TRANS INTERNATIONAL • TRANSAMERICA AIRLINES
Headquartered at the Oakland International Airport (OAK), Trans International Airlines (TIA) offered domestic and international charter service during the years between 1947 and 1986. Between 1979 and 1986. In 1979 Transamerica Airlines (TAA), as it was known then, began scheduled international passenger service.
The Beginning
n 1948 Kirk Kerkorian purchased a single war-surplus DC-3 for $12,000 and joined 200 other airlines called “large irregular carriers” in the commercial air transport market. He called his airline Los Angeles Air Service and sold individual tickets on a non- regular service basis. For $99 one could fly from Los Angeles to New York in just 20 hours on this airborne workhorse.
The company expanded rapidly adding Douglas DC-6s and Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellations to its fleet. In 1960 Los Angeles Air Service changed its name to Trans International Airlines to reflect its growing routes. In 1962 it was the first charter airline to operate jet aircraft by the addition of the Douglas DC-8.