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Eastern Airlines begins passenger services

Eastern Air Lines (also colloquially known as Eastern) was a trunk carrier, a scheduled airline in the United States that operated from 1926 to 1991.

Eastern Air Lines (also colloquially known as Eastern) was a trunk carrier, a scheduled airline in the United States that operated from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution, it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Eastern was one of the "Big Four" domestic airlines created by the Spoils Conferences of 1930, and was headed in its early years by World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker. It had a near monopoly in air travel between New York and Florida from the 1930s until the 1950s and dominated this market for decades afterward.

During airline deregulation in the late 1970s and early 1980s, labor disputes and high debt loads strained the company under the leadership of former astronaut Frank Borman.

Historical Significance

Eastern Air Lines (also colloquially known as Eastern) was a trunk carrier, a scheduled airline in the United States that operated from 1926 to 1991.

Events Before

  1. Australian cricket icon Don Bradman follows up a first-innings 79 by scoring 112 in the third Test against England in Me

    Australian cricket icon Don Bradman follows up a first-innings 79 by scoring 112 in the third Test against England in Melbourne; his first of 29 Test centuries

  2. Mitford sister Diana Mitford (18) marries Irish peer Bryan Walter Guinness (23) in the British society wedding of the ye

    Mitford sister Diana Mitford (18) marries Irish peer Bryan Walter Guinness (23) in the British society wedding of the year

  3. Vatican City, the world's smallest country, becomes an enclave of Rome

    Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State (Italian: Stato della Città del Vaticano; Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanae), often shortened as the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state.

  4. Saint Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago, seven gangsters are killed, allegedly on Al Capone's orders

    Saint Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago, seven gangsters are killed, allegedly on Al Capone's orders

  5. Cleveland Indians become the first MLB team to permanently feature numbers on the backs of uniforms; numbers correspond

    Cleveland Indians become the first MLB team to permanently feature numbers on the backs of uniforms; numbers correspond to the position in the batting order

Events After

  1. "City Lights", American silent romantic comedy film directed by Charlie Chaplin, starring himself and Virginia Cherrill,

    "City Lights", American silent romantic comedy film directed by Charlie Chaplin, starring himself and Virginia Cherrill, premieres at Los Angeles Theater

  2. New Zealand's worst natural disaster, the Hawke's Bay earthquake, kills 256 and injures thousands, devastating Napier an

    New Zealand's worst natural disaster, the Hawke's Bay earthquake, kills 256 and injures thousands, devastating Napier and the Hawke's Bay region

  3. The original "Dracula" film starring Bela Lugosi as the titular vampire is released

    Renfield is a 2023 American action comedy horror film inspired by characters from Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula and its 1931 feature film adaptation.

  4. Chicago White Sox and NY Giants play the first exhibition night game

    The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division.

  5. "The Star-Spangled Banner" officially becomes the US national anthem by congressional resolution; lyrics by Francis Scot

    "The Star-Spangled Banner" officially becomes the US national anthem by congressional resolution; lyrics by Francis Scott Key in 1814 are set to John Stafford Smith's 18th-century tune "The Anacreontic Song"

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David McKee is born

David McKee, British writer and illustrator, known for british writer and illustrator, was born on 1935-01-02.

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Jim Bakker is born

Jim Bakker televangelist, known for american televangelist, was born on 1939-01-02. James Orsen Bakker is an American televangelist and convicted felon.

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Roger Miller is born

Roger Miller, American musician, known for american country musician, was born on 1936-01-02. Roger Dean Miller Sr.

Claus von Stauffenberg is promoted to Second Lieutenant

Claus Philipp Maria Justinian Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg was a German army officer who is best known for his failed attempt on 20 July 1944 to assassinate Adolf Hitler at the Wolf's Lair, part of...

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on August 18, 1930?
Eastern Air Lines (also colloquially known as Eastern) was a trunk carrier, a scheduled airline in the United States that operated from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution, it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade County, Florida. Eastern was one of the "Big Four" domestic airlines created by the Spoils Conferences of 1930, and was headed in its early years by World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker.
Why is Eastern Airlines begins passenger services significant?
Eastern Air Lines (also colloquially known as Eastern) was a trunk carrier, a scheduled airline in the United States that operated from 1926 to 1991.

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August 18 in HistoryYear 1930