North American Airlines
Encyclopedia
North American Airlines, Inc. is an American
airline
with its headquarters in Building 141 on the grounds of John F. Kennedy International Airport
in Jamaica
, Queens
, New York City
, USA
. Prior to May 2008, it operated scheduled international services from the USA to Africa
and Guyana
. Today, it operates domestic and international charter services and wet lease
services. Its main aircraft and maintenance base is Tampa International Airport
.
(now defunct) and World Airways
, North American is truly a product of airline deregulation
and does not share a common history of governmental constraints, which precluded its fellow carriers' rapid early growth—unlike its own.
North American was established in 1989 and began operations on January 20, 1990. It was founded by Dan McKinnon, former head of the then-Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), mainly to provide feeder services to El Al
gateways in North America, and to provide services for Club Med
. El Al held a 24.9% stake in the airline until it sold it back to McKinnon in July 2003. It was acquired by World Air Holdings in April 2005.
It began by flying charter flights on Boeing 757
aircraft. The company grew during the 1990s, adding flights to San Juan, Puerto Rico
, various spots in Mexico
and other destinations. North American also started a scheduled flight from Los Angeles International Airport
to JFK to complement El Al's existing Tel Aviv
-JFK-LAX run and provide the Israel
i airline
with more passengers. North American also opened operations in Newark, New Jersey
, and Oakland, California
, at that time. In addition to their original 757s, North American also operates Boeing 767
s for long-range, high-density charter flights.
On April 5, 2007, New ATA Holdings, Inc., bought out North American Airlines parent company World Air Holdings, Inc. and promptly changed the name of the holding company to Global Aero Logistics, Inc. to reflect the worldwide desires of the latest owners. The same firm, MatlinPatterson recently divested themselves of Varig
at the end of March 2006, although they still maintain financial interests at its former cargo subsidiary VarigLog (LC)
. The company was renamed Global Aviation Holdings, Inc., on Feb. 26, 2009. Two Global Aviation Senior Vice President executives also serve as Chief Operating Officers (COO)
at the certificated airlines of which Global Aviation is composed and Charlie McDonald serves as President
. Rob Binns is the CEO for Global Aviation Holdings.
North American Airlines discontinued all scheduled operations in May 2008. At the time of this shut down, the airline operated scheduled passenger flights to the following destinations:
Announced on February 19, 2008, North American Airlines planned on discontinuing all scheduled service in May 2008 in favor of concentrating on charter operations. According to a news release on northamericanair.com, "What makes NAA's scheduled service operations untenable is the rising cost of fuel, with jet fuel costs increasing 60 percent since 2005. This was a difficult decision, especially in light of the continuing support we have received from the governments and the traveling public in these markets. NAA's modern Boeing 757/767 fleet is in high demand and NAA will redeploy these aircraft profitably in the charter market".
North American Airlines discontinued service to Hawaii
as of September 1, 2005. Prior to Delta Air Lines establishing service between New York City and Accra, Ghana, on December 11, 2006, NAA's JFK-ACC and BWI-BJL services were the only scheduled non-stop service between the U.S. and West Africa
operated by a U.S. airline for several years. .
Earlier scheduled service included Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Santiago, Dominican Republic and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Each of these routes were canceled after JetBlue Airways began competing on these routes. According to conversations with Dan McKinnon and Steve Harfst (former COO), there was no desire for the company to compete with the low fare cost structure of JetBlue.
and tour operators in Hawaii
and the Caribbean charter North American's aircraft on a regular basis. Since discontinuing all scheduled service in May 2008, North American Airlines continues to operate today as solely a charter airline.
Barack Obama
leased a North American Airlines plane for use during his successful 2008 United States Presidential Election
campaign.
As of September 2008, the average fleet age of North American Airlines was 11.0 years.
The carrier maintains a long-standing wet lease relationship with Air Jamaica
, providing wet-leased 767 aircraft and crew for the airline's Kingston
-New York service. In the summer of 2007, Air Jamaica increased its dependence on North American Airlines' services as the Jamaican company struggled to cope with higher-than-expected demand.
North American Airlines also operated charter cargo service to Gibraltar
in co-operation with the Odyssey Marine Exploration.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
with its headquarters in Building 141 on the grounds of John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
in Jamaica
Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States. It was settled under Dutch rule in 1656 in New Netherland as Rustdorp. Under British rule, the Village of Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica"...
, Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Prior to May 2008, it operated scheduled international services from the USA to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
. Today, it operates domestic and international charter services and wet lease
Wet lease
Aircraft leases are a number of types of leases used by airlines and other aircraft operators. Airlines lease aircraft from other airlines or leasing companies for two main reasons; to operate aircraft without the financial burden of buying them, and to provide temporary increase in capacity...
services. Its main aircraft and maintenance base is Tampa International Airport
Tampa International Airport
Tampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority...
