The oldest airlines in the world. The largest airlines in the world. Ranking of world airlines by passenger turnover and fleet size. Delta Airlines is the largest airline in the world
The list of the largest airlines in the world selects the best carriers according to several parameters. The largest airline is determined by passenger traffic, fleet size, number of destinations and financial performance.
Rating by financial indicators
In the list compiled by the authoritative edition of Forbes, the first line is occupied by the American airline American Airlines Group. As of early 2017, it had over $40 billion in revenue and over $2.5 billion in profits. The total assets of the carrier for 2016 exceeded $51 billion.
Delta Air Lines ranked 2nd on the list. Its 2016 revenue was almost $40 billion and its profit was $4.4 billion. The firm's total assets in 2016 exceeded a value of $51 billion.
The German company Lufthansa is on the 3rd place in the rating. Its annual income is about 38 billion dollars. The net profit of the European aviation giant is 2.1 billion dollars. The company's total capital value is $41 billion.
The fourth place was occupied by one more American carrier - United Continental Holdings. The airline was founded in 2010, and by the end of 2016 announced a net profit of $2.3 billion. The company's revenue was $36.5 billion and the total property value was $40.1 billion.
The list of the world's largest airlines in terms of financial performance also includes China Southern Airlines, British Airways and Emirates. It is worth noting that the company from the UAE is located in 7th place due to the exclusion of the cost of capital owned by the state.
Airline rating by passenger turnover
The leader of this list is also the company "AA". American Airlines' passenger turnover is over 400,000 million passenger-kilometers.
The second place belongs to one more company from the United States of America. United Airlines is quite a bit behind AA. But it is worth noting the drop in passenger turnover in recent years. In 2010, it was almost 334,000 million passenger-kilometres compared to 216,000 million for American Airlines. Already in 2012, the passenger traffic of both airlines amounted to approximately 331,000 million passenger-kilometers, and since 2013, AA has taken the lead in the ranking.
In third place is Delta Air Lines with more than 320,000 million passenger-kilometers.
Also in the list of the largest airlines in the world in terms of passenger traffic are Emirates, Lufthansa and British Airways.
Airline rating by fleet size
And in this list, the leader was American Airlines. In total, the AA fleet has about 1,000 aircraft.
Second place went to Delta Air Lines with about 800 aircraft. United Airlines was in third place with 718 aircraft.
In addition to the three major American carriers, the list includes Ryanair, Lufthansa, and Air France. Again, British Airways.
Airline rating by number of destinations
Leadership in the list again remained with three American companies. But this time the first place was taken by Delta Air Lines, which operates flights to 355 destinations.
Continental Airlines came in second place, narrowly behind. Closed the top three US Airlines.
On the 14th place is the Russian Aeroflot. 19th place was taken by another company from the Russian Federation - Rossiya. Also in the ranking was a place for the airline Japan Airlines, which took 16th place, but is located above other Asian companies.
"American Airlines"
AA is the largest airline in the world. It was founded in 1930 and was called American Airways, but began its activities 4 years after its founding.
American Airlines provides passenger services within the United States of America, to Latin America, Canada, Europe, as well as to Japan, India and the People's Republic of China.
American Airlines hubs are located in Chicago, Dallas, Charlotte, Miami, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Washington DC and New York.
The staff of "AA" has more than 120 thousand employees. More than 7 thousand flights are carried out daily.
Delta Airlines
American airlines are world leaders in everything from passenger numbers to net profit. One such carrier is Delta Air Lines. The airline was founded in 1924 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Hubs are in Cincinnati, New York, Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Tokyo, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Paris and Amsterdam. The company employs more than 80 thousand employees.
In 2008, Delta bought a 100% stake in Northwest Airlines. The merger was formalized in early 2010. After that, Delta Air Lines became the largest commercial air carrier in the world.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa is the flagship airline of Germany, which is the largest in Europe. It includes Austrian Airlines and Swiss International Airlines.
Deutsche Lufthansa AG has hubs in Munich and Frankfurt am Main. The airline was founded in 1936 and began operating in 1955. Lufthansa has over 100,000 employees
"British Airways"
British Airways is the national carrier of the United Kingdom and one of the largest airlines in Europe.
