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North American Airlines

From Alfawiki
North American Airlines, Inc.
Company typePrivate
IndustryAirline
Founded1989
FounderDan McKinnon
Defunct2014
FateCeased operations after bankruptcy
Headquarters
Peachtree City, Georgia
,
United States
Area served
United States, Africa, Guyana, Caribbean
Key people
Dan McKinnon (founder)
ProductsScheduled international flights (until 2008), charter flights, wet lease operations
ParentGlobal Aviation Holdings, Inc.

North American Airlines, Inc. was an airline based in the United States, with its headquarters located in Peachtree City, Georgia, part of the Greater Atlanta region. Up until May 2008, the airline provided scheduled international flights connecting the U.S. to destinations in Africa and Guyana. Subsequently, it transitioned to concentrating on domestic and international charter flights as well as wet lease operations. Its main hub for aircraft and maintenance activities was situated at Tampa International Airport.

History

Operating as a division of Global Aviation Holdings, Inc.—formerly known as Global Aero Logistics, Inc.—North American Airlines distinguished itself from other carriers under the same parent company, such as ATA Airlines and World Airways (both of which have since ceased operations), by having been established after the deregulation of U.S. airlines.

Founded in 1989 by Dan McKinnon, a former chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board, the airline began its services on January 20, 1990. In April 2005, it became part of World Air Holdings through acquisition.

Starting with Boeing 757 aircraft dedicated to charter flights, North American broadened its network throughout the 1990s. This expansion included destinations like San Juan in Puerto Rico, Mexico, and scheduled routes between Los Angeles International Airport and JFK Airport that complemented El Al’s Tel Aviv-JFK-LAX service. The fleet also incorporated Boeing 767 aircraft for extended-range charters, and the airline extended its operations to airports in Newark and Oakland.

On April 5, 2007, New ATA Holdings, Inc. took over World Air Holdings and renamed the parent company Global Aero Logistics to reflect its worldwide objectives. In February 2009, this entity was rebranded again as Global Aviation Holdings, Inc.

Due to financial difficulties, North American Airlines halted its operations in March 2014 following bankruptcy proceedings.

Destinations

In May 2008, North American Airlines discontinued all scheduled flights to concentrate exclusively on charter services. At the time of closure, the airline’s primary destinations included:

Bolivia
Ghana
Guyana
Nigeria
Trinidad
United States
Dominican Republic

The decision to abandon scheduled routes was influenced by escalating fuel expenses—with jet fuel prices rising approximately 60% since 2005—rendering regular services economically unviable. Consequently, North American Airlines redirected its modern Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft toward more lucrative charter flight markets.

Significantly, before Delta Air Lines commenced service in December 2006, North American’s nonstop flights from New York to Accra and Baltimore to Banjul were the sole nonstop connections between the U.S. and West Africa offered by an American carrier. Additionally, the airline withdrew from destinations such as Aguadilla (Puerto Rico) and Santo Domingo following JetBlue’s introduction of low-cost competition. The management chose not to engage in fare wars with JetBlue, instead reaffirming their strategic emphasis on charter operations.

Charter Operations

The foundation of North American Airlines' business was its charter services, which primarily supported resorts such as Club Med and tour operators located in Hawaii and the Caribbean region. Following the cessation of its scheduled flights in May 2008, the airline focused solely on charter operations until 2014.

Fleet

By March 2014, North American Airlines maintained a fleet comprising six aircraft:

Fleet Composition of North American Airlines
Aircraft Model Active In Storage Seating Capacity Remarks
C Y Total
Boeing 757-200 1 0 30 176 206
0 247 247
Boeing 767-300ER 5 0 30 176 206
0 247 247
Total 6 0

As of May 2013, the average age of the fleet was approximately 18.1 years.

Historical Fleet of North American Airlines
Aircraft Type Quantity Year Introduced Year Retired Notes
Boeing 737-800 2 1998 2003 N800NA, N802NA
Boeing 757-200 10 1990 2013
Boeing 767-300 7 2001 2015
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 1 1992 1998 N183NA

Services

North American Airlines held certification from the U.S. Department of Defense to transport military personnel and their families to locations not adequately served by commercial airlines. In 2002, it became the first carrier to provide Boeing 767 service capabilities to the U.S. Military, operating flights from Dallas/Ft. Worth among other hubs.

The airline also engaged in a substantial wet lease agreement with Air Jamaica, offering Boeing 767 aircraft along with flight crews for routes connecting Kingston and New York. This cooperation expanded notably during summer 2007 due to increased demand for Air Jamaica's services.

Furthermore, North American conducted charter cargo operations to Gibraltar in partnership with Odyssey Marine Exploration.

Significantly, the airline acted as the official transportation provider for then-Senator Barack Obama's presidential campaign. It outfitted a Boeing 757 with enhanced interiors and campaign-specific branding to facilitate travel for staff and media throughout the election period.

See also

External links

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