World Airways: Making a comeback as an ultra-low-cost carrier using Boeing 787 Dreamliners? (Image: World Airways)
Remember World Airways? It was around for more than 60 years, mostly operating as a charter and cargo carrier – with brief forays into scheduled passenger transportation — before it folded in 2014. And now it may be coming back as a U.S.-based low-cost international airline- possibly along the lines of European ultra-low-cost discounters such as Norwegian Air, Wow Air or Level.
An investment firm called 777 Partners said this week it has purchased the “intellectual property” of World Airways and plans to re-launch it as a Miami-based scheduled passenger airline flying 787 Dreamliners on routes to Asia and Latin America from hubs at Los Angeles and Miami.
It will operate on a low-cost carrier model, perhaps inspired by the rapid growth of European international low-cost airlines.
“Initial funding for certification and aircraft acquisitions is being provided by 777 Partners. Discussions are underway with Boeing for an initial order for up to ten 787 aircraft,” a spokesman said. World Airways said it plans to form partnerships with low-cost carriers in the U.S. and at its destinations to feed traffic to its long-haul flights.
And get this: World’s chief marketing officer is Freddie Laker – the son of Sir Freddie Laker, the British entrepreneur who pioneered low-cost transatlantic air travel in the 1970s and died in 2006. Laker is listed as a “serial entrepreneur” on LinkedIn.
Freddie Laker’s profile on Linked In (Image: LinkedIn)
The founding CEO of the “new” World Airways is Ed Wegel, a longtime airline executive who most recently ran the “new” Eastern Airlines until October 2016. The current incarnation of Eastern started up in 2015 as a charter carrier, mainly operating flights to Cuba, but its business was disrupted by the revival of scheduled service from the U.S. to the island nation.
World has a website at www.worldairways.com as well as a Twitter presence (@worldairways).
The company gave no timetable for starting service on its website, but did say it plans to unveil a “new brand look and feel” for the new World Airways within the next few weeks.
So what do you think are the chances of World Airways getting back off the ground? Please leave your comments below.
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Hey Greg, that’s cool. Oakland has some interesting history with Amelia Erhart flying out of there on that last flight over the South Pacific. Braniff had a number of domestic DC-8 flights back in the 70s out of Oakland. At the same time, Braniff had the twice or three times weekly flight from SFO to Peru, and later DFW nonstops for a short time. Along with World Airways, there was Transamerica which also flew charters out of Oakland. Oakland is the second busiest International Airport in the Bay Area, and will only grow as San Jose has with more int’l flights with Norwegian and others. Hope World does ok. Hoping for a TWA return too. Maybe Pan Am ? Air California ? cheers
I think that’s the whole point. cram them in so you can sell cheap – it’s the original Laker model, although he used DC-10’s.
Yeah, I flew a World Airways 707 from Oakland to London in the 1970’s on a 707. We had to stop somewhere to refuel, of course.
Well if they plan on following the Ultra-low-cost ULCC model, you can bet that those planes will be packed with as many seats as possible. Surprising what people will put up with to save a few bucks!
I believe that World Airways’ success will depend on how they arrange their cabins. If they plan to cram as many people into a 787 as possible by providing 28″ seat pitch in coach, there will not be many passengers for transatlantic flights from Miami on flights that take 8 to 10 hours. The minimum should be 32″. I can understand quoting low fares and then charging for baggage checking, food, etc. But I think that the passenger has to feel comfortable during the flight to provide a satisfactory experience which leads to repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals.
Yes, I remember World Airways as they had a big Maintenance Hangar at Oakland and where they flew charters to Europe. 707s and 747s.
Also, one of their 707s was used at Oakland when James Brolin and Susan Dey starred in skyjacked
I hope that with Freddie Laker 2nd involved, I am in fact inspired by that, to think it will be a huge success.