Ransome Airlines was a
regional airline from the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, headquartered at
Northeast Philadelphia Airport in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
. Founded in 1967, it operated feeder flights on behalf of different
mainline carriers via specific airline brands for most of its existence: as
Allegheny Commuter
Allegheny, Alleghany or Allegany may refer to:
Places Geologic and geographic features
* Allegheny River, in Pennsylvania and New York
* Allegheny Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountain Range in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Vir ...
(1970-1982),
Delta Connection
Delta Connection is a regional airline brand name for Delta Air Lines, under which a number of individually owned regional airlines primarily operate short- and medium-haul routes. Mainline major air carriers often use regional airlines to ope ...
(1984-1987),
Pan Am Express
Pan Am Express was a brand name for a code sharing passenger feed service operated by other airlines on behalf of Pan American World Airways (Pan Am). It was founded in the early 1980s, and lasted until the demise of Pan Am in 1991.
History
I ...
(1987-1991) and finally
Trans World Express
Trans World Express (TWE) was the fully owned and certificated, regional carrier for Trans World Airlines ( TWA) and an airline trademark name for TWA's corporation.
* Trans World Express - The formerly independent regional airline known as Ran ...
(1991-1995).
[Information about Ransome Airlines at the Aero Transport Data Bank](_blank)
/ref>
History
Independent company
The company was founded by J. Dawson Ransome in 1967, with the launch of revenue flights in March of that year. The initial network spanned along the East Coast from Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
to Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
, and was served using a fleet of Volpar (Beechcraft) Model 18 11-seat airliners.[Ransome Airlines 1969 routemap at timetableimages.com](_blank)
/ref>
In August 1970, Ransome Airlines started one of its first branding partnerships with Allegheny Airlines, which would last until June 1, 1982.Flight International
''Flight International'' is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", it is the world's old ...
''World Airline Directory''. Published on March 30, 1985.
/ref> During that period, Ransome was branding its flights as ''Allegheny Commuter
Allegheny, Alleghany or Allegany may refer to:
Places Geologic and geographic features
* Allegheny River, in Pennsylvania and New York
* Allegheny Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountain Range in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Vir ...
'', feeding into Allegheny's hub at Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh International Airport, is a civil–military international airport in Findlay Township and Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Located about 10 miles (15 km) west of downtown Pitts ...
, though the point-to-point network in the north-eastern United States was also kept. This airline co-operation is seen as one of the earliest examples for a true codeshare
A codeshare agreement, also known simply as codeshare, is a business arrangement, common in the aviation industry, in which two or more airlines publish and market the same flight under their own airline designator and flight number (the "airli ...
agreement (Henson Airlines
Piedmont Airlines, Inc. is an American regional airline headquartered at the Salisbury Regional Airport in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, near the city of Salisbury. The airline is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the American Airlines ...
had been the first carrier to operate as "Allegheny Commuter" in 1967). Following the Airline Deregulation Act
The Airline Deregulation Act is a 1978 United States federal law that deregulated the airline industry in the United States, removing federal control over such areas as fares, routes, and market entry of new airlines. The Civil Aeronautics Boa ...
, Allegheny Airlines was renamed USAir
US Airways (formerly USAir) was a major United States airline that operated from 1937 until its merger with American Airlines in 2015. It was originally founded in Pittsburgh as a mail delivery airline called All American Aviation, which soon b ...
in 1979. The ''Allegheny Commuter'' name was kept for some years, though, so that Ransome Airlines never operated as USAir Express
US Airways Express was the brand name for the regional affiliate of US Airways, under which a number of individually owned commuter air carriers and regional airlines operate short and medium haul routes. This code sharing service was previously ...
.
Between 1982 and 1984, Ransome returned to operating its point-to-point route network under its own brand name, which then spanned from Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
to Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
[Ransome Airlines 1982 routemap, at departedflights.com](_blank)
/ref> In May 1984, Ransome entered into a partnership with Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline, along w ...
, allowing its passengers to connect to/from Delta flights at Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport , also known as Boston Logan International Airport and commonly as Boston Logan, Logan Airport or simply Logan, is an international airport that is located mostly in East Boston and partial ...
