web-catalog        Post DeRegulation Air Mail First Flights         Continental Air Lines

Aerodacious (Aviation + Audacious = Aerodacious) eMail: Aerodacious Page US010Continental (Revised 01/26/2008)

Background: The Airline Deregulation Act took effect of December 1, 1978. The main purpose of the Act was to remove government control from commercial aviation and expose the passenger airline industry to market forces. This Act changed the face of civil aviation in the US. Air Mail would continue to be carried by Air Carriers but the old system of CAM and FAM routes would evolve into Air Mail flown by individual US airlines to both domestic and foreign destinations.

Continental Air Lines began service in 1934 as Varney Speed Lanes, named after one of its initial owners, Walter T Varney. VSL operated out of El Paso TX with flight service through Las Vegas NV, Albuquerque, Santa Fe NM to Pueblo CO. At the end of 1934 VSL was renamed Varney Air Transport and on July 1, 1937 changed its name to Continental Air Lines after new owner, Robert Six had taken a 40% ownership with Varney's co-founder, Louis Mueller. Six relocated Continental's headquarters to Stapleton Airport in Denver CO in October, 1937. AM-43 was awarded to CAL and on June 23, 1939 it began flight service between Pueblo CO and Wichita KS using Lockheed 12A (Electra Junior) aircraft.

Boeing 727

CO-D1E	790102	Houston TX	Continental Air Lines	G Hartigan	$3.00
CO-D1Ef	790102	Houston TX	Continental Air Lines	G Hartigan	$3.00
CO-D2W	790102	Washington DC	Continental Air Lines	G Hartigan	$3.00
CO-D2Wf	790102	Washington DC	Continental Air Lines	G Hartigan	$3.00

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