News

World Airways celebrates its 60th Anniversary

by Matt Forshee • April 25, 2008

What do Vietnamese orphans and George Burns have in common? They’re both part of Peachtree City, Georgia based World Airways’ history. Headquartered and operated out of its building on World Drive, World Airways runs a 24 hour operation planning and directing flights all around the world, with both passenger charter and cargo service.

Below is a reprint of the press release announcing their recent kickoff celebration for their diamond anniversary.

WORLD AIRWAYS CELEBRATES 60TH ANNIVERSARY

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. (April 24, 2008) – Sixty years ago last month, World Airways joined the aviation community with a small charter fleet of surplus Boeing 314 Clippers. Today, the Georgia-based company is one of the largest wide-body charter operators in the United States, carrying passengers and cargo in every time zone.

The company celebrated its birthday on March 29 with a kickoff event that began a year of activities to observe World’s diamond anniversary. More than 500 employees and family members gathered for a family day and special events staged at the Delta Air Transport Heritage Museum near Hartsfield Jackson International Airport. Former World Airways executives Hollis Harris, John Ellington, Randy Martinez and Jeff MacKinney shared in the activities.

“World Airways has had a rich history, through good times and bad, on the path to becoming the successful airline it is today,” said Larry Montford, World’s chief operating officer. “We currently have a fleet of wide-body MD-11 and DC-10 passenger and cargo aircraft, joined this month by our first Boeing 747-400 freighter, all serving our military and commercial customers around the world.”

World Airways jets now transport U.S. military personnel on international routes every day, continuing the company’s tradition of military service that spans more than 55 years. World is best known for its charter service in Vietnam, making news with the harrowing “last flight from Da Nang” and the heartwarming Operation Babylift from Saigon, which set off a national program that brought more than 3,000 young Vietnamese orphans to the United States in 1975.

Edward J. Daly was the flamboyant, daring CEO who snapped up the infant airline when it was on the verge of failing in 1950, and gave it his special touch until his death in 1984. World conducted numerous humanitarian missions at Daly’s direction, including the Hungarian refugee flights in 1956. Daly was aboard the last flight at Da Nang, pistol in hand, as it made its miraculous takeoff, heavily overloaded and surrounded by a panicked mob of South Vietnamese soldiers and refugees.

Daly led the Oakland, Calif.- based company into low-fare scheduled service in 1979 after federal deregulation, launching transcontinental and international service with his fleet of DC-10s. Valiant efforts and marketing with celebrity spokesperson George Burns were not enough to maintain profitability, and World returned solely to charter service in 1987.

The company moved to Herndon, Va., in 1988, followed by the subsequent move to Peachtree City, Ga., in 2001 under Harris’s direction. The airline’s headquarters remain in the same building Harris built, now shared by its holding company, Global Aero Logistics Inc. World’s sister airline under Global is North American Airlines, based at JFK Airport in New York.

World Airways, a subsidiary of Global Aero Logistics Inc., provides customized transportation services for major international passenger and cargo carriers, the United States military, major freight forwarders and international leisure tour operators. Founded in 1948, World operates a fleet of wide-body aircraft to meet the specialized needs of its customers. For information, visit www.worldairways.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Steve Forsyth – (770) 632-8322

We’re excited to have World Airways, and now its parent company, Global Aero Logistics, Inc., as corporate citizens of Fayette County and Peachtree City.

World Airways truly is Fayette County’s hometown airline!

George Burns appears in a TV ad for World Airways

In April, World Airways officially kicked off a year-long celebration of its 60th anniversary.

Photo montage of 60th Anniversary celebration

Founded in 1948, the company has a long history as a key contractor for military, charter and cargo operations. They currently operate a fleet of planes that fly around the world delivering goods and people to major and minor international destinations. They’ve also been involved in some important humanitarian operations, including the historic “Last Flight from DaNang” and “Operation Babylift”, both revolving around the end of the Vietnam war.

CBS News report on “The Last Flight from DaNang”

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