I wouldn’t get excited just yet, but another Pan Am reincarnation is in the works.
Pan American Airways will announce its return to the skies on Friday, November 12 at noon in front of the historic Pan American Airways Building at the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport. Pan American President Robert Hedrick will announce the start of operations and the re-opening of the Gateways to Latin America, which was pioneered by the original Pan American World Airways in Brownsville in 1929.
The plan is to offer 70 flights a month from Brownsville, Texas to key Latin Ameican destinations with eventual expansion to Africa using a southern route, something that has never been done before according the press release.
The airline plans to only offer cargo service for now, but eventually add passenger flights. Headquarters for the new airline will be in the original Pan Am building and Pan Am employees from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s are will be honored at the press conference on November 12th.
It’s extremely different to start up an airline these days so I predict the carrier will face an uphill battle to survive. But I’d be lying if I said I was against seeing Pan Am livery in the skies again. Let’s see what happens.
It takes more than a great old name to make it. If that was all it took, then Packard Deusenberg and the New York Central would be candidates for revival.
My first flight was on Pan Am in 1974 or 5. I still remember the return trip. We were delayed at the gate after boarding in MIA and the air conditioning was non existent.
When you said a route over the South Pole I said that sounds crazy. The article only mentions a southern route. Any great circle route touching any part of Antarctica from South America or south Texas is going to add thousands of miles to the trip.
@John: Agree.
@Michael: I’ve updated the post. Apparently I misunderstood the definition of southern route.