(Boston), Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport , typically referred to as Dulles International Airport, Dulles Airport, Washington Dulles, or simply Dulles ( ), is an international airport in the Eastern United States, located in Loudoun County and Fa ...
, Philadelphia International Airport and Newark International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport , originally Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport straddling the boundary between the cities of Newark in Essex County and Elizabeth in Union Cou ...
, among others, marketing these flights as ''Delta Connection
Delta Connection is a regional airline brand name for Delta Air Lines, under which a number of individually owned regional airlines primarily operate short- and medium-haul routes. Mainline major air carriers often use regional airlines to ope ...
''.[Ransome Airlines 1984 routemap, at departedflights.com](_blank)
/ref>
/ref>
Pan Am subsidiary and sale to TWA
In 1986, Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, originally founded as Pan American Airways and commonly known as Pan Am, was an American airline that was the principal and largest international air carrier and unofficial overseas flag carrier of the United States ...
announced its intention to buy Ransome Airlines, in order to use the carrier (with the tentative ''Ransome Express'' branding) as feeder for its '' Worldport'' hub at John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport (colloquially referred to as JFK Airport, Kennedy Airport, New York-JFK, or simply JFK) is the main international airport serving New York City. The airport is the busiest of the seven airports in the Avia ...
.
Pan Am also recognized the ground breaking work done by Hank Ransome with regards to operating into Washington National Airport by utilizing the DHC-7s unique capabilities. The DHC-7 was the only transport category aircraft to be able to operate and conduct STOL (Short Takeoff and Land) operations into Washington National's airport because of the way the airport's runways all cross at the center like an asterisk. Until Hank Ransom's efforts were approved, only one runway was capable of being utilized at a time.
When the FAA approved Ransom's plan, the DHC-7 was able to conduct Day and Night VFR "STUB" operations by landing on one of the crossing runways, proving to the FAA that the airplane was capable of landing and holding short of the active runway. The DHC-7 was also able to demonstrate that it was capable of making a VFR approach to the stub runway, losing one engine and then turning sharply away and exiting the area with only 3 engines operating, and never violating the active runway's protected airspace.
The DHC-7 would, normally, land and hold short until crossing permission was received by ground control. This unique "STUB" operation was a valuable addition to Pan Am's route structure as it did not require a landing slot __NOTOC__
A landing slot, takeoff slot, or airport slot is a permission granted by the owner of an airport designated as Level 3 (Coordinated Airport), which allows the grantee to schedule a landing or departure at that airport during a specific t ...
from ATC due to the aircraft's ability to operate on non-active crossing runways.
When the acquisition was finalized in June 1987, Ransome was renamed Pan Am Express, though, operating a fleet of newly delivered ATR42
The ATR 42 is a regional airliner produced by Franco-Italian manufacturer ATR, with final assembly in Toulouse, France.
On 4 November 1981, the aircraft was launched with ATR, as a joint venture between French Aérospatiale (now Airbus) and ...
s, as well Ransome's older Dash 7s. Henceforth, the airline code
This is a list of airline codes. The table lists IATA's two-character airline designators, ICAO's three-character airline designators and the airline call signs (telephony designator). Historical assignments are also included.ht
IATA airli ...
s PA and PXX were used.[List of the ATR42s operated by Pan Am Express, at planespotters.net](_blank)
/ref>
To meet the demands of Pan Am, the structure of the route network (which had not seen any major modifications during the time as Ransome Airlines) saw a number of profound changes. In November 1987, an initial number of two ATRs was used to open up a regional network at Tegel Airport
Berlin Tegel "Otto Lilienthal" Airport (german: link=no, Flughafen Berlin-Tegel „Otto Lilienthal“) was the primary international airport of Berlin, the federal capital of Germany. The airport was named after aviation pioneer Otto Lilienth ...
in West Berlin
West Berlin (german: Berlin (West) or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin during the years of the Cold War. Although West Berlin was de jure not part of West Germany, lacked any sovereignty, and was under mi ...
, competing with Berlin European UK (which had been set up in 1986). Pan Am maintained a hub there because, due to the special status of the city, only airlines from the United States, the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
or France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
were entitled to serve the airport. By 1990, Pan Am Express operated scheduled flights to 12 destinations in northern and central Europe from Tegel; New York (from JFK and LaGuardia
LaGuardia Airport is a civil airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City. Covering , the facility was established in 1929 and began operating as a public airport in 1939. It is named after former New York City mayor Fiorello La Guardia. ...
