Why do certain airlines refer to themselves as “airlines” (or “air lines”), whereas others use terms like “airways,” and yet others simply go with “air”? In part, these labels represent distinct approaches to understanding this groundbreaking form of aerial transportation. Ultimately, though, the choice of terminology primarily boils down to marketing strategies, and such designations do not necessarily distinguish between various airline business models or service offerings.
Although most contemporary airlines adopt terms such as airlines, airways, or air, numerous alternatives exist. Several airlines opt for names derived from their respective national languages (such as
Aer Lingus
) whereas some have embraced various other aviation-themed English terms such as wings, express, fly, and jet. Below is an overview of the history behind the names chosen by global airlines.
All About Ships
Whenever a novel means of transport appears, it often references existing forms of transportation to establish itself. For instance, venturing into space represents a fresh type of mobility that requires an entirely new terminology. This necessity is particularly evident in the series.
Star Trek
This vocabulary is derived from ship terminology. For instance, the leader is referred to as the “captain,” whereas the command center is known as the “bridge” instead of terms like “flight deck” or “space deck.”
Spacecraft are referred to as, well, spacecraft.
SHIPS
The main vessel in the series is the USS
Enterprise
, as “USS” also happens to be the designation for US Navy vessels, and the
Enterprise
Serving as the most renowned U.S. naval vessel during World War II and bearing the same name as the famed 18th-century British explorer Captain James Cook’s celebrated ship. The character Captain James T. Kirk was named after and influenced by Captain Cook.
This phenomenon also occurred during the advent of trains and airplanes. In the 19th century, when trains came into existence, much of their terminology borrowed elements from maritime practices; however, as we moved into the 20th century with the rise of aviation, things evolved even further. For instance, take fighter pilots—such as those who served in World War I—they had an entirely different appearance compared to commercial airline pilots. This distinction can be attributed partly to Pan American Airways’ decision to outfit their pilots in naval-style attire for added professionalism. Furthermore, Pan Am’s initial fleet included planes known as “Clippers,” named after swift sailboats designed primarily for speed. These early models weren’t referred to merely as seaplanes but specifically termed “flying boats.”
Origin Of “Airlines”
Initially, sea voyages represented the sole method for traveling internationally across oceans dividing different continents. Over time, the word “line” began denoting a specific oceanic path linking two destinations, whereas a “liner” referred to vessels navigating these paths. Consequently, as such boats traversed open waters, they earned the designation of “ocean liners.” Eventually, businesses emerged incorporating this terminology into their titles, examples include entities like Black Ball Line and American President Lines.
Rail transport came into being at a later time. As trains gained popularity, they incorporated terminology from maritime practices as well as land-based transit jargon. Consequently, the tracks upon which trains ran were referred to interchangeably as railways or railroads. Within the sector, phrases such as “main line” and “spur line” found common usage. Meanwhile, many railway enterprises opted for incorporating “road” or “way” within their titles; examples include the Western Pacific Railroad and the Canadian National Railway.
As commercial aviation expanded, certain enterprises drew inspiration from maritime traditions, whereas others found influence from railway practices (a legacy that itself was influenced by trans-oceanic liners). Several pioneering firms adopted terms like “air lines” or alternatively spelled them as “airlines.” Instances of this nomenclature can be seen with airlines such as Eastern Air Lines and Delta Air Lines.
Origin Of “Airways”
Some might link “airways” to a British term. After all, their national airline is “British Airways,” whereas prominent U.S. airlines include names such as American Airlines and Southwest Airlines. Nevertheless, this association isn’t entirely accurate under closer examination. In fact, the United States has seen several airlines using the word “airways.” For instance, consider former major carriers like US Airways, which later combined with American Airlines in 2010, along with newer entities including Breeze Airways and JetBlue (formerly known as JetBlue Airways).
Airlines or flight paths represent the established routes through which aircraft travel in the airspace. These predefined courses assist pilots in navigating efficiently and maintaining safe distances between planes to prevent collisions. The term “airlines” stems from envisioning major commercial flights as traversing the modern highways above us. While in the U.S., people often use terms like “railroad,” in Britain, they prefer phrases such as “railway” and even “roadway.” Nonetheless, “Railway” does appear occasionally within American English; an instance being the Kansas City Southern Railway.
