Originally Posted by
rog747
Spose this thread should be in H & N
Pan American at LGW saw 707 on regular affinity charters there from as early as the late 1960's (TWA too) along with the likes of World, TIA. Saturn, Universal, ONA, AFA and Capitol.
Any very early flights were likely diversions.
German IGS Jet feeder flights were into LHR with 727's usually based at Tegel but Pan Am had a German presence from early 1950's starting at TempelHof
Boeing 727-200, Airbus A-310 and A-300 operated in and out of Tegel until 1991.
Pan Am scheduled flights into LGW came along many years later (Bermuda 11?) and infact LGW was their last ditch London base until their sad and sorry demise.
Delta had begun operating Pan Am's transatlantic routes on November 1, 1991, becoming overnight a major carrier across the Atlantic. Acquisitions included Pan Am's New York to Europe routes, hub operations at Frankfurt and New York-JFK, and Pan Am's Miami—London and Detroit—London routes.
London operations were from Gatwick airport only; Pan Am had earlier sold its London-Heathrow access and transpacific routes to United Airlines in 1985.
Rog747
You have accurately summed up the history of Pan Am at LGW, there's not much to add to your detailed account of the airline's history at the airport.
As you have already correctly stated Pan Am were frequent visitor's at LGW during the 1960's and 70's with Boeing 707's on affinity charters but the airline's first scheduled flight to the airport occurred on the 01 July 1980 from IAH Houston to LGW.
Pan Am operated a daily flight from LGW to IAH operated by a L1011-500 from 02 July 1980 departing at 11.30. (I was on the spectators balcony the day of the first flight)
From the 23 September 1980 Pan Am LGW to IAH operated five times weekly over the seasonal period.
As Rog747 has clearly and accurately pointed out Houston was Gatwick-ed due to Bermuda II.
After Pan Am had acquired National Airlines in 1980 it was not uncommon to see the former airline's DC10-30's operating on IAH-LGW although they were a rather rare appearance. Even the odd B747 was used by Pan Am on IAH-LGW but they were far more rarer to see on the route.
By the start of the IATA summer schedule in 1983 Pan Am had been discontinued IAH-LGW. IAH-LGW was then awarded to Continental Airlines.
Rog747 has given a very accurate account of the history of Pan Am at LGW from 1991 after they had discontinued operations at LHR.
Although LHR had multiple movements by Pan Am and TWA during the 1980's and from 1991 onwards American Airlines and United Airlines it was LGW that offered far more of a variety in regards to US operators purely down to Bermuda II.
During that period LGW had the following US airlines and US destinations although not all of them serving the airport at the same time, they included the following.
Air Florida... Miami, Tampa
Air Total... Pittsburgh
American Airlines... Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Ft Worth, Miami, Nashville, New York JFK, Raleigh/Durham, St Louis
Arrow Air... Denver, Tampa
Braniff International... Dallas/Ft Worth
Continental Airlines... Cleveland, Denver, Houston, Miami, Newark
Delta... Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, New York JFK, Orlando
Eastern Airlines... Miami
Northwest Orient... Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis/St Paul
Pan Am... Detroit, Houston, Miami
Peoplexpress... Newark
Piedmont Airlines... Charlotte
TWA Trans World Airlines... Baltimore, New York JFK, Pittsburgh, St Louis
US Airways... Baltimore, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
Western Airlines... Anchorage, Denver, Honolulu
World Airways... Baltimore, Boston
re-edited due to the fact that I had completely overlooked American Airlines and thanks to AMC737 who kindly reminded me of a couple of mistakes as in Continental Airlines not having served Boston and Delta having served Boston, I got the two airline's mixed up.