Trans World Express
Trans World Express (TWE) was the fully owned and certificated, regional carrier for Trans World Airlines (TWA) and an airline trademark name for TWA's corporation.
When American Airlines bought TWA, the regional airlines functioning under the Trans World Express "banner" became affiliated with American Airlines under the name and new banner air carrier branding AmericanConnection. Trans World Express service at that time was being provided by Trans States Airlines, Chautauqua Airlines, and Corporate Airlines (later RegionsAir).
History[edit]
Until November 6, 1995, TWE, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of TWA, operated flights under the Trans World Express banner. This fully certificated airline, previously named and certificated as Ransome Airlines - Pan Am Express, was headquartered at Philadelphia Northeast Airport far from TWA's (John F. Kennedy International Airport and (STL) St Louis hubs.
After that date, November 6, 1995, TWA outsourced all TWE operations to third-party "banner" airlines. Other airlines previously operating under the name and TWE "banner" included Resort Air and Metro Air Northeast.
Most flights were from the Eastern Seaboard to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport or from the South and Midwest to Lambert-Saint Louis International Airport.
In 1993, Alpha Air was operating Trans World Express service with Beechcraft 1900C turboprops from a hub at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) with service to Burbank (BUR), Grand Canyon (GCN), Lake Tahoe (TVL), Mammoth Lakes (MMH), Palm Springs (PSP), Phoenix (PHX) and Santa Ana/Orange County Airport (SNA, now John Wayne Airport).[2]
The following aircraft were contracted and operating in the TWExpress system at the time of TWA's merger with American Airlines and the TWExpress brand was discontinued:
Other aircraft that appeared in TWE colors included: