The commercial aviation industry has been a diverse ecosystem for as long as it has existed, with countless airlines from all over the world having come and gone over the years. Today, the sector boasts a rich portfolio of carriers worldwide, with just about every demographic accounted for, ranging from ultra-low-cost operators where you only get what you pay for to all-premium airlines with no economy class. Just like they always have, today's airlines create memories among travelers, both young and old, by making the dream of flight a reality, and they will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
However, for some people, their strongest memories of aviation will be tied to airlines that, for a variety of reasons, are no longer present in the world's skies. Let's look back at some of history's most missed airlines. 1 Pan American World Airways 20th-century pioneer When it comes to 20th-century aviation, there are few airlines whose legacies resonate with the era quite like that of Pan American World Airways.
Known in short as simply Pan Am, the carrier was one of the most recognizable airline brands of the 20th century, and made history by being the first commercial operator of the Boeing 747, a plane of which many avgeeks also have fond memories. Love aviation history ? Discover more of our stories here! Pan Am operated for 64 years between October 1927 and December 1991, followed by two short-lived and unsuccessful revivals of the brand from 1996 to 1998 and 1998 to.
