Great Moments in Travel History – July 2016

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American planes at the gate in Miami

American planes at the gate in Miami

Boeing began production of its 767 wide-body aircraft on July 14, 1978. The aircraft was the company’s first wide-body twinjet, as well as its first airliner with a two crewmember glass cockpit. United Airlines was the launch customer for the 767 in 1982 and Delta Air Lines is currently the largest operator, with over 90 in service.

In July 1991, Kimpton Hotels instituted a brand-wide pet-friendly program. The hotelier accepts at its properties all pets, regardless of size, breed, or weight, at no extra charge.

Pan Am agreed to sell its European routes, as well as its Pan Am Shuttle, to Delta Air Lines for $260 million on July 11, 1991.

On July 31, 1992, Thai Airways Flight 311 crashed into a mountain while attempting to land at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal. All 113 people onboard perished.

TWA Flight 800 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on July 17, 1996, 12 minutes after taking off from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. All 230 people onboard the Boeing 747-100 were killed. The investigation revealed that a fuel tank explosion was the cause of the crash.

On July 1, 2002, America West Airlines Flight 556, an Airbus A319 bound for Phoenix from Miami, was called back to the terminal after suspicion arose about the pilots’ sobriety. Captain Thomas Cloyd and First Officer Christopher Hughes failed sobriety tests at the airport and were arrested. Subsequent breathalyzer tests showed that Cloyd’s blood alcohol content was 0.091, while Hughes’ was 0.084, both of which were more than double the FAA’s limit of 0.04. Both men were given jail sentences.

On July 2, 2002, six Israelis were shot at El Al’s ticket counter at Los Angeles International Airport by Hesham Mohamad Hadayet, a Pro-Palestinian Egyptian who opposed U.S. policy in the Middle East. The incident was deemed an act of terrorism, and was one of the few to take place on American soil since the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Sudan Airways Flight 139 crashed shortly after takeoff from Port Sudan, Sudan, on July 8, 2003. All 117 people onboard the Boeing 737-200 died in the crash.

The first 787 Dreamliner rolled out at a ceremony attended by 15,000 people at the Everett, Washington, final assembly facility on July 8, 2007.

On July 17, 2009, a bomb exploded in the Jakarta JW Marriott hotel, destroying the first floor of the property and killing six people.

With the delivery of its 78th Boeing 777 on July 29, 2009, Emirates became the largest operator of Boeing 777 aircraft. The carrier flies every model type of the 777.

As part of its effort to improve on Dreamliner production, Boeing acquired Vought Aircraft Industries’ operations at its South Carolina facility on July 30, 2009. Boeing later built its second final assembly plant for the Dreamliner at this location.

American Airlines announced an order for 460 new aircraft on July 11, 2011, setting a record for the number of planes ordered by an airline at one time. The order was divided into 200 Boeing 737 aircraft and 260 Airbus A320 aircraft.

On July 13, 2012, Amtrak announced plans to build a high-speed bullet train network that will run from Boston to Washington, with stops in New York City and Philadelphia. The new trains are expected go into service by 2040.

Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crashed on July 6, 2013, while landing at San Francisco International Airport. Three of the 307 people onboard the Boeing 777-200ER were killed, while 181 were injured. The incident was the first fatal crash of a Boeing 777 since it entered service in 1995.

(Photos: Accura Media Group)

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