British Airways was founded in 1974. The parent company is IAG. Hubs are located in London. These are Heathrow and Gatwick airports, which are the largest in the world.
Emirates
Emirates is one of the largest airlines in the world. The headquarters is located in Dubai. The company was established in 1985. Main destinations: Qatar, Malaysia, Australia, USA and England.
The purpose of creating Emirates was to develop the infrastructure of the state, as well as to attract tourists to the UAE. In 2010, the company was the largest air carrier.
Ryanair
The Irish airline Ryanair is one of the largest low-cost airlines. It was founded in 1984. The size of the fleet is about 400 aircraft. Ryanair's hub is Dublin Airport.
In September 2017, the European Commission launched an investigation into the cancellation of over 2,000 flights. According to experts, the reason was mass layoffs. As a result, Ryanair canceled up to 50 flights daily.
Brussels said that European passengers whose flights were canceled are entitled to compensation in the amount of 250 to 400 euros. The head of the low-cost airline said that the losses of the company due to compensation will amount to about 25 million euros. Experts say about the amount of 35 million euros.
The company also said that customers will be offered alternative flights, or the funds spent on the ticket will be returned.
Ryanair carries out passenger transportation in 34 countries. More than 1800 flights are made per day.
"Japanese Airlines"
Japan Airlines is the largest Japanese airline and one of the largest in Asia. The main hub airports are located in Tokyo. There are also two additional hubs in Osaka. The headquarters is based in the Tokyo province of Shinagawa.
The airline was established in the early 1950s when the Japanese authorities decided to establish a state-owned airline. The first flight was carried out in 1954 in the USA.
As of June 2017, Japan Airlines' fleet consisted of 160 aircraft. Their average age was almost 9 years. Since 2010, the airline has decommissioned all old aircraft, including forty-year-old Boeing 747s.
Japan Airlines is a member of the Onewolrd alliance, which also includes the world leaders in passenger air transportation American Airlines, British Airways, Air New Zeland, Air France, Singapore Airlines and others.
Aeroflot
The company was founded in 1923. At the moment, it is the largest airline in the Russian Federation. The hub airport is located in the city of Moscow and is called Sheremetyevo. The size of the fleet is 193 aircraft.
Initially, Aeroflot was a completely state-owned company. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the enterprise was partially privatized. Yet 51% of the shares belong to the government of the Russian Federation.
Subsidiaries Aurora, Rossiya and Pobeda, together with Aeroflot, form a holding called the Aeroflot Group. In 2016, the carrier was the first among all Russian airlines to receive 4 stars from the reputable consulting firm Skytrax for the quality of service.
Send your good work in the knowledge base is simple. Use the form below
Students, graduate students, young scientists who use the knowledge base in their studies and work will be very grateful to you.
Hosted at http://www.allbest.ru/
Introduction
Introduction
An airline is an organization that performs passenger and cargo air transportation, aviation work.
Delag - the first airline in the world - was established on November 16, 1909, is considered the first commercial airline in the world. Although it should be called an aeronautical transport company. After all, its fleet was not winged vehicles, but airships. This choice is understandable. The planes of that time barely lifted one, at best two passengers into the air, overcoming only a couple of tens of kilometers. While the Zeppelin (Ferdinand Zeppelin) airships LZ4 and LZ5, with up to 10 people on board, covered almost 1000 kilometers without landing.
The first airline in the world was the company "KLM" Royal Dutch Airlines (ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINES), founded in 1919. The first route of the airline was Amsterdam - London, on which the plane flew. Like the company itself, this passenger route is the oldest in the world. The first flight on this route was made by pilot Jerry Shaw on May 17, 1920, with two journalist passengers on board. Since the cockpit was open, the airline provided passengers with warm sweaters, gloves and helmets. Later, the passenger seats were covered with glass and two more seats were added. The aircraft reached speeds of up to 150 km / h, due to which the flight time to London was less than three hours.
Since 1924, it was possible to make the longest flight for that time from Amsterdam to Batavia (modern Jakarta) on the aircraft of the KLM airline.
In 1934, the first KLM flight across the Atlantic took place.
And in 1951, the first flight to Australia took place.
