Feb, 1, 1962 Delta Air Lines system timetable
  23. ↑ http://www.deltamuseum.org, Chicago and Southern (C&S) Air Lines
  24. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com Aug. 1, 1954 Delta C&S system timetable
  25. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com, Aug. 1, 1958 Delta Air Lines system timetable
  26. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com, April 27, 1969 Delta Air Lines system timetable
  27. ↑ Dec. 1, 1979 Official Airline Guide North American Edition, New Orleans & San Juan flight schedules
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.