History of Commercial Air Travel
Commercial air travel began in 1909 with the founding of the German Airship Company, a partially government-funded air service that used Zeppelin dirigibles. Commercial aviation companies using fixed-winged aircraft began to appear in 1920, with the creation of KLM in the Netherlands and Qantas of Australia. The industry has since evolved into a global enterprise which served 2 billion air passengers in 2008 alone.
Acquisitions
The U.S.-based Aviation Corporation acquired 82 small airline companies in 1928-29, and formed American Airlines to serve as an umbrella company to manage operations.
Pacific Service
Pan American World Airways launched its China Clipper "flying boat" service in 1935, with routes from San Francisco to Asian destinations on its Martin M-130 aircraft.
Hindenburg
The 1937 Hindenburg fire disaster that killed 35 people led to the end of the dirigible for commercial air travel.
Truly International
By the end of World War II, Pan American's Chairman Juan Trippe had established the first multiple global routes to become a true international airline.
Deregulation
Deregulation of the industry in the 1990s created airfare wars, increased competition for routes and created the concept of "budget" airlines.
Slower Growth
Annual growth of the airline industry dropped from a peak of 15 percent in the 1960s to about 6 percent in the late 1990s, with many airlines today merging or developing partnerships and alliances.