KLM has been flying to Moscow from Amsterdam since 1958. In the same year, 1958, KLM offered its customers a round-the-world trip lasting 89 hours and 20 minutes and 30,000 kilometers long.
In 2004, the airline joined the French carrier Air France, forming the Air France group - KLM, but, despite this, the company's aircraft fly under the original name - KLM, connecting 360 cities with its flights on six continents.
1. List of the largest airlines in the world
1. Delta Air Lines USA
2. American Airlines (American Airlines) USA
3. United Airlines (United Airlines) USA
4. Emirates United Arab Emirates
5. Lufthansa Germany
6. Air France - KLM (Air France - KLM) France, Holland
7. China Southern Airlines China
8. British Airways (UK)
9. Qantas Australia
10. Japan Airlines (Japan Airlines) Japan
2. Delta Air Lines USA
American airline, one of the world's largest air carriers. The company's headquarters and base airport are located in Atlanta, Georgia (USA). The largest airline in the world according to three significant criteria (fleet size, passenger volume and number of destinations). Passenger turnover is 310,876 million passengers/km.
The company was founded on May 30, 1924. The main activity of the new airline was to provide services to farmers in the US South by spraying pesticides over cotton fields. Services for air transportation of passengers over short distances, the company began to provide only in 1929. The company's first takeover was the American airline Chicago and Southern Airlines, which it acquired in 1953. Subsequently, the company acquired the air carrier Northern Airlines (1972) and merged with the airline from Los Angeles - Western Airlines. As a result, by the end of the 80s of the last century, Delta Airlines became one of the largest airlines in the world. To date, Delta Airlines owns several subsidiaries of airlines, has a network of its own hubs throughout the United States, has an extensive network of branches around the world, and provides services for domestic and international air transportation of passengers and cargo of various kinds.
The airline flies to more than 460 destinations in 96 countries. The route network covers the countries of North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean. In 2009, Delta launched flights to Australia (between Los Angeles and Sydney), making it the only US carrier that links every continent in the world except Antarctica. airline air transportation passenger
The main airports used by the airline are Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, USA; Wayne County Detroit Capital Airport, USA; John F. Kennedy International Airport New York, USA; Narita International Airport near Tokyo, Japan; Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Holland.
Main destinations: Los Angeles International Airport; Seattle/Tacoma International Airport.
The airline (excluding the affiliated NWA liners) operates only Boeing Corporation aircraft, including McDonnell Douglas aircraft. After the merger with the major American airline NWA, the Delta fleet was replenished with 57 Airbus aircraft. As of April 2008, the average age of the airline's fleet was 14 years. The number of aircraft is 729 units.
Fleet: Airbus A319, Airbus A320, Airbus A330-200, Boeing 737-700, Boeing 737-800, Boeing 747-400, Boeing 757-200, Boeing 767-300, Boeing 767-400, Boeing 777-200, McDonnell DouglasMD-90.
At the beginning of the jet era, with the arrival of aircraft, there were no entertainment systems other than magazines and newspapers at all. Then, in the 1960s, audio systems were introduced to broadcast music through headphones, which were used on only a few Delta aircraft. In 1999, the company was the first in the world to announce the placement of individual LCD monitors on the Boeing 777 in the backs of the front seats. Currently, audio and video entertainment systems are used on almost all Delta aircraft. The cabins of the Business Elite class of all liners except the 777-200LR are equipped with digital systems. 48 Boeing 757 transcontinental destinations also have a system on board through which the programs of the satellite television company are broadcast.
3. American Airlines (American Airlines) USA
A subsidiary of the American aviation holding "AMR Corporation", an airline that occupies a leading position among the world's air carriers in terms of the size of its technical fleet and the total volume of passenger traffic. The company's headquarters and its base airport are located in Fort Worth (Texas, USA). Passenger turnover is 201,891 million passengers/km.
The company was formed on January 1, 1925, as a result of the merger of more than 80 small US air carriers under one management. As the main development strategy, the company adopted directions for expanding the technical fleet, building its own terminals at major American airports, increasing the quality and volume of passenger and cargo traffic not only on domestic, but also on international flights. Today the company has official representations in many countries of the world.
The company provides regular flights within the United States, to Canada, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Japan, China and India. American Airlines is the market leader in passenger transportation between the US and Latin America.
