Ludington Airline
Film Director Charles Tillyer Trego standing in front of a Ludington plane | |
| Founded | 1929 |
|---|---|
| Ceased operations | 1933 |
| Focus cities | New York City Washington, D.C. |
| Fleet size | 7 Stinson tri-motor |
| Destinations | New England states |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia |
| Key people | C.T. Ludington Amelia Earhart |
Ludington Airline (also, Ludington Lines or Ludington Line) was an airline in the northeastern United States begun in 1929 with an investment of at least $1 million (equivalent to $19 million in 2025) from Charles Townsend Ludington and his brother Nicholas.[1]
In its first year, the airline reportedly had 66,000 passengers and a profit of $8,000 ($154,000).[1] Pennsylvania Railroad handled Ludington ticketing and allowed buses for transfers at New York Penn Station.[1] Ludington brochures advertised "Plane Service, like Train Service" as their mode of operation.[2]
With increased competition (including pending mergers), a reorganization of leadership, and government pressure toward airline monopolization, Ludington sold to Eastern Air Transport in 1933.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d "Aeronautics: Vanishing Independents", Time magazine, New York City, February 27, 1933, retrieved February 15, 2023
- ^ "1931 Ludington Airlines East Coast 30 schedules daily". Transportation and Vehicles. WorthPoint. 2011. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
Further reading
- AA (1937). American Aviation. American Aviation Publications.
- Russell, David Lee (October 1, 2013). Eastern Air Lines 1926–1991. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-0196-0.
- Smithsonian on Earhart
- Winters, Kathleen C. (November 23, 2010). Amelia Earhart: American Icon. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0-230-11229-2.
- "Nicholas S. Ludington, 61, Dies; Philadelphian Founded Airline" (PDF). The New York Times. January 25, 1966. p. 41.
- "C. Townsend Ludington Dead". The New York Times. January 20, 1968. p. 29. Retrieved February 16, 2023.