Development of Commercial Airlines
Early beginnings Pre-World War I
In the early 1900’s, the first flight taken by Orville Wright, was 39 meters (120
feet) in length and 12 seconds in duration. When early fliers like the Wright Brothers
took on passengers for short rides, we were witnessing the birth of passenger travel. As
early as 1910, we also saw the beginnings of freight or cargo service. As people learned
about the efficiencies of air transport, it did not take long for these practices to become
established as options for transportation.
When World War I began in Europe in 1914, there was an urgent need to meet the
demands of the nations at war and attention became focused on military requirements.
Impact of World War I
In 1919, the year of the world’s first non-stop transatlantic flight, also announced
the founding of the International Air Traffic Association (IATA). IATA was founded to
establish the first set of common technical standards for the industry. The original IATA
ceased to function during World War II, but was recreated as today’s International Air
Transport Association in 1945.
During 1920’s, scheduled commercial air services were introduced in Africa,
Australia, Japan, Mexico and South American countries. There was also a significant
expansion of air routes across Europe.
Although the early airlines were mostly founded as privately owned companies,
governments soon became interested in the industry and began forming larger, national
airlines. Great Britain was the first major country to establish a government-owned
airline, Imperial Airways, in 1924. Air transport continued to experience growth during
the 1930’s, as European governments continued to form large national airlines, such as
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Introduction to Airline Business : Unit 3 2
Air France. The European airlines were able to make great progress during this time,
further expanding their network across Europe and most continents including Africa.