The Airchive-TWA Timetables

		March 1, 1935 TWA operated the mid-continent Transcontinental route. At this time, it was known as Trans Continental and Western Airlines under the leadership of airline legend Jack Frye.
		February 5, 1945 The War in Europe was over in 60 days and less than a year away in the Pacific Theater. TWA was ramping up in this schedule to begin its transition from domestic Transcontinental and Western Airlines to international flag carrier Trans World Airlines.
		September 1, 1946 Howard Hughes received his long awaited European rights for TWA. The airline’s name changed officially from Transcontinental and Western Airlines to Trans World Airlines with the addition of the routes. TWA’s Connie’s began flying from New York to Paris on February 5, 1946. By this 1948 schedule TWA’s European routes competed with Pan Am all the way east to Bombay, India and the Middle East. Domestically, the routes were confined to the original transcontinental central route. TWA, with Pan Am and American Overseas, were the 3 U.S. airlines granted foreign routes. Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings chris@irisreg.com

		March 1, 1948 Howard Hughes received his long awaited European rights for TWA. The airline’s name changed officially from Transcontinental and Western Airlines to Trans World Airlines with the addition of the routes. TWA’s Connie’s began flying from New York to Paris on February 5, 1946. By this 1948 schedule TWA’s European routes competed with Pan Am all the way east to Bombay, India and the Middle East. Domestically, the routes were confined to the original transcontinental central route. TWA, with Pan Am and American Overseas, were the 3 U.S. airlines granted foreign routes.
		October 30, 1955 By 1955, TWA was pioneering coast to coast Constellation routes. TWA was the Connie’s launch airline flying all variants from the 049 to the 1649. These were the golden years of TWA under Howard Hughes.
		March 1, 1960 TWA began jet service in the U.S. shortly after American did in March 1959. The sole 707 operated initially from New York to San Francisco. TWA was late purchasing 707s putting it behind the eight ball as Howard Hughes was skittish about ordering the underpowered original models. By 1960, TWA was the only airline operating 707s both domestically and overseas. Internationally, rounds stretched all the way to Bangkok and Colombo, Ceylon. Domestically, Miami was finally added to the map, breaking from TWA’s traditional route pattern.
		April 1, 1960 TWA's new 707-100s and 707-300s are profiled in this schedule. TWA welcomed Convair 880s into the fleet in 1960 as well.
		July 1, 1963 TWA’s map, fortunes, service, look, and fleet improved and expanded considerably in 3 years since 1960. The route map now added flights to Tampa and Atlanta. 707-300s and Convair 880s came on line. TWA pioneered in-flight movies (see memorabilia section). The famed “double globe” look along with the Saarinen Terminal at JFK was introduced in 1962. Finally, the brilliant but eccentric Howard Hughes was almost out of the picture by this time. TWA’s future never looked better.
		April 30, 1967 TWA added DC-9s and 727s shoring up it’s domestic fleet between 1965 and 1967. It became only the 2nd U.S. airline to serve Africa. Asian routes now stretched all the way to Hong Kong. In 2 years, TWA would become an around the world airline. In 3 years, it would be the first airline to fly the 747 within the U.S.
		June 1, 1973 TWA launched the L-1011 in 1973 and grounded the Convair 880s. In 1969, TWA began flying round the world as Hawaii, Japan, and Guam were added to the schedule. The Pacific division was unprofitable, and would be traded to Pan Am for additional London, Paris, and Spain services in 1975. Domestically, TWA was still a point-to-point carrier. In 1974, a new livery would be introduced.
		April 1973 Philadelphia City Timetable
		February 23, 1975 In late 1974, TWA replaced its Lowery designed double globe logo with a clean, somewhat bland branding. The outline typeface would be filled in within 2 years. The Pacific round-the-world routes would be traded to Pan Am in exchange for traffic rights to France and Spain later in the year.
		April 25, 1976 TWA’s new L-1011s graced the cover of this timetable. The 1974 color scheme is also seen here.
		June 10, 1976 TWA celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 1976. It had France, Spain, Portugal, and Austria all to itself as it traded it’s entire Pacific routes and Frankfurt to Pan Am. PA also traded to TWA additional Heathrow routes, and TWA became the dominant U.S. carrier there.
