Aloha Airlines Pilot Wing
Honolulu, HI 1950-2008
The airline was founded as charter carrier Trans-Pacific Airlines commencing operations on July 26, 1946. Approval to operate as a scheduled airline February 21, 1949, with the first scheduled flight on June 6, 1949. In 1950, the year the airline adopted the name TPA-The Aloha Airline. In November of that year, the company changed its name again, becoming Aloha Airlines. In 1987, the airline acquired Princeville Airways, renaming it Aloha Island Air, which became known as Island Air in 1995. In 2003, Island Air was sold and became an independent airline. Rising costs required the airline to file for Chapter 11 Bankrptcy December 30, 2004. The airline emerged from bankruptcy protection on February 17, 2006. Aloha again filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection again on March 20, 2008. On March 30, 2008, Aloha Airlines announced the suspension of all scheduled passenger flights, with the final day of operation to be March 31, 2008. Its profitable cargo operation was sold to Pacifiic Air Cargo. In January 2011 a former majority shareholder of Aloha won federal Bankruptcy Court approval to buy the Aloha name and other intellectual property.
