The Airchive-American Timetables

		1933 Route Map and Schedule American was known as American Airways prior to the suspension of all commerical air mail, in favor of the military, by the U.S. postmaster. This disaster resulted in many crashes and deaths. It lasted but a few months but with the proviso that airlines who had contracts before couldn't reapply. The loophole was that a simple name change and re-incorporation did the trick, thus American Airways became American Airlines. The backbone of the fleet at the time, The Ford Tri-Motor is featured on the cover. Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings
		1936 Route Map and Schedule American had just introduced the legendary DC-3 and DST in service on its Southern Transcontinental route.
		August 1, 1938 Route Map and Schedule The actual timetables are featured below on this wonderful rare contribution from Chris. Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings

		April 1940 Route Map and Schedule American was now using the famous "flagship" image at this point. On arrival, cockpit crew would actually raise a flag such as the one pictured outside of the cockpit window. During the last few years, note the arrival of the New York (Newark) nonstop service to Chicago Midway.
		September 1, 1945 Route Map and Schedule Post-War, American operated an overseas airline, American Overseas which it sold to Pan American in 1948. DC-4s and a few DC-6s were used on these routes. This sale was later regarded as one of the few major mistakes of legendary president, C.R. Smith's career.
		May 25, 1946 Route Map and Schedule Post-War, American operated an overseas airline, American Overseas which it sold to Pan American in 1948. DC-4s and a few DC-6s were used on these routes. This sale was later regarded as one of the few major mistakes of legendary president, C.R. Smith's career. Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings chris@irisreg.com
		May 25, 1946 Timetable inserts Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings chris@irisreg.com
		April 1, 1949 Pressurized DC-6s had just entered the fleet. By 1953, American would launch non-stop transcon flights. Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings
		January 23, 1959 This is the route map and timteable when American inaugurated the first regularly scheduled jet service in the U.S. with transcon 707 flights between Los Angeles and New York. National Airlines actually operated 707’s between Miami and New York in the winter of 1958 with leased jets from Pan Am.
		April 29, 1962 The bulk of the fleet during these prosperous years were Electra’s, Convair 990’s, and Boeing 707’s. American, at this time, was the first airline to completely convert it’s jets to turbofans.
		March 1966 By 1966, American had begun flying the ubiquitous Boeing 727s which gradually replaced the Convair 990s by 1968. Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings chris@irisreg.com
		April 1968 In 1968 and up through the late 80’s, American still operated a point-to-point system. American’s only international destinations were Toronto, Mexico City, and Acapulco. Later that year, American would change it’s color scheme to the red, white, and blue scheme that remains to this day.
		June 1968 This is one of the first, if not the first timetable from American's new 1968 livery which continues relatively unchanged to the present. This patriotic rebranding was ironically introduced in what is remembered one of America's most turbulent years. In 1968, Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King were assasinated, the Vietnam War raged on, there was rioting in many major U.S. cities, and the Flower Power era was in full bloom. Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings chris@irisreg.com
		September 15, 1968 American highlighted the watershed 1968 Presidential Election on its cover.
		October 27, 1968 With America gripped in a turbulent year of civil rights unrest, the Vietnam War, and massive social change, American chose to take a patriotic approach in its branding. In this edition, the November 1968 Election is promoted.
		September 14, 1970 American inaugurated it’s first overseas routes in 1970 with 707 service to the South Pacific. American discontinued the routes by 1975 when it traded for Caribbean from Pan Am. Caribbean destinations began in March, 1971 with the purchase of Trans Caribbean Airlines. AA had also just launched transcon 747 flights in September 1970. Two years earlier American, in 1968, American launched it’s current livery.
		June 1, 1972 American had just introduced DC-10’s to its fleet debuting on August 5, 1971 between LA and Chicago. Caribbean services began a year earlier in March, 1971 with the purchase of Trans Caribbean Airlines.
		October 28, 1972
		June 10, 1976 American was a favorite in the mid 1970s as evidenced by this timetable boast. Thirty years later, this would seem like a joke to many travelers. Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings chris@irisreg.com
		September 13, 1976 American was way on it’s way to dominating the Caribbean with the purchase of Trans Caribbean in 1971 and the acquisition of additional routes from Pan Am in 1975. American sold all Pacific routes, except Honolulu-St. Louis, in 1975 to Pan Am.
		June 8, 1978 This schedule is noteworthy on multiple fronts. 1978 was the introduction of American's innovative Super Saver fares masterminded by a young Robert Crandall. This timetable was published on the eve of deregulation. A year later, American would commence service to many new cities and introduce many new routes in the tough, unrestrained new competitive enviornment. Ultimately, American would flourish under deregulation while many competitors went by the wayside.
		January 31, 1981 In 1981 American had another major year: It consolidated it’s hub presence and headquarters at DFW, hastening the demise of Braniff. The hub opened on June 1. American retired the 707 from the fleet after 22 years. AA launched nonstops from DFW-Honolulu as well as introducing 11 new cities to the system. Most importantly, AA launched it’s trendsetting frequent flyer program, Aadvantage.
		July 1, 1982 With Braniff's May, 1982 demise, this schedule heralded the launch of services replacing its ill-fated competitor. London, UK is the most prominent new destination which American initially served with leased Boeing 747 SPs and DC-10s. American's aggressive expansion into Braniff's traditional DFW hub terrirtory was a significant cause of Braniff's shut down. It's as if American, the fiercest competitor and arguably the smartest mainline carrier, smelt blood in the water. Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings chris@irisreg.com
		November 1, 1982 timetable and Boeing 767 insert launch American was the 2nd U.S. carrier to introduce the Boeing 767, following United by just a few months. The Boeing 767 has since gone on to be the workhorse of the American long-haul fleet flying transcon and transatlantic routes. Some of the early 200s contine to serve on the Transcontinental U.S. routes. By 1982, American had solidified its dominance over the DFW hub, with the demise of Braniff. Note: the arrival of South American and London flights. DC-10s were used on these routes predominantly.
