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United Airlines Research Paper

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United Airlines is the second of the world’s largest, and strongest, airlines. From humble beginnings as a small air mail providers flying Contract Air Mail (CAM) route 5 from Elko, Nevada to Pasco, Washington rail road center, to an airline today that is a premier member and cofounder of the Star Alliance, with numerous other airlines that span the globe, United has had a long and colorful past.

In 1926, then Varney Air Lines founded by Walter Varney, flew a short mail route under the recently established Kelley Act, using the post office to furnish funding and routes to provide airmail service. Varney began purchasing other small airmail carriers within the United States, Pacific Air Transport (CAM 8) that flew from Los Angeles …show more content…

Under Post Master Walter Folger Brown, a plan was devised to eliminate “reckless competition” (Wensveen, p 49), and since United supported the postmasters plan, was awarded the northern of three main airmail routes within the country.

The 1930’s also saw something unique that still shapes airlines today. Ellen Church of San Francisco and a registered nurse, became the first airline stewardess in the history of the airlines. Partly to help the public feel safe about flying, a woman was chosen who also was a nurse to help passengers in flight and was approved by Pat Patterson, future United Air Lines President (flatrock.org.nz). Miss Church, along with Steve Simpson, a Boeing ticket office manager, wrote the first manual for flight attendants.

The airline we see today was solidified with the Airmail Act of 1934. Signed by President Roosevelt, the airmail act regulated equipment needed for specific routes, and eliminated a lot of smaller regional airlines/air transport companies from operations. Also, it barred airlines and aircraft manufacturers from being a single corporation. Up until this time, the major airlines all were part of larger corporations with different manufacturers and other parts suppliers. Now, Boeing and United had to go their separate

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