Airliner World – April 2018

In the

Spotlight

Interview

with a senior

executive in

the airline

industry.

42 AIRLINER WORLD APRIL 2018

F

ounded in October 1927, Pan

American World Airways, more

commonly known as Pan Am,

became the nation’s principal internation-

al carrier. It is credited for many

innovations that helped shape the airline

industry, including the introduction of

jet airliners, the launch of mass travel

through the Boeing 747 jumbo jet and

computerised reservation systems.

However, in the 1930s, founder Juan

Trippe began trying to persuade the Civil

Aeronautics Board to allow the carrier to

establish a domestic network, but rivals

feared Pan Am would monopolise US air

routes and so permission was continually

denied. By the 1980s the carrier’s

financial situation had worsened, result-

ing in operational cutbacks, fleet restruc-

turing and the sale of its Pacific division.

Russell Ray Jr was hired in October 1991

effectively to save the carrier, however

when Delta Air Lines withdrew financial

support for the ailing concern it forced

Pan Am to cease operations two months

later, on December 4.

AW: You took on a very difficult task

at Pan Am as the carrier attempted to

downsize and serve just Latin American

destinations. What attracted you to the

challenge of attempting to save the air-

line, given its perilous financial condition?

RR: Well, I was recruited by Delta Air

Lines. I had and still have admiration for

Delta’s [former CEO] Dave Garrett Jr and

then-CEO Ron Allen. They recruited me

and introduced me to the [committee of]

creditors. I admired Delta and that helped

my decision, they gave me the confidence

that they would see this thing through to

the end. Plus, there was the tremendous

Michael Manning talks to Russell Ray Jr about his time as the final

president and chief executive of Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) and

his efforts to help save the failing carrier.

Crisis

Clipper

Pan Am's founder Juan

Trippe ushered in the

Jet Age in the US with

the Boeing 707, and

later in partnership

with Boeing President

William Allen,

introduced the 747

jumbo jet, which is

credited with making

air travel accessible to

more people.

AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/

BOB O’BRIEN COLLECTION

Following Trippe's

retirement in 1968,

Pan Am was an

all-Boeing operator

boasting a fleet of 129

707s, 97 727s and 78

747s over its lifetime.

AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/

BOB ROBINSON