The main airports used by the airline are Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, USA; O'Hara International Airport in Chicago, USA; Miami International Airport, USA; Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in Puerto Rico; Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, USA.
The American Airlines fleet consisted of 614 aircraft. Approximately half of the aircraft were manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. As of April 2008, the average age of the company's fleet was 15.2 years.
Fleet: Boeing 737-800, Boeing 757-200, Boeing 767-200, Boeing 767-300, Boeing 777-200, McDonnell DouglasMD-80.
In August 2007, the company announced the provision of Wi-fi service on flights operated by Boeing 767-200ER aircraft, added 05/12/2011
The history of the creation of the airline "Aeroflot". Airbus A319 aircraft of Aeroflot airline. Boeing 767-300. Fleet and route network of airline "Aeroflot". Base airport of the airline. Passenger and cargo transportation. Foreign transportation market.
abstract, added 12/11/2008
The concept of marketing in the field of air transport. Determining the demand for air transport services. Market concept of production and sales management. Market conditions for aviation and tourist transportation. Managed elements of the airline.
test, added 03/28/2010
Intensified competition in the struggle to attract airlines. The quality of food on board. Provision of special types of services. Provision and general principles of online booking. Implementation of bonus programs and loyalty programs for airline customers.
abstract, added 12/12/2010
Classification of passenger fares. Building a tariff in accordance with the internal tariff system. Contract for the performance of aviation work. The procedure for the airline certification procedure. Requirements for operators and procedures for their certification.
abstract, added 06/13/2014
The choice of the optimal route for the movement of cars, suitable for the given conditions of transportation of car models. Determination of the coefficients of static and dynamic use of load capacity. Calculation of the cost of freight and passenger transportation.
term paper, added 01/22/2016
Modern problems in the development of consumer demand for passenger air transportation. The state of civil aviation and the role of buyers' needs in the development of the airline "STC" Rossiya ", the improvement of its commercial, tariff and advertising policy.
thesis, added 07/18/2011
Study of the organization of road freight transportation, development of routes, timetables for organizing the delivery of goods from Germany to the Russian Federation. The concept of transport logistics, the choice of rolling stock, the calculation of costs and the cost of transportation.
thesis, added 01/24/2012
The role and place of transport services in the tourism business and entrepreneurship. The current state of the aviation fleet and air transportation in the Russian Federation. Carrying out activities to improve the service for passengers of the airline "TransAero".
term paper, added 10/06/2014
The structure of passenger traffic in railway transport. Determination of indicators of transport mobility of the population. Irregularity of passenger traffic in railway transport. "Tree of reasons" for unprofitable passenger traffic.
Travel is always a foretaste of something new, unforgettable. And for everything to go great from start to finish, you should think through all the details. The most popular mode of transport for traveling abroad is by plane. Therefore, it is better to study the possibilities of certain airlines in advance. What are the most A list of them with a description will be presented in descending order.
Delta Airlines is the world leader in passenger transportation
By all criteria, Delta is the largest airline in the world. It has more than 1,300 aircraft in its arsenal. The airline has its own route network in 356 destinations and operates flights to 65 countries. At the beginning of its existence (founded on May 30, 1924), the company was called Huff Daland Dusters. Then her planes were used to spray pesticides over cotton fields in the southern United States. In 1928, the airline was renamed Delta Air Service. And already in 1929, the first passenger plane was sent from Dallas to Jackson.
Today, the largest airline in the world, Delta Airlines, is the undisputed leader in terms of the number of passenger traffic, as well as the number of passenger aircraft in operation, the main manufacturers of which are Boeing and Airbus. About 5,000 flights are carried out daily. The company has 75 thousand qualified employees.
American Airlines USA
Despite the financial difficulties that the company experienced in the recent past, it is still in the TOP of the largest airlines in the world. The company employs more than 100 thousand people. Every day, about 7,000 flights are made on route routes to 350 cities. The airline operates flights to 56 countries around the world. American Airlines and 5 other leaders in passenger transportation form the Oneworld alliance.