As airlines evolved, several opted for terms borrowed from railway lingo, giving rise to names like Western Canadian Airways (established in 1926) and Imperial Airways (founded in 1924). This choice primarily served as a branding decision rather than reflecting operational differences. The term “airlines” evokes memories of luxurious transatlantic voyages aboard ocean liners, whereas “airways” paints pictures of aerial highways through the sky. Two contemporary examples of well-known carriers using this nomenclature include British Airways and Qatar Airways.
A Question of Spelling: “Airlines” Versus “Air Lines”
For many years, spelling rules have been relatively adaptable and frequently unclear. With the advent of dictionaries and digital spell checkers, this system has become slightly stricter yet continues to remain fluid and evolving. Prior to the release of the American Webster’s Dictionary and the British Oxford Dictionary, what we currently recognize as distinctively American or British spellings were interchangeable across the Atlantic Ocean. As an illustration, “theater” is recognized today as the standard American spelling; however, older U.S. venues such as Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., which opened in 1863, retain earlier conventions where “theatre” was also considered correct for Americans.
Initially, both “air line” and “airline” were considered correct, and there wasn’t an established norm. Essentially, conventions tend to align with common usage over time. Gradually, as most airlines opted for the term without a space, referring to themselves simply as “airlines,” this version began overshadowing “air line,” which eventually took on a more outdated connotation. For instance, companies such as Japan Air Lines revised their titles to become Japan Airlines. Interestingly, unlike the evolution seen in air travel terminology, terms like “ocean liner” have retained their original two-word form rather than merging into one word, similar to how “airliner” did within the aviation sector.
Currently, the sole major airline retaining the spelling “air lines” is Delta Air Lines. Established in 1925, Delta ranks among the world’s most seasoned carriers and stands as the longest-operating airline within the U.S. Airlines boasting this kind of legacy do not require modernization; their authenticity speaks volumes. The distinctive spelling seems to belong solely to Delta Air Lines. Ultimately, this decision boils down to branding tactics, serving as a reminder that Delta remains the elder statesman in the industry.
But Why “Air”?
“Air” denotes the operational sphere of airlines, distinguishing them from ground transportation or maritime options. This selection of terminology primarily serves as a branding strategy. The term “air” is universally understood. It’s an English word adopted by numerous international carriers rather than using terms specific to their locale. Instances encompass Air France, AirAsia, among others.
However, many other foreign airlines do choose to use the word in the language of their home country for “air”. One notable example is the Irish flag carrier, Aer Lingus (which translates to “Air Fleet”). Although the massive ultra-low-cost Irish carrier, Ryanair, uses the English “air” but places it at the end of the word. The Spanish carrier, Vueling, means “flight”.
Another example is Lufthansa in German. “Luft” means air, while “Hansa” means guild and refers to the Hanseatic League. It was originally stylized as “Luft Hansa”. Some airlines in the world translate “airlines,” such as Argentina’s Aerolíneas Argentinas. Meanwhile Azul Brazilian Airlines is formally called Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras.
A Matter Of Marketing
In short, airlines’ naming conventions have been pulled from modes of transportation that came before them, notably ocean travel and train travel (which are also borrowed from ocean travel). The use of “air” is a short-handed way to let people know the mode of transportation is airborne. Delta’s “Air Lines” is now a relic of a previous time when it represented an accepted alternative spelling. Today, it reflects the age and heritage of Delta as the oldest airline in the United States.
In essence, this boils down to marketing strategies. Given that English serves as the global lingua franca and dominates international aviation and tourism, many airlines opt for names containing English terms like “air,” “airline,” or “airways.” However, several established national carriers founded prior to English achieving its current prominence retain their original languages in naming. These examples encompass Aeroflot, Lufthansa, Avianca, Aeroméxico, and KLM—officially known as Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij in Dutch.
Gradually, an increasing number of primarily English terms have been adopted by airlines to signify their operation of airborne transport services. For instance, “fly” appears in flydubai’s name, “express” in SunExpress, “jet” in easyJet, and “go” in IndiGo. Additionally, we see “link” featured in CitiLink, “sky” in SkyWest, and “wings” in Eurowings. Several airlines incorporate “airlines” or “airways,” such as JetBlue Airways. However, the French leisure carrier named “French bee” somewhat deviates from this pattern.
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