Mason From United States of America, joined Jun 1999, 747 posts, RR: 1 Posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 2051 times:
Most countries have a "flag carrier" such as KLM is the Dutch flag carrier and Tahi is the flag carrier of Tahiland. What is the flag carrier in the US? I know that UA, NWA, DL, US, AA, and TW all have the flag on their aircraft. I am not sure about Southwest, Alaska, or HP. Also, who is the flag carrier of the UK? How about Japan: JAL or ANA or both? Thanks in advance.
Advancedkid From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 762 posts, RR: 2 Reply 1, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 2004 times:
Thats a looong story.
First of all one has to see the difference
of structures between the US-airlines and those
of the rest of the world. In the US all the
airlines were/are privately owned since the
very days when aviation was born.
In Europe however, as well as the rest of
the world, every country started its own
national airline and that was logically a state
owned enterprise.
I think that's enough for tonight..yaawn.
I hope my little info gave you some insight.
Regards,
Advancedkid
Neder99 From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2000, 184 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 1912 times:
OK, I know that this doesn't really relate to the topic, but,
Mason, it's actually Thai and the country is Thailand, NOT Tahi & Tahiland!!!!!!
(next time, you can read the "confirm message" page, point nr.3: Is spelling OK !!!!!!!!, or then maybe if you didn't know how to spell those two words, now you do!!!)
G-SPOT From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 6, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 1911 times:
Althought the U.S. does not have a flag carrier per se (i.e. a government owned airline), you can count any U.S. airline with International destinations as a Flag Carrier since it represents the U.S. abroad.
UA, AA, DL, NW, CO, US, TW, HP, AS, and TZ are major U.S airlines that are flag carriers. WN is not because they only serve U.S. destinations. Hey, even Air Tran and Comair are considered Flag Carriers because they serve destinations in the Bahamas and Canada (Comair does anyway).
B757300 From United States of America, joined Dec 2000, 4114 posts, RR: 25 Reply 8, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 1847 times:
Probably the closest thing to a flag carrier the U.S. has ever had was Pan American World Airways.
Polaris From Canada, joined Feb 2000, 1118 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 1850 times:
In the past, Pan American World Airways was the American flag carrier...TWA was the second American flag carrier. A flag carrier is the airline or airlines that represent your country outside your borders. This airline is usually designated in bilateral agreements between countries.
Currently, there are quite a few American flag carriers as described by G-SPOT a few posts above this one.
Soku39 From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 1797 posts, RR: 10 Reply 11, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 1846 times:
Tis is almost like Britain where they have VIrgin and BA carrying the flag (despite the world tails the Union jack is considered the ''flag'').
N312RC From United States of America, joined Aug 2000, 2678 posts, RR: 18 Reply 12, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 1840 times:
Pan Am or TWA was the closest... Now, probably American....
Aa737 From United States of America, joined Oct 1999, 849 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 1836 times:
Slightly off topic, but I believe Virgin is the official flag carrier of the UK. BA lost the title of flag carrier when they introduced the world colors and virgin stepped up to take BAs role as flag carrier.
Surf From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 1791 times:
HA! Why American? Just becuase they are called "American" and their planes are painted red white and blue? So What. The U.S. doesn't have an official flag carrier.
Advancedkid From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 762 posts, RR: 2 Reply 17, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 1788 times:
Take a look at a US Airways jet, doesn't it
carry the US flag on the tail ?? This topic is really funny now.
Regards,
Advancedkid
Latechpilot From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 0 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 1784 times:
UAL is the World's largest airline, so that should make them the Earth's flag carrier. Continental has the most international destinations of any US airline, so that should make them the Unites States' flag carrier.
RayChuang From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 7696 posts, RR: 5 Reply 19, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 1758 times:
Right now, the closest thing we have to a US-based "flag carrier" is United Airlines.
The reason is simple: UA took over all over Pan Am's Pacific Division routes, and UA also has flights to Europe.
Mind you, with more and more "open skies" treaties being ratified and many current air treaties up for renegotiation, don't be surprised that the USA will have technically four airlines with "flag carrier" titles 4-5 years from now: American Airlinres, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines.
OPNLguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 20, posted (12 years 6 months 1 week 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1721 times:
Back in the days where each country had one home-based airline that flew internationally, flag carrier designation was largely a cerimonial designation involving national pride, etc.
Today, here in the US at least, it refers to any US-registered airline that operates scheduled service to international points. US Part 121, which governs the majority of operations here in the USA, sometimes differentiates between Domestic operations and Flag operations by the virtue of the type of flight-related differences involved.
As far as I can recall (and someone feel free to correct me), if a US Domestic carrier wants to run a charter to an international destination, it doesn't automatically make them a Flag carrier, since it's *scheduled* international service that's the key. Non-standard operations such as offline domestic charters are handled (per the airline's Ops Specs) as a supplemental operation, and I think international charters would also be.
Outside the US, "Flag" carriers are still largely a cerimonial designation, notwithstanding any regulatory differences within the regulations of the home country...
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