The carrier's fleet includes 125 Airbus-A319-100 aircraft, 55 Airbus-A320-200 aircraft, 178 Airbus-A321-200 aircraft, 15 Airbus-A330-200 aircraft, 9 Airbus-A330- 300", 266 Boeing-737s, 64 Boeing-757s, 46 Boeing-767s, 67 Boeing-777s, 45 MD-82s and 52 MD-83s.
Southwest Airlines USA
Southwest Airlines is the undisputed leader in terms of the number of passengers carried. This is the largest low-cost in the world. The company's fleet has an impressive number of Boeing 737 aircraft and operates more than 3,000 flights a day. Southwest Airlines planes mainly fly between Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Houston, Orlando and Phoenix. The main advantage is that the prices for the flight are relatively low, but the quality is at a high level. Cheap flights within the USA is the motto of Southwest Airlines.
Emirates Airlines is the UAE's monopoly of transportation
This is a state-owned company, the base of which is located on the territory of Abu Dhabi International Airport. The development of Emirates Airlines began with the lease of two airliners in 1985. For three years, the airline's profits began to increase rapidly, which made it possible to quickly develop the route network and equip the fleet with the most modern ships. Today, the company's route network includes 450 cities in 60 countries around the world.
The company's fleet consists of 230 Airbus-A330, A340, A380 and Boeing-777 aircraft.
United Airlines USA
It is the largest airline in the world by number of aircraft. It has 695 airliners at its disposal, which regularly carry out international passenger flights. The company has 569 aircraft for domestic flights. The airline's route network connects the countries of Western Europe, Africa and Australia. United Airlines has bases in Chicago, San Francisco, Guam, Tokyo, Denver, Los Angeles and Washington. The basis of the company's air fleet is Boeing-737 and 757. There are also Airbus-type airliners. The most popular are flights to major cities in China and Hawaii. Russia and Eastern Europe are not included in the list of served countries.
Lufthansa is Europe's largest airline
The European airline began its existence back in 1926. However, only in the 60s it began to gain momentum and became one of the largest among air carriers.
Today, the airline, together with a number of European carriers, forms the Lufthansa Group. The main hubs of the company are located in Germany. The Lufthansa Group has a fleet of 636 aircraft. For passengers, this is one of the most profitable airlines. Its partners can participate in generous bonus programs. The company also constantly holds promotions and ticket sales in various directions.
Air France
This is a whole holding that combines a number of French and Dutch airlines. In 2004, the national carriers of the Netherlands and France merged to form Air France. The company's hubs are located in Charles de Gaulle) and in Sripol). Air France currently operates 614 aircraft. The basis is the airliners of the concern "Boeing" and "Airbus".
For those who care about the environment, this airline is the most suitable, since the tanks of the company's aircraft are half filled with biofuel. The Air France route network has 243 destinations and serves 103 countries.
british airways
British Airways is the UK's largest carrier based at Heathrow Airport in London. Currently, the company's air fleet consists of 400 aircraft. The annual turnover of passenger traffic is 62 million passengers per year. The route network includes more than 200 destinations.
The airline has its own developed bonus system, which is used by regular customers. Each flight entitles you to earn miles and points, which can then be exchanged for airline tickets.
This is not a complete list of the largest airlines. Each country has its own leaders in air travel. However, not all of them are international. In addition, this list may change every year, as some companies can develop, while others suffer some difficulties and lose their leading positions. Therefore, it is not so easy to say which is the largest airline in the world. The analysis affects many indicators, such as the number of aircraft, the annual volume of traffic, the availability of service centers, etc. However, for passengers, in addition to this information, the reliability of the company, as well as various bonus programs, is important. In any case, it is better to fly with proven airlines, even if the cost of their tickets will be an order of magnitude more expensive. Saving on your life is not worth it. It is better to buy tickets in advance, but from reliable carriers. Moreover, almost all of the above airlines regularly conduct bonus programs and promotions.
Air China Limited was established on the basis of its predecessor Air China and began operations on September 30, 2004, providing air transportation services under the control of China Aviation Group. Air China is China's premier civil aviation carrier and a member of the world's largest aviation Star Alliance(28 airlines). Air China operates 284 passenger routes, including 72 international routes, 15 regional routes and 197 domestic routes, covering 29 countries and regions, as well as 145 cities (45 international cities, 4 regions and 96 domestic cities).
