note
Transamerica Airlines began operations as a charter airline that shuttled gamblers between Los Angeles and Las Vegas using DC-3 aircraft and was called Los Angeles Air Service LAAS at the time.
California pilot entrepreneur Kirk Kekorian who ferried de Havilland Mosquitos in the Jet Stream to England during WWII bought LAAS in 1947 for $60,000.
LAAS changed name to Trans International Airlines TIA in July 1960.
First jet was delivered in November 1962 when TIA took delivery of Douglas DC-8 jet.
TIA was acquired by Transamerica Corp. (insurance and investment company based in San Francisco) in 1968 for $106 million. First wide body aircraft, Douglas DC-10-30 was delivered in April 1973.
In November 1976 TIA took over another ad-hoc charter operator Saturn Airways and became world's largest charter operator. With this merger came fleet of Lockheed Hercules and Electras.
In May 1979 TIA introduced its first scheduled services. It offered flights from Los Angeles and New York to Europe.
TIA changed name to Transamerica Airlines October 1, 1979.
Although profitable, the Transamerica Corp. decided to sell its non-financial holdings in October 1986. Because the airline assets were sold in pieces to various buyesr, it ceased to exist as an airline and ceased all operations.
founded - demised (age)
1948 - September 30 1986 (38)
headquarters
Oakland, CA, Oakland
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base airports
related operators
current /stored fleet (0)
