Code data

• IATA
  International Air Transport Association
  The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
  
   Code: IDN
• ICAO Code:
• Callsign: Independent

Atlanta Skylarks

Independent Air originated with the Atlanta Skylarks Travel Club, and it operated flights for this club beginning in July 1966 with a single DC-7. By early 1970s it expanded charter operations to the Caribbean using a Caravelle and two Boeing 720's. In 1984 the company name changed to Independent Air. From 1966 until 1984 Atlanta Skylarks was restricted to flights for the Atlanta Skylarks Travel Club.

The Atlanta Skylarks Travel Club was headquartered at 3620 Atlanta Avenue, Hapeville, Georgia 30354. Individuals paid a small yearly membership fee to belong to the club, and each month, the club mailed members a brochure outlining upcoming trips. Members could reserve seats on any trip of their choosing by simply calling the office and sending in payment. On the day of departure, members would assemble in one of the cargo buildings at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport. Seats were not pre-assigned. Members lined up and boarded the flight in the order they had made a reservation. In other words, the first person who reserved a seat on that flight was able to board first and choose whatever seat he/she wanted. Members walked from the cargo building across the tarmac, and climbed mobile boarding stairs which had been rolled into position.

Atlanta Skylarks Travel Club arranged trips to many destinations including Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. The club would frequently arrange "mystery trips." In the case of mystery trips, passengers were only told what kind of clothing to bring (e.g., beach clothing), but the actual trip destination was not announced until the plane was about one hour from landing.

Probably the most unique trip arranged by the Atlanta Skylarks was to Havana, Cuba. At the time, travel to Cuba was prohibited for United States citizens. The Skylarks received special permission from the U.S. Treasury Department to make one trip. On February 8, 1979, the club's Boeing 720-022 (tail number N7228U) with 143 passengers and a crew of four flew nonstop from Atlanta to Jose Marti Airport in Havana. The passengers were accommodated at the Hotel Habana Libre (the former Havana Hilton) and spent their time sightseeing. The plane, however, was not allowed to stay on the island of Cuba, and it was flown back to Miami. On the day the passengers were to depart, the plane flew from Miami to Havana, picked up the passengers, and then returned non-stop to Atlanta.

Independent Air

After the name change to Independent Air, the company was granted a license for worldwide charters.

In 1988 and 1989 the company flew charters between Florida and Jamaica, also dubbed the "Jamaica Shuttle". During the crash of Independent Air 1851, the company was operating flights between Boston and Ponta Delgada, Fort Lauderdale and Montego Bay, Denver and Montego Bay and Milan/Bergamo and Santo Domingo/Montego Bay. Following the crash of flight 1851, the Italian government banned low-cost carriers such as Independent Air from its skies and the service to the Dominican Republic was stopped.

The company also flew charters for the US military but the contract was terminated in 1988.

The 1989 Azores crash

On 8 February 1989 one of its 707s crashed on approach to Santa Maria in the Azores

Independent Air Flight 1851

In 1989, Independent Air Flight 1851, a Boeing 707-331B on an American charter flight from Bergamo, Italy to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, struck Pico Alto on approach to Santa Maria Airport in the Azores for a scheduled stopover...

, all 144 people on board were killed.

After the crash

By 1990 Independent Air was planning to start scheduled flights between New York and Puerto Rico but those plans were not realized. In the meantime, fallout from the Azores accident led to contracts with tour operators being canceled and flights were suspended in November 1990.

Fleet Details

After the name change from Atlanta Skylarks to Independent Air, the company acquired 2 Boeing 707-331B's from TWA (N7232X and N7231T). The two Boeing 720's were disposed of. Initially, the company was not granted permission to use the Boeing 707's in the US since their engines were not fitted with hush-kits. In 1987, Independent Air added a Boeing 727-100 (N154FN) to its fleet but this aircraft was returned to the lessor before the end of that year. In addition, Independent Air leased a Boeing 707 from Skystar International (N728Q) in 1987. The fleet's mainstay (N7231T and N7232X) were sold to International Air Leases Inc. in 1988 and leased back. The Boeing 707 N7231T that was lost in the Azores was replaced in 1989 by a 707 from Denver Ports of Call (N457PC). Both aircraft were returned to International Air Leases in 1990, when Independent Air ceased operations.

Accidents and incidents

• 8 February 1989: Independent Air Flight 1851
  Independent Air Flight 1851
  In 1989, Independent Air Flight 1851, a Boeing 707-331B on an American charter flight from Bergamo, Italy to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, struck Pico Alto on approach to Santa Maria Airport in the Azores for a scheduled stopover...
  
   crashed into a hill; everyone on the Boeing 707
  Boeing 707
  The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
  
  died.