Trans World Airlines, Inc. - 1960's dated Commercial Airline Co. $1,000 Bond - Aviation
Inv# VB5005 BondAviation Bond. Various Denominations. Vignette of female in the clouds with a globe engraved by the De La Rue Banknote Co, Inc. Scarce!!! Available in Gray, Green or Red. Please specify color.
Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a prominent American airline that operated from 1930 until 2001. Initially founded as Transcontinental & Western Air, TWA was established to provide air service between New York City and Los Angeles with stops in cities like St. Louis and Kansas City, using Ford Trimotors. TWA was one of the "Big Four" domestic airlines in the U.S. following the Spoils Conference of 1930, alongside American, United, and Eastern. In 1939, Howard Hughes acquired control of TWA, leading to significant expansion of its routes after World War II. The airline extended its services to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, becoming the second unofficial flag carrier of the U.S. after Pan American World Airways (Pan Am).
In the 1960s, Hughes stepped back from day-to-day operations, and TWA's new management diversified by acquiring Hilton International and Century 21. This diversification effort aimed to broaden the company's business beyond aviation.
The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 triggered a period of instability in the U.S. airline industry, with various failures, startups, and mergers. In 1984, TWA was spun off from its holding company, and Carl Icahn acquired control of TWA through a leveraged buyout in 1988. The airline struggled with debt, sold its London routes, and went through Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring in 1992 and 1995. The explosion of TWA Flight 800 in 1996 further compounded its difficulties.
TWA was headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, and initially planned to make Kansas City International Airport its main hub but abandoned this plan in the 1970s. It later established its largest hub at St. Louis Lambert International Airport. Its main transatlantic hub was the TWA Flight Center at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, known for its iconic design by architect Eero Saarinen, completed in 1962. The airline ceased operations in 2001 when it was acquired by American Airlines.
A bond is a document of title for a loan. Bonds are issued, not only by businesses, but also by national, state or city governments, or other public bodies, or sometimes by individuals. Bonds are a loan to the company or other body. They are normally repayable within a stated period of time. Bonds earn interest at a fixed rate, which must usually be paid by the undertaking regardless of its financial results. A bondholder is a creditor of the undertaking.
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