.
History
North American Airlines is a subsidiary of Global Aviation Holdings, Inc., formerly Global Aero Logistics, Inc.. Unlike the other airlines that are a part of Global Aviation, ATA AirlinesATA Airlines
ATA Airlines, Inc., formerly known as American Trans Air, was an American low-cost scheduled service and charter airline based in Indianapolis, Indiana. ATA operated scheduled passenger flights throughout the US mainland and Hawaii, as well as military and commercial charter flights around the world...
(now defunct) and World Airways
World Airways
World Airways, Inc. is an American airline headquartered at the HLH Building in Peachtree City, Georgia. For the most part, the company operates non-scheduled services. Its main aircraft and maintenance base is Tampa International Airport.-History:...
, North American is truly a product of airline deregulation
Airline deregulation
Airline deregulation is the process of removing entry and price restrictions on airlines affecting, in particular, the carriers permitted to serve specific routes. In the United States, the term usually applies to the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978...
and does not share a common history of governmental constraints, which precluded its fellow carriers' rapid early growth—unlike its own.
North American was established in 1989 and began operations on January 20, 1990. It was founded by Dan McKinnon, former head of the then-Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), mainly to provide feeder services to El Al
El Al
El Al Israel Airlines Ltd , trading as El Al , is the flag carrier of Israel. It operates scheduled domestic and international services and cargo flights to Europe, North America, Africa and the Far East from its main base in Ben Gurion International Airport...
gateways in North America, and to provide services for Club Med
Club Med
Club Méditerranée , commonly known as Club Med, is a French corporation of vacation resorts found in many parts of the world, usually in exotic locations. It is considered the original all-inclusive resort.-Foundation:...
. El Al held a 24.9% stake in the airline until it sold it back to McKinnon in July 2003. It was acquired by World Air Holdings in April 2005.
It began by flying charter flights on Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
aircraft. The company grew during the 1990s, adding flights to San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, various spots in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and other destinations. North American also started a scheduled flight from Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
to JFK to complement El Al's existing Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
-JFK-LAX run and provide the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
with more passengers. North American also opened operations in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, and Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, at that time. In addition to their original 757s, North American also operates Boeing 767
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
s for long-range, high-density charter flights.
On April 5, 2007, New ATA Holdings, Inc., bought out North American Airlines parent company World Air Holdings, Inc. and promptly changed the name of the holding company to Global Aero Logistics, Inc. to reflect the worldwide desires of the latest owners. The same firm, MatlinPatterson recently divested themselves of Varig
Varig
VARIG was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. From 1965 until 1990 it was Brazil's leading and almost only international airline...
at the end of March 2006, although they still maintain financial interests at its former cargo subsidiary VarigLog (LC)
Varig Logística
Varig Logística S.A., operating as VarigLog, is a cargo airline, based in Jardim Aeroporto, Campo Belo, São Paulo, Brazil.-History:The airline started operations in September 2000 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Varig and employed 1,345 staff....
. The company was renamed Global Aviation Holdings, Inc., on Feb. 26, 2009. Two Global Aviation Senior Vice President executives also serve as Chief Operating Officers (COO)
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
at the certificated airlines of which Global Aviation is composed and Charlie McDonald serves as President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
. Rob Binns is the CEO for Global Aviation Holdings.
Scheduled destinations
Africa
- GhanaGhanaGhana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
- Accra (Kotoka International AirportKotoka International AirportKotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, is the country's premier international airport and has the capacity for large aircraft such as the Boeing 747-800...
) Service ended May 20, 2008
- Accra (Kotoka International Airport
- NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
- Lagos (Murtala Mohammed International AirportMurtala Mohammed International AirportMurtala Muhammed International Airport is an international airport located in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria, and is the major airport serving the city of Lagos, southwestern Nigeria and the entire nation. Originally known as Lagos International Airport, it was renamed midway during construction...
) Service ended May 18, 2008
- Lagos (Murtala Mohammed International Airport
North America
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
- MiamiMiami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
(Miami International AirportMiami International AirportMiami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
) [on behalf of AeroSur] - TampaTampa, FloridaTampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
(Tampa International AirportTampa International AirportTampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority...
) [Operation at gate A]
- Miami
- MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
- Baltimore (Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall AirportBaltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall AirportBaltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is an international airport serving the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area in the United States. It is commonly called BWI, BWI Airport or BWI Marshall, BWI being an initialism for "Baltimore/Washington International" and the...
) Focus City Service ended May 20, 2008
- Baltimore (Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
- New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
- New York City (John F. Kennedy International AirportJohn F. Kennedy International AirportJohn F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
) Hub Service ended May 20, 2008
- New York City (John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Florida
South America
- BoliviaBoliviaBolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
- Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Viru Viru International AirportViru Viru International AirportViru Viru International Airport is an aviation facility located in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.The idea to build a new, modern airport in Santa Cruz was conceived in 1976, in view of the obsolence of the old airport known as El Trompillo. Soon after, construction of the airport began...