Through cooperation with the Star Alliance group of airlines, Air China's service area has expanded to 1,329 destinations in 194 countries. Air China operates special overseas flights for the leadership of China, as well as when leaders and government officials from other countries want to visit China, which confirms the company's exceptional status as the main national air carrier. Air China's goal is to become a "globally recognized airline", which means achieving four strategic goals: global market leadership, continuous development of its own potential, providing an excellent and flawless passenger flight experience, and continuous revenue growth. Air China is the first domestic civilian airline to offer two luxury service classes: Forbidden Pavilion First Class and Capital Pavilion Business Class. Benefiting from these services on medium to long haul flights are 'rollaway seats' and 'excellent service throughout the flight', which provides passengers with exceptional comfort and convenience, as well as personalized service. For six consecutive years (2007 - 2012), Air China has been on the "World's Top 500 Brands" list, becoming the only civil aviation company ever to be included in the list. On June 28, 2011, the international organization SKYTRAX awarded Air China 4 stars. On June 12, 2012, the Fast Travel Gold Award was awarded to Air China at the 68th Annual General Meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Air Carrier Summit.
Air China pays special attention to personnel training. The Air China Pilot Training Center has a world-class level of training. For training pilots on real aircraft, the center is equipped with a Boeing 737-300 aircraft. The Flight Attendant Training Center is China's first large-scale and multifunctional training base and has trained more than 80,000 professionals for 40 national and foreign airlines. Moreover, the Air China University is under construction, which will become a training base providing students with an academic education.
As of December 31, 2012, Air China (companies that are part of the holding) owned 461 Boeing and Airbus class aircraft with an average service life of 6.54 years.
Air China aircraft receive both special and standard maintenance. Air China has set up an engineering division headquartered in Beijing. This division consists of 9 service bases (Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Hohhot, Shanghai, Guiyang, Wuhan, Guangzhou), four subsidiaries, 100 local service centers and 54 international service centers, which form a service network in China and beyond. This division has at its disposal 10 large hangars equipped with the latest technology. By providing excellent service at these centers, Air China has won the approval and trust of more than 80 airlines around the world. Since the late 1980s, Air China Aircraft Division has made more than 20 domestic maintenance technical breakthroughs and won more than 50 science and technology awards from national and regional ministries.
The twentieth century and technological progress allowed people to move from one point of the world to another in a matter of hours, while earlier this process took many months, and the journeys themselves threatened with a lot of dangers. Today everything is different. Thanks to airplanes, a person can cross the ocean in complete comfort and be thousands of kilometers from the point of departure.
Airlines play an important role in organizing flights. It is their activities that allow people to travel so easily. Today in the world there are many different airlines, ranging from the smallest to large corporations, whose networks have entwined the whole world. It is the latter that will be discussed in this article. We will talk about which is the largest airline, as well as talk about nine more companies that deserve attention.
First place - Delta Airlines corporation (United States of America)
This company, also known as Delta, is headquartered in Atlanta. It is DeltaAirLines that is the largest member of the well-known alliance of airlines called SkyTeam.
Delta is the world's largest operator in three areas. Firstly, the carrier has the largest fleet. Secondly, the company is a leader in terms of air transportation. And third, Delta has a record number of possible routes to fly. With the help of carrier services, you can get to any of the continents, except for Antarctica. In 2009, the company began working with Australia. Planes also fly to Africa. It is the only carrier in the United States that operates flights to this continent across the Atlantic Ocean.
Delta Airlines' main port is in Atlanta. It leads in the absolute number of passengers passed through it. Other major ports that work with Delta Airlinesincorporation are: Northern Kentucky Airport, John F. Kennedy Airport (New York), Salt Lake City Airport.
The carrier originates from the distant 1924. Then the company was founded under the name Huff Daland Dusters. Its original activity was the spraying of chemicals over agricultural fields. The first flight, the purpose of which was the delivery of passengers, occurred in 1929. Since then, the company began to actively develop its activities in the civil aviation market.
Runner-up - American Airlines (United States of America)
The second largest airline in the world is American Airlines. In one year, the company transports more than one hundred thousand people. The main office of the airline is located in Texas. American Airlines has five main ports, the most important of which is Dallas International Airport. According to statistics, it accounts for more than eighty percent of all flights.
