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Lithuanian Air Lines
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Lithuanian Air Lines
Lithuanian Air Lines (Lithuanian: Lietuvos oro linijos) was a national state-owned airline of Lithuania, operating in 1938–1940. Its hub was in Kaunas Aleksotas (S. Darius and S. Girėnas) airport.
The idea of Lithuanian national airline was first launched in spring of 1922. At least two companies – American Lithuanians' Trade Company (Lithuanian: Amerikos lietuvių prekybos bendrovė) and insurance company Lietuvos Lloydas submitted their proposals for the concession. Despite the first bidder had backing from Junkers and the second - from Sablatnig, the Lithuanian government did not follow the examples of neighbouring Latvia and Estonia, which facilitated the emergence of respectively Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes Akciju Sabiedriba and Aeronaut. The main arguments behind such reluctance were the lack of personnel and airfields.
Air passenger services in Lithuania were launched in 1922 and until 1938 were provided exclusively by foreign airlines, flying mostly transit routes: Deruluft, Danziger Luftreederei, Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes Akciju Sabiedriba, Aeronaut, AB Aerotransport, Deutsche Luft Hansa, LOT.
The issues of national airline rose anew in 1933 after the tragic trans-Atlantic flight of Darius and Girėnas. In 1934 the Lithuanian Aero Club requested the Ministry of Communications for financial assistance for domestic Kaunas-Klaipėda route to be served by a three-seater plane. As the idea was picked up by the press and the state-run news agency ELTA, the following year, 1935, witnessed an expanded suggestion by the Aero Club to establish air links with some important country centres as well. Then, an indirect support came from Latvia where a domestic air route Riga-Liepaja served by state owned Valsts gaisa satiksme was inaugurated on May 15, 1937. In 1934 the Inspectorate for Aerial Communication (Lithuanian: Orinio susisiekimo inspekcija) was established under the Ministry of Communication. One of its priorities was the establishment of national airline. Several routes were considered, including circular Kaunas–Klaipėda–Šiauliai–Kaunas service, connecting three largest cities of then Republic of Lithuania.
Lithuanian Air Lines was officially established on 20 September 1938 in Kaunas. The airline was established by the Inspectorate for Aerial Communication and the acquisition of the aircraft was funded by the Ministry of Communication. Jonas Dženkaitis and Simas Mockūnas both former military pilots, dismissed from the Air Force for participation in 1934 attempted coup, became the first pilots of the airline, and in 1937 were sent for training to Germany with Deutsche Luft Hansa.
The first revenue flight took place before the official establishment of the company, on 5 September 1938. Short operational season of 1938 (September 5–17) served only for test flights on Kaunas-Palanga route.
Lithuanian Air Lines operated two twin-engine Percival Q.6 Petrel aircraft, carrying 6 (in some sources - 5) passengers. The choice of an aircraft was based on the data of Deutsche Luft Hansa, showing 40% passenger load factor for 8-10 seater passenger planes on domestic German flights.
The aircraft were registered as LY-SOA and LY-SOB and named after trans-Atlantic pilots, respectively Stepas Darius and Stasys Girėnas. The names were printed on the port side under cockpit's windows.
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Lithuanian Air Lines
Lithuanian Air Lines (Lithuanian: Lietuvos oro linijos) was a national state-owned airline of Lithuania, operating in 1938–1940. Its hub was in Kaunas Aleksotas (S. Darius and S. Girėnas) airport.
The idea of Lithuanian national airline was first launched in spring of 1922. At least two companies – American Lithuanians' Trade Company (Lithuanian: Amerikos lietuvių prekybos bendrovė) and insurance company Lietuvos Lloydas submitted their proposals for the concession. Despite the first bidder had backing from Junkers and the second - from Sablatnig, the Lithuanian government did not follow the examples of neighbouring Latvia and Estonia, which facilitated the emergence of respectively Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes Akciju Sabiedriba and Aeronaut. The main arguments behind such reluctance were the lack of personnel and airfields.
Air passenger services in Lithuania were launched in 1922 and until 1938 were provided exclusively by foreign airlines, flying mostly transit routes: Deruluft, Danziger Luftreederei, Latvijas Gaisa Satiksmes Akciju Sabiedriba, Aeronaut, AB Aerotransport, Deutsche Luft Hansa, LOT.
The issues of national airline rose anew in 1933 after the tragic trans-Atlantic flight of Darius and Girėnas. In 1934 the Lithuanian Aero Club requested the Ministry of Communications for financial assistance for domestic Kaunas-Klaipėda route to be served by a three-seater plane. As the idea was picked up by the press and the state-run news agency ELTA, the following year, 1935, witnessed an expanded suggestion by the Aero Club to establish air links with some important country centres as well. Then, an indirect support came from Latvia where a domestic air route Riga-Liepaja served by state owned Valsts gaisa satiksme was inaugurated on May 15, 1937. In 1934 the Inspectorate for Aerial Communication (Lithuanian: Orinio susisiekimo inspekcija) was established under the Ministry of Communication. One of its priorities was the establishment of national airline. Several routes were considered, including circular Kaunas–Klaipėda–Šiauliai–Kaunas service, connecting three largest cities of then Republic of Lithuania.
Lithuanian Air Lines was officially established on 20 September 1938 in Kaunas. The airline was established by the Inspectorate for Aerial Communication and the acquisition of the aircraft was funded by the Ministry of Communication. Jonas Dženkaitis and Simas Mockūnas both former military pilots, dismissed from the Air Force for participation in 1934 attempted coup, became the first pilots of the airline, and in 1937 were sent for training to Germany with Deutsche Luft Hansa.
The first revenue flight took place before the official establishment of the company, on 5 September 1938. Short operational season of 1938 (September 5–17) served only for test flights on Kaunas-Palanga route.
Lithuanian Air Lines operated two twin-engine Percival Q.6 Petrel aircraft, carrying 6 (in some sources - 5) passengers. The choice of an aircraft was based on the data of Deutsche Luft Hansa, showing 40% passenger load factor for 8-10 seater passenger planes on domestic German flights.
The aircraft were registered as LY-SOA and LY-SOB and named after trans-Atlantic pilots, respectively Stepas Darius and Stasys Girėnas. The names were printed on the port side under cockpit's windows.