) on behalf of AeroSur to Miami) Service ended mid-2010
- Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Viru Viru International Airport
- GuyanaGuyanaGuyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
- GeorgetownGeorgetown, GuyanaGeorgetown, estimated population 239,227 , is the capital and largest city of Guyana, located in the Demerara-Mahaica region. It is situated on the Atlantic Ocean coast at the mouth of the Demerara River and it was nicknamed 'Garden City of the Caribbean.' Georgetown is located at . The city serves...
(Cheddi Jagan International AirportCheddi Jagan International AirportCheddi Jagan International Airport , formerly Timehri International Airport, is the national airport of Guyana. The airport is located on the right bank of the Demerara River in the city of Timehri, south of Guyana's capital, Georgetown.-History:...
) Service ended May 18, 2008
- Georgetown
- TrinidadTrinidadTrinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
- Port of Spain, Trinidad (Piarco International AirportPiarco International AirportPiarco International Airport is the main airport serving Trinidad and Tobago located in Piarco, a town in northern Trinidad, about east of the capital city, Port of Spain. It is one of two international airports serving the twin isle republic. The other is located on the island of Tobago, A.N.R...
) Serivice ended May 18, 2008
- Port of Spain, Trinidad (Piarco International Airport
Announced on February 19, 2008, North American Airlines planned on discontinuing all scheduled service in May 2008 in favor of concentrating on charter operations. According to a news release on northamericanair.com, "What makes NAA's scheduled service operations untenable is the rising cost of fuel, with jet fuel costs increasing 60 percent since 2005. This was a difficult decision, especially in light of the continuing support we have received from the governments and the traveling public in these markets. NAA's modern Boeing 757/767 fleet is in high demand and NAA will redeploy these aircraft profitably in the charter market".
North American Airlines discontinued service to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
as of September 1, 2005. Prior to Delta Air Lines establishing service between New York City and Accra, Ghana, on December 11, 2006, NAA's JFK-ACC and BWI-BJL services were the only scheduled non-stop service between the U.S. and West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
operated by a U.S. airline for several years. .
Earlier scheduled service included Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Santiago, Dominican Republic and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Each of these routes were canceled after JetBlue Airways began competing on these routes. According to conversations with Dan McKinnon and Steve Harfst (former COO), there was no desire for the company to compete with the low fare cost structure of JetBlue.
Charter destinations
North American's charter operations make up the bulk of its business: resorts such as Club MedClub Med
Club Méditerranée , commonly known as Club Med, is a French corporation of vacation resorts found in many parts of the world, usually in exotic locations. It is considered the original all-inclusive resort.-Foundation:...
and tour operators in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and the Caribbean charter North American's aircraft on a regular basis. Since discontinuing all scheduled service in May 2008, North American Airlines continues to operate today as solely a charter airline.
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
leased a North American Airlines plane for use during his successful 2008 United States Presidential Election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
campaign.
Fleet
As of June 2010, the North American Airlines fleet includes 10 aircraft:| Aircraft | In Service | Storage | Passengers (Business/Coach) |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 757-200 | 4 | 1 | 199 (16/183) | One Boeing 757-200 was operated for Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in... 's U.S. presidential election campaign in 2008. Canadian carrier Westjet WestJet WestJet Airlines Ltd. is a Canadian low-cost carrier that provides scheduled and charter air service to 71 destinations in Canada, the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. Founded in 1996, WestJet is currently the second largest Canadian air carrier, behind Air Canada, operating an average of... is wet leasing a 757-200 since February 2011 |
| Boeing 767-300 | 5 | 0 | 206 (30/176) 247 (247) |
|
As of September 2008, the average fleet age of North American Airlines was 11.0 years.
Services
As a certified United States Department of Defense air carrier, NAA provides military personnel and their dependents air transportation to destinations not served by commercial airlines. North American was the first airline to provide the capability of the Boeing 767 aircraft to the United States Military in 2002. NAA operates military transport flights out of Dallas/Ft.Worth Airport and other locations.The carrier maintains a long-standing wet lease relationship with Air Jamaica
Air Jamaica
Air Jamaica is the current national airline of Jamaica. It is has been owned and operated by Caribbean Airlines since 26 May 2011. The airline, headquartered in Piarco, Trinidad and Tobago also has administrative offices located in Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica...
, providing wet-leased 767 aircraft and crew for the airline's Kingston
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
-New York service. In the summer of 2007, Air Jamaica increased its dependence on North American Airlines' services as the Jamaican company struggled to cope with higher-than-expected demand.
North American Airlines also operated charter cargo service to Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
in co-operation with the Odyssey Marine Exploration.