history
1936  the beginning .......

In June, Frank Hulse and Ike Jones buy a controlling interest in Southern Airways of Georgia, a fixed-base operator and flight school that becomes the corporate predecessor of Southern Airways, Inc.

 

 
1942 - 1944
Southern Airways applies for CAB certification to establish a local service air carrier in eight southeastern states.
 
1949

                  

On June 10, Southern Airways' first scheduled flight takes to the skies. Southern Flight 1, with Capt. George Bradford at the controls, offers DC3 service from Atlanta to Memphis, with intermediate stops in Gadsden, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Columbus, Miss. Southern Airways begins operations with 39 employees and headquarters in Atlanta. Click here for a list of Southern aircraft.
   

   Our routes in 1949.             

 

       

   

Cities Served
Click here to view Cities Served    

               Time Tables.
Click here to view Time Table Gallery
 
               Joe Phillips, Station Manager, Pascagoula, MS. 
                Could be 1960 - something.  Any help out there?

            

 

          

Click on picture to view Martin fleet information.

Pictured at old Hangar #2.
 
1967

On 31 July, Southern Airways retires its last DC3.
Capt. L. V. Andrews pilots the last flight from Dothan, Ala., to Memphis.

                   

   
                          Southern takes delivery of its first DC9 jets.
   
                                   Click here to view DC9 fleet information.

              

   

                             

One of our charters bringing our soldiers back home after being in Vietnam.  Can anyone date this picture?
1972  

         Remember when we changed our logo and paint scheme.
1978

                 

In its last year of operation as an independent entity, Southern Airways serves 50 cities in 17 states and the Cayman Islands with 4,500 employees and major hubs in Atlanta and Memphis.
   

Capt. Jerry Davis and the Mayor of Gadsden, AL. 
        on their way to New Orleans and the 1978 Sugar Bowl.

                     

 

  
1979

                   

On 1 July, North Central Airlines and Southern Airways merge. The combined company is called Republic Airlines, Inc., and is headquartered in Minneapolis/St. Paul. The combined route systems of the two companies meet at eleven cities, but do not overlap on a single route.
1980
On 1 October, Republic Airlines pays $38.5 million to complete the acquisition of Hughes Airwest. The acquisition adds 53 cities to the Republic system, primarily in the western and southwestern U.S., making the airline a truly national carrier serving almost 200 cities -- more than any other U.S. airline. Republic's employee ranks swell from 8,982 to 14,709.
 
1985
In its last year as an independent entity, Republic employs 15,100 people serving a national network with a fleet of 168 DC9's, 727's, 757's and Convair 580's.
 
1986
On 23 January, Northwest announces an agreement with Republic Airlines for Northwest to acquire Republic for $884 million. On 1 October, Northwest completes the acquisition of Republic Airlines. Northwest's work force expands overnight from less than 17,000 to more than 33,000. 
Northwest becomes the dominant hub airline at Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Memphis. The following new destinations are added to the Northwest route system: Toronto, Nashville, New Orleans, Grand Cayman, Greenville/Spartanburg, Baltimore, Green Bay, Houston, Cincinnati and Birmingham.