		January 18, 1983 This schedule highlights American's hubs: DFW, which opened in 1981 and Chicago ORD inagurated in 1983.
		June 8, 1983 The MD-80, introduced by American in 1983, was at the time the quitest airliner in the skies. For over 20 years, it has formed the backbone of AA's short and medium haul fleet with over 140 examples in the skies. Though the 737-800 arrived to replace it in 1998, the "Mad Dog" has only begun being phased out in 2006-07. It is expected to continue in service through early in the next decade marking nearly 30 years service with American.
		August 31, 1984
		March 1, 1987 By 1987 with only 5 years serving Europe, American had begun a major player on the North Atlantic with ETOPS 767 and DC-10 service to Chicago, DFW, and New York.
		November 1991 1991 was a big year for American. American absorbed Eastern Airlines Latin American routes and its Miami hub. In the process, it became the dominant carrier at Miami, only 12 years after beginning service there in 1979. American also had just acquired rights to serve London Heathrow from TWA. Finally, the MD-11 joined the fleet beginning with flights to Japan replacing 747-SPs.
		April 4, 1993
		September 6, 1994
		May 1, 1995
		April 7, 1996
		June, 1996
		September, 1996 American was operating a fleet of MD-11s, DC-10s, 767s, A-300s, 757s, 727s, MD-80s, and Fokker 100s.
		December 14, 1996
		September 3, 1997
		December 15, 1997
		January 13, 1998 1998 was a notable year for American with the retirement of the brilliant but controversial CEO Robert Crandall. It was also the year the Boeing 737-800 arrived in the fleet. It was also the year American inagurated its first international service with non-stop Chicago ORD to Tokyo Narita flights utilizing MD-11 equipment. DFW would follow soon. Though successful in Japan, American waited nearly a decade to step up its Asian expansion into India and China.
		April 13, 1998 1998 was a notable year for American with the retirement of the brilliant but controversial CEO Robert Crandall. It was also the year the Boeing 737-800 arrived in the fleet. It was also the year American inagurated its first international service with non-stop Chicago ORD to Tokyo Narita flights utilizing MD-11 equipment. DFW would follow soon. Though successful in Japan, American waited nearly a decade to step up its Asian expansion into India and China.
		June 15, 1998
		September 9, 1998
		November 1, 1998
		December 14, 1998
		September 8, 1999 1999 is memorable as not only the pinnacle of American's profitability (as well as the airline industry) but also for the arrival of the Boeing 777 which began to replace the disappointing MD-11s. The Triple 7 is seen here on the cover. The MD-11s would solider on for another 2 years, with most being sold off to FedEx.
		November 1, 1999 The Boeing 737-800, new to the fleet in 1998, is seen in this manipulated image flying over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
		November 1, 1999 The pinnacle of American’s profitability and route structure just prior to the TWA merger and the airline industry crisis beginning in 2001.American had just introduced its "More Room Throughout Coach" program in which seat pitch in all coach seats was increased to 33-34 inches from 31-32 inches. This program was introduced less than a year before the revenue enviornment began to soften and would be abandoned in full by 2004. 777s were added to the fleet in late '98 replacing the MD-11's. 737 NGs joied the fleet with an eye to eventually replacing the MD-80s.
		February 1, 2000 One month after this schedule was published, the NASDAQ would peak at13,000 points and the drastic slide into recession and a weakened airline state would begin. American had just introduced its "More Room Throughout Coach" program in which seat pitch in all coach seats was increased to 33-34 inches from 31-32 inches. By the time the program was completed, the airline industry would be in a tailspin and just as fast as the seats were taken out, they would be placed back in to generate extra revenue and capacity on existing aircraft as the airline began to ground aircraft and retrench.
		April 2, 2000
		July 2, 2000
		September 6, 2000 Though a year away from 9/11, the airline industry and economy were already weakening quickly 6 months after the stock market peaked.
		November 1, 2000
		January 6, 2001
		July 2, 2001
		September 5, 2001 After September 11, 2001 the American Airline industry went into an absolute tailspin with American and United leading the way down. This combined TWA/American schedule published 6 days before that dreadful day would be one of the Airline’s last published paper schedule with necessary cost-cutting, constant schedule changes, and the internet being the principal culprits. TWA would be completely merged into American in December 2001 making American the world's largest airline. The venerable 727's were retired in April 2002. The MD-11's were gone by the end of 2001, sold to Fed-X. MD-80s and Fokker 100s would begin to be retired.
		April 7, 2002 This sober looking timetable was published in the wake of 9/11 and the November, 2001 crash of an American A-300-600 in New York. This reflected the toughest years, the company and the airline ever faced.
		June 15, 2002 This is American's last printed timetable. The promotional message here continues to be "More Room Throughout Coach". A few months later, the program would be discontinued on the 757 and A300 fleet which were shifted into leisure markets. The program continued on the rest of the fleet for only another year. This was the year the airline industry reached its abyss. American was no exception. With high labor costs, poor relationships with the unions, weak revenue, and the indigestion caused by the TWA merger, AA was very exposed. American at the time barely averted bankruptcy and to this day is the only one of the majors never to declare Chapter 11. Fortunately, as a testament to great employees and leadership, American has remerged as the strongest of the majors, reasonably well positioned for the future.
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