		July 1, 1978 Philadelphia City Timetable
		August 1, 1981 Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings chris@irisreg.com
		October 1, 1981 The Air Traffic Controller’s strike and their subsequent firing forced all airlines including TWA to cut service. Ironically, the reduced capacity was a blessing in disguise during the recession of ’81-’82. TWA attempted a Denver and Kansas City hubs, in time those would be abandoned. Frankfurt services resumed.
		June 1, 1982 TWA was suffering from the affects of a savage recession at the time of the publication of this timetable.
		October 1, 1982 In October 1982, TWA introduced Ambassador's Class on its international and trans-con flights.
		January 1, 1987 This was a dark period for TWA. Carl Icahn took over as the lesser of two evils over Frank Lorenzo. A 727 was hijacked for weeks in the Middle East in 1985. Financially, the airline began to bleed red ink. The route expansion at the time consisted of Copenhagen, Bombay, and Barcelona. Domestically, San Juan was served for the first time and TWA returned to Honolulu. Schedules consolidated at St. Louis as TWA purchased Ozark. The Denver hub was dismantled. On the plus side in 1984, TWA was a trendsetter becoming the first U.S. airline to fly ETOPS 767s across the Atlantic.
		January 13, 1991 With a weakening balance sheet, TWA would sell its Heathrow rights to American for $425 million shortly after this schedule was published. Its chief rival, Pan Am also sold it’s Heathrow routes off, to United. Heathrow routes were the most profitable in the system and cost the airline $500 million per year in lost revenue. Heathrow would cause TWA to retreat to Gatwick with flights only to St. Louis. Internationally, Istanbul, Berlin, and Stockholm came on line.
		August 1, 1993 TWA was in Chapter 11 Bankruptcy at this point. On a positive note, Carl Icahn resigned and sold his shares, through he continued to be an albatross around the airline’s neck thanks to his exit deal. TWA’s fleet was the oldest in the mainline industry. The map shows the skeletal remains of the London service at Gatwick and an ill-fated attempt to establish a hub at Atlanta, Delta’s beach head. TWA reached it’s nadir, but a comeback was in the making.
		October 29, 1995 After barely averting bankruptcy for a 2nd time, TWA’s comeback began in 1994 with a new management team, a new strategy, improving employee moral, and the relocation of corporate headquarters to the St. Louis hub. TWA posted it’s first operating profit in 6 years.In September 1995 a brilliant new look evocative of the 1963-74 double globe image was unveiled. Though European routes continued to be cutback new destinations to Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and the Caribbean were added.
		April 7, 1996 In 1996, a flight renewal accelerated the retirement of the 727s, L-1011s, and DC-9s. TWA’s fleet would become the youngest in the industry from the oldest.
		June 15, 1996 TWA would retire the 747s in favor of 767s the following year.
		September 3, 1997 TWA continued to bathe in operating profit and a fleet renewal as Boeing 717’s (then MD-95’s) were ordered to replace the DC-9s. The 747s were retired as Europe service was cut to the minimum. Service in the Caribbean continued to built up with San Juan coming online as a mini-hub.
		October 25, 1998 TWAs contraction domestically and in Europe was somewhat offset by continued expansion into the Carribbean. The bulk of the service centered around the St. Louis fortress hub, with other focus cities of San Juan and New York JFK. Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings chris@irisreg.com
		October 29, 2000 TWA began feeling the effects, along with the rest of the industry, of a weakening economy. Though TWA had made giant strides in improving all facets of it’s operation, it’s long term survival was again in doubt when American acquired it. The new 717’s were barely in operation before the takeover. The 717s would be disposed of while the ordered A-318s would never be delivered.
		December 20, 2000 This is TWA’s last timetable as a sovereign airline. American acquired TWA, operating it as a subsidiary for the rest of 2000. European service was limited to London, Paris, and Riyadh, as Milan, Lisbon, Cairo, and Tel Aviv would be eliminated before the end. By December 1, 2001 the legendary TWA having just reached it’s 75th Anniversary would be history.
		September 5, 2001 From January through December 2, 2001, TWA operated as a subsidiary of American Airlines before operations were merged. TWA schedules and flight numbers were reflected in the American timetable.
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