) was linked to 14 airports in the northeastern United States and Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. Also, feeder flights into Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically as Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the greater Miami metropolitan area with over 1,000 daily flights to 167 domestic and international destinations, including most c ...
(during 1990 and 1991, focusing on the Bahamas
The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the ar ...
) and Los Angeles International Airport were maintained. Throughout its history, the maintenance base at Northeast Philadelphia Airport was kept, though.
Following the demise
Demise is an Anglo-Norman legal term (from French ''démettre'', from Latin ''dimittere'', to send away) for the transfer of an estate, especially by lease. It has an operative effect in a lease, implying a covenant "for quiet enjoyment."
The ...
of Pan American World Airways, Pan Am Express with its then 870 employees was purchased by Trans World Airlines for $28 million on 4 December 1991 and renamed Trans World Express (TWE), adopting RBD as new airline code.[List of the ATR42s operated by Trans World Express, at planespotters.net](_blank)
/ref> The European and Miami centered networks were subsequently discontinued, with John F. Kennedy International Airport becoming the sole hub for TWE. From there, 20 destinations throughout the northeastern US were served by 1993.The Philadelphia Inquirer
''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...
''Whatever Its Name, Line Flies High It's Trans World Express. It Began As Ransome Airlines.'' Published on November 1, 1993.
/ref> By then, the airline had gotten rid of its Dash 7s, with the ATR 42 remaining the only aircraft type in the fleet.
Due to a lack of profitability, TWA decided to shut down Trans World Express on 6 November 1995, which resulted in the loss of 300 jobs at Northeast Philadelphia Airport, where the company had been headquartered and kept its maintenance base for the nearly four decades of its existence. The route network at JFK Airport was taken over by Trans States Airlines
Trans States Airlines was a regional airline owned by Trans States Holdings and headquartered in Bridgeton, Missouri. At the time of its closing, the airline operated flights for United Airlines under the United Express brand. Trans States Airlin ...
, with the majority of TWE's fleet of then 11 ATR 42s being acquired by Mahalo Air.
Destinations
During the late 1960s, before having gone into cooperations with larger carriers, Ransome Airlines operated domestic scheduled flights to the following destinations:
For the destinations served as ''Allegheny Commuter'' between 1970 and 1982, refer to Allegheny Commuter
Allegheny, Alleghany or Allegany may refer to:
Places Geologic and geographic features
* Allegheny River, in Pennsylvania and New York
* Allegheny Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountain Range in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Vir ...
. When that cooperation ended, Ransome Airline once again maintained a regional network under its own name, which lasted until 1985:
Front cover images of Ransome Airlines timetables, at timetableimages.com and airtimes.com
For information about the destinations served as Delta Connection
Delta Connection is a regional airline brand name for Delta Air Lines, under which a number of individually owned regional airlines primarily operate short- and medium-haul routes. Mainline major air carriers often use regional airlines to ope ...
(1984-1987), Pan Am Express
Pan Am Express was a brand name for a code sharing passenger feed service operated by other airlines on behalf of Pan American World Airways (Pan Am). It was founded in the early 1980s, and lasted until the demise of Pan Am in 1991.
History
I ...
(1987-1991) and Trans World Express
Trans World Express (TWE) was the fully owned and certificated, regional carrier for Trans World Airlines ( TWA) and an airline trademark name for TWA's corporation.
* Trans World Express - The formerly independent regional airline known as Ran ...
(1991-1995), refer to the respective articles.
Fleet
Over the years, Ransome Airlines operated the following aircraft types:
See also
* List of defunct airlines of the United States
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby unio ...
References
{{Navboxes
, list=
{{Airlines of the United States
{{Delta Connection Carriers
{{US Airways Express Carriers
Defunct regional airlines of the United States
Airlines established in 1967
Airlines disestablished in 1995
Pan Am
Trans World Airlines
Delta Air Lines
Allegheny Airlines
Companies based in Philadelphia
Defunct companies based in Pennsylvania
1967 establishments in Pennsylvania
Defunct airlines of the United States