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| Founded | 1920 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Destinations | ||||
| Headquarters | ||||
| Key people | Inglis Moore Upercu | |||
The original Aeromarine West Indies Airways, was formed by a merger between Florida West Indies Airways and Aeromarine Sightseeing and Navigation Company (a subsidiary of the Aeromarine airplane manufacturing company) and was one of the first international airlines in the United States. It commenced operations on 1 November 1920 with a flight from Key West to Havana, and operated flying boats from the US mainland to the Bahamas and Cuba. Transporting passengers, mail, and freight safely and successfully beginning in 1921, it was forced to cease operations in early 1924 due to a freeze on mail contracts by the US Postal Service.
It was reorganized as Aeromarine Airways in spring of 1921 with Inglis Moore Upercu, A New York Cadillac dealer as it's President. Aeromarine enjoyed many firsts - the first U.S. international air mail service and first scheduled U.S. international passenger service (Key West to Havana, November 1, 1920); first total service U.S. airline (passenger, mail, express cargo); first in-flight movie (Chicago, August 1921); first airline baggage label (1921); and the first U.S. airline ticket office (Cleveland, July 1922).[1] Its slogan was 'Speed Safety Comfort' as can be seen on this poster.[2] The overseas flights in seaplanes named the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria brought passengers to popular destinations that still allowed drinking at the start of prohibition.[3]
The "rebirth" of Aeromarine West Indies Airways occurred in February 2007 when it was reformed and incorporated in the State of Florida (State of Florida Corporation # P07000026223). Aeromarine West Indies Airways Corporation has applied for its FAA Part 121 Air Carrier Certificate and intends to begin operations, flying vintage flyingboats and/or propliners, within the next five years. Aeromarine's first intended route being from St. Augustine, to Palm Beach, to Key West. In January 2009 Aeromarine purchased a 1920's style coastal steamship, the CSS (Coastal Steam Ship) "Seminole Wind", to be based in St. Augustine Florida and serve as a floating terminal and tender for seaplane operations. Plans are also underway to open a cafe and shops onboard to be open to the general public. Aeromarine's tag-line is: "Aeromarine West Indies Airways... The return of an airline that offers the romance and adventure of a bygone age!"