أمجاد شركات الطيران وغروبها

In the world of aviation, "airlines" were the concept that connected the corners of the earth, yet they have oscillated between rise and fall, battling the winds of time and the challenges of geography. Amidst the dawn of glories and the dusk of names, there is a history that does not fade, etched by the roar of engines above the clouds.

In the early days, there were no airlines; the first passenger airline in the world was KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, founded in 1919, which operated its first scheduled flight between Amsterdam and London in 1920. The first airline to carry the title of "national carrier" was British Airways, established in 1924 as a project aimed at connecting the far reaches of the empire on which the sun never set.

Later, the establishment of airlines around the world continued to meet the increasing demand for air travel and to achieve profits from this new market. They also became a means to embody the identity of nations, leading to the emergence of giant names in the skies during the last century, such as Pan American, which was a symbol of prestige. However, just as the winds shift, those companies faded under the weight of debts, mismanagement, or economic transformations, as happened with the venerable TWA.

Some companies disappeared by merging into larger entities, such as Northwest, which merged with Delta, and Continental, which dissolved into United. As airlines became entrenched in people's lives, competition evolved from focusing on new routes and connecting capitals to excelling in the quality of in-flight service, where the concept of "airline hospitality" emerged, and companies raced to offer the best meals, the widest seats, the most luxurious designs, and the most beautiful flight attendants!

In the modern era, competition became fiercer and more complex, with operational efficiency standards, pricing models, booking flexibility, multiple destinations, and loyalty programs entering the fray.

Over the years, the quality of fleets emerged as one of the important indicators, linking stages of competition to certain aircraft models that represented a leap from one phase to another, from the Boeing 767 that brought continents closer, to the Airbus 340 and its four engines for opening up further distances, to the queen B747 that reigned over air transport, and then the Airbus A380 that redefined luxury, before losing its appeal with rising costs in favor of twin-engine aircraft like the B777 and A350, which can fly for over 16 hours with higher efficiency and profitability. Then came the wave of "low-cost carriers" to change the rules of the game, making flying more economical and widespread.

The history of airlines reflects, in some of its transformations, the changes in the world’s nations and societies, and the rise of Gulf airlines in recent decades is merely a testament to the economic and technological progress of which aviation has been one of its features.

Conversely, people's perception of aviation itself changed; what was once merely boarding a plane, a dream and a symbol of luxury, has become a common, sometimes exhausting matter, which imposed a new challenge on companies to create a different travel experience.

The next time you choose the airline you will travel with, remember that these companies are not just names, colors, and logos; they are glories that soared among the clouds, and engravings in the sky that remained vibrant even if swallowed by the dusk.