Eastern Airlines

FreightWaves Classics/Infrastructure: SFO is a key gateway airport (Part 2)

An aerial view of San Francisco International Airport in 1970. (Photo: SFO Airport: Aviation Museum & Library Collection)

Earlier this month San Francisco International Airport (SFO) celebrated its 95th birthday. The largest of the three major airports serving the San Francisco Bay area, an earlier FreightWaves Classics article covered the early history of SFO. You can read that article here, while today’s article will profile the airport’s history during the first two decades of the jet age.

The jet age begins at SFO

In March 1959 the first commercial jet service at SFO began when Trans World Airlines (TWA) flew...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freightwaves-classicsinfrastructure-sfo-is-a-key-gateway-airport-part-2

Flexport to launch Eastern Airlines’ 777 express freighter service

Angle view of rear of Eastern Air express freighter.

Rapidly growing freight forwarder Flexport said Tuesday it has signed a multiyear contract for dedicated transport with Eastern Air, a new entrant that intends to deploy light-duty 777 freighters focused on e-commerce shipments with a quick-to-market, low-cost strategy to fill a persistent gap for available airlift. 

Privately held Eastern Air Holdings has purchased 35 Boeing 777 passenger jets and is retrofitting them itself by removing the seats, bins and galleys — work that is usually...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/flexport-to-launch-eastern-airlines-777-express-freighter-service

Eastern Airlines enters air cargo market with ‘freighter-light’ model

An Eastern Airlines jet on tarmac in front of a hangar building.

Eastern Airlines, a small, relatively unknown passenger carrier, is making a significant play to join the air cargo big league with an unusual business model centered on stripping out seats from used aircraft rather than converting them to a traditional freighter that can carry heavy shipments on the main deck.

The Wayne, Pennsylvania-based company on Wednesday announced it has purchased 35 Boeing 777 widebody aircraft and plans to launch service targeted at the e-commerce and express delivery...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/eastern-airlines-enters-air-cargo-market-with-freighter-light-model

FreightWaves Flashback 1969: Eastern Airlines invests $4 million to containerize baggage

The many industries that make up the world of freight have undergone tremendous change over the past several decades. Each Friday, FreightWaves explores the archives of American Shipper’s nearly 70-year-old collection of shipping and maritime publications to showcase interesting freight stories of long ago.

The following is an excerpt from the September 1969 edition of the Florida Journal of Commerce.

Eastern Airlines has placed initial orders for $4 million in specialized ground equipment to...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/freightwaves-flashback-1969-eastern-airlines-invests-4-million-to-containerize-baggage