Ludington Airline (Ludington Lines)

In 1930, Charles Townsend Ludington and his brother (along with two former executives of Transcontinental Air Transport started the New York-Philadelphia-Washington Airways company. It became known as Ludington Airlines, under Ludington Lines Incorporated in 1933. (Amelia Earhart was one of its vice presidents). Ludington Airline acquired Dixie Flying Service in 1931. The Ludingtons sold their airline to Eastern Air Transport in Feb1933
< regular scheduled passenger services based out of Philadelphia >

[ – Eastern Air Lines was formed in 1928 as Pitcairn Aviation by Harold J Pitcairn as a mail carrier between NY-Albany. Acquired by North American Aviation and the name was changed in 1930 to Eastern Air Transport. Acquired New York Airways, New York, Philadelphia & Washington Airways and The Ludington Line in 1933. Renamed to Eastern Air Lines in 1934. Acquired Wedell-Williams Air Service Corp.. in 1936. Incorporated as Eastern Air Lines in 1938 with Ed Rickenbacker as President. Operated the first Autogyro air mail service, from Philadelphia Post Office to Camden NJ, in a Kellett KD-1 B. In 1956 Eastern bought Colonial Airlines, giving the airline its first routes to Canada, Mackey Airlines in 1967 and Caribair in 1974. In 1982, Eastern acquired Braniff’s South American route network. Eastern Air Lines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on 09Mar1989 and ceased operations on 18Jan1991. Eastern Air Lines was dissolved after 64 years of operation on 18Apr1991. Many of its remaining assets are parcelled out to American and Continental]

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