2015 Event Officials find that Andreas Lubitz, co-pilot of downed Germanwings Flight 4U 9525, had mental and physical health problems that he hid from the airline; a doctor's note was found excusing him from work on the day that he crashed the plane 2014 Event Solar storms will reach Earth today and tomorrow, possibly disrupting electric grids and increasing radiation exposure to airline travelers 2012 Event The Government of Fiji takes over controlling interest in Australia's Qantas airline subsidiary Air Pacific 2012 Event The largest solar flare in five years, occurring March 6, 2012, nears the Earth, threatening to disrupt airline flights, GPS systems and power grids 2010 Event The world's biggest airline is created when United Airlines shareholders approve a deal to merge with Continental Airlines 2010 Event United and Continental air lines announce that the two American companies will merge, creating the world's largest airline 1994 Death BAM "Bob" Schreiner, airline owner (S Aviation Group), dies at 79 1992 Event Sarah Ferguson wears paper bag over her head on airline ride 1989 Event American Airlines purchases Eastern Airline's Latin American route 1988 Event Federal smoking ban during domestic airline flights of 2 hours or less 1987 Event 43 die in Pacific Southwest Airline crash in California (man shot pilots) 1978 Event Gunmen open fire on an Israeli El Al Airline bus in London 1966 Event U.S. airline strike, until Aug 19th 1957 Event 1st black pilot (PH Young) on a U.S. scheduled passenger airline 1954 Event German airline Lufthansa forms 1950 Event Israeli airline El Al begins service 1949 Birthday Norah Ellen O'Neill, airline pilot, Flying Tigers 1949 Event 1st jet-propelled airline, De Havilland Comet, flies 1948 Birthday Linda Ann Simon, airline captain 1947 Event Pan Am Airways chartered as 1st worldwide passenger airline 1940 Birthday Frank Lorenzo, airline executive, Continental, Texas Air, Eastern 1930 Event Ellen Church becomes 1st airline stewardess, United (San Francisco to Cheyenne) 1928 Birthday Frank Borman, born in Gary, Indiana, astronaut, Gemini 7, Apollo 8, CEO, Eastern Airline 1919 Event 1st London-Amsterdam airline service (British Aerial Transport and KLM) 1919 Event KLM, Netherlands Airlines, established (oldest existing airline) 1914 Event World's 1st airline, St. Petersburg Tampa Airboat Line, begins 1914 Event 1st scheduled airline flight, St. Petersburg-Tampa (Tony Jannus pilot)