American Airlines was formed back in 1926. Then the first plane of the company delivered mail from one state to another. Soon, more than eight dozen small air carriers united under the wing of the company. Initially, the airline was called "American Airways" and only during the Second World War did it receive its current name.
In 1937, the company sent its millionth customer on its way. After the war, the company began to actively develop branches in the European market. In addition, the airline began to send aircraft to Japan.
Third place - Southwest Airlines (United States of America)
Southwest Airlines is the leader in the low-cost airline market. The airline leads the world in terms of the number of people transported. The airline is headquartered in Texas. To date, the operator's fleet consists entirely of Boeing-737 aircraft. Southwest Airlines operates several thousand flights daily.
Initially, the company worked only within the state, sending people between the regions of Texas. Today the company operates throughout the country. However, the carrier does not work with other countries. The fleet includes 684 ships. The number of routes operated by Southwest Airlines is 94.
In 2016, the carrier closed access to its website to visitors from the Russian Federation. The exact reason for this decision is unknown, many people believe that this action has a political motive.
Fourth place - Emirates Airlines (United Arab Emirates)
This company is a monopoly in the market of the United Arab Emirates. The carrier belongs to the state, it was created at the end of the twentieth century with the aim of developing tourism. The airline acquired the first two aircraft in 1985. Already in the nineties, the number of aircraft in the fleet began to grow rapidly. To date, the air carrier has more than two hundred ships. In addition, Emirates Airlines has ordered another two hundred aircraft from various manufacturers, which will enter service in the coming years.
The operator operates flights to all inhabited continents, including Africa, Australia, South and North America, Europe and Asia. In the spring of 2016, the airline's aircraft made a record flight, covering more than fourteen thousand kilometers in sixteen hours. The carrier carries out not only passenger, but also cargo air transportation.
Fifth place - United Airlines (United States of America)
This carrier was established in 1926. The company became famous for being the first to offer its passengers meals on board. In addition, it was on the liners of this carrier that the stewardesses familiar to us appeared. Today it is an expensive US airline, one of the largest on the planet.
The carrier also has a sad reputation. It was United Airlines that first encountered terrorism in the air. In 1993, unknown people blew up the plane with a bomb hidden on board. In addition, it was the planes of this company that were hijacked by terrorists on September 9th.
Today, United Airlines employs more than fifty thousand people. The fleet includes more than four hundred aircraft. The main hubs with which the carrier works are: Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Sixth place - Lufthansa (European Union)
The air carrier established in Germany is by far the largest in the European Union. Today, under the wing of the company, carriers from Sweden, Austria and Germany are united. Lufthansa flies to 80 different countries. The number of routes exceeds two hundred. The company's fleet is 620 aircraft. Lufthansa's head office is located in Cologne.
The main hubs are located in Frankfurt and Munich.
Interestingly, until the end of the twentieth century, the airline belonged to the state. It was created in 1926. During World War II, all civilian flights were cut off. The company collaborated with the Nazis, so at the end of the war it was on the stop lists of all advanced countries. In 1951, a state-owned airline was created on the basis of Lufthansa, which received the name Aktiengesellschaft für Luftverkehrsbedarf. Its manager was the former director. A few years later, the usual name returned.
The company is actively working in Russia, sending passengers on ten routes.
Seventh place - Air France (European Union)
The largest carrier in France. The company employs more than seven tens of thousands of people. The main hub of Air France is the airport of Paris named after Charles de Gaulle. The air fleet has more than two hundred aircraft. The number of directions in which the carrier operates is 256.
AirFrance carries out not only regional flights, but also main ones. This organization was founded in 1933. Initially, the airline performed cargo flights, but then moved into the category of passenger aviation. AirFrance is a member of the large carrier alliance SkyTeam, which includes more than fifteen carriers, including Russia's Aeroflot.
The company's headquarters is located in Paris. The main end points of the routes are the big cities of Europe and the USA, such as New York, Berlin and London.
Eighth place - British Airways
British Airways is not only the largest carrier in the UK, but also one of the largest airlines in the world. Among other participants in this ranking, in addition to Emirates Airlines, British Airways is the