Ransome Airlines Pilot Hat Badge 1st Issue

Philadelphia, PA 1967-1995

The company was founded by J. Dawson Ransome in March, 1967. The initial network spanned along the East Coast. In August 1970, Ransome Airlines started a partnership with Allegheny Airlines, which would last until June 1, 1982. During that period, Ransome was branding its flights as Allegheny Commuter. Allegheny Airlines was renamed USAir in 1979. Between 1982 and 1984, Ransome returned to operating its point-to-point route network under its own brand nam. In May 1984, Ransome went into a partnership with Delta Air Lines as Delta Connection. In 1986, Pan American World Airway acquired Ransome and when the acquisition was finalized in June 1987, Ransome was renamed Pan Am Express. The structure of the route network saw a number of profound changes. In November 1987, an initial number of two ATRs was used to open up a regional network at Tegel Airport in West Berlin. By 1990, Pan Am Express operated scheduled flights to 12 destinations in northern and central Europe from Tegel; New York was linked to 14 airports in the northeastern United States and Canada. Also, feeder flights into Miami and Los Angeles Throughout its history, the maintenance base at Northeast Philadelphia Airport was kept. Following the demise of Pan American World Airways, Pan Am Express was purchased by Trans World Airline on 4 December 4, 1991 and renamed Trans World Express (TWE). The European and Miami centered networks were subsequently discontinued. TWA decided to shut down Trans World Express on November 6, 1995 and the routes were taken over by Trans States Airllines.