note

One of the pioneering airlines was founded in 1933 by young New York lawyer Carleton Putnam who one day bought an airplane on a whim while walking down a street in New York. Carleton Putnam learned to fly on a cross country trip to California where he founded Pacific Seaboard Air Lines. Pacific Seaboard started operations in June 1933 without a mail contract between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Year later U.S. Post Office started to accept new bids on all airmail routes and Pacific Seaboard won Chicago - New Orleans route. Pacific Seaboard moved to Memphis and started operations in June 1934 on Chicago - Memphis - New Orleans route carrying mail at first, but passengers soon followed. In December 1935 Pacific Seaboard changed name to Chicago And Southern Air Lines. C & S merged with Delta Air Lines in May 1953. At the time of merger C&S added Detroit, Kansas City, Little Rock, St Louis, Indianapolis, Shreveport, Jackson and Houston along with few smaller cities in Arkansas, Illinois and Indiana. C&S also operated international service from Houston and New Orleans serving Havana, Kingston, San Juan, Port au Prince, Caracas and Ciudad Trujillo (Santo Domingo). Delta and C&S network was complimentary and gave Delta its first international routes and Lockheed Constellation airliners. After the merger Delta C&S name was briefly used.

founded - demised (age)

1933 - May 1953  (20)

headquarters

, Memphis, TN

web

base airports

related operators

Delta Air Lines

merged