EASTERN AIR LINES
(USA)

Eastern Air Lines was one of the TriStar-operators with a DC-10 fleet. The airline was also among the first costumers for the 747-100, but this aircraft was too large (Eastern was not the only airline to notice it!) and although Eastern was very interested in the DC-10, the TriStar was ordered due to a better offer from Lockheed and Mc Donnell - Douglas’ obdurateness. Eastern was very interested in the DC-10B, one of two models initially offered, but as American Airlines chose a model between the DC-10A and B (which was too small for Eastern), the size was standardized. Later the airline had the misfortune to become the first airline which lost a widebody aircraft with the crash of one of its TriStar in 1972. Eastern was always a pioneer and became the first US-airline to order the A300 and the first costumer worldwide for the 757, which started to replace the 727 (for which Eastern was launch costumer too) - but financial problems, which date back to the 1970s, complicate the urgently needed fleet renewal. The aircraft, L-1011, DC-9 and 727, needed to be replaced, but a lack of money prevented further orders. Hope came as Eastern Airlines inherited some routes to South America from Branniff and others to London from Air Florida. But for the latter ones, the range of their TriStar was insufficient and so other aircraft had to be acquired. Eastern chose the DC-10, as Alitalia was selling its whole fleet from which Eastern acquired three in 1985. Ship #149 arrived in June of 1985 and was placed on the London-routes, but the service had to be cancelled a year later and the DC-10 didn't last so much longer in the fleet - only one aircraft "survived" until 1990. When Eastern Airlines was acquired by the Texas Air Corporation, the fight for surviving began. Like Continental Airlines, which became also part of this group, the airline had to shrink. Large parts of the fleet were sold, but also routes including the "Air Shuttle" between New York, Boston and Washington (to Donald Trump) and the South American network (to American Airlines). On January 18th 1991, the airline operated its last service and 60 years of airline history came to an end. A revival of the name, as happened with Pan Am, failed.

Following aircraft were operated by or for Eastern Airlines:

RegistrationAircraftFleetnr./NameOperated from - toWhere is it now?
N390EA47862/ 8805.01.1986 - 09.10.1986SCRAPPED
N391EA47866/ 14927.06.1985 - 21.10.1986SCRAPPED
N392EA47867/ 17829.11.1985 - 28.09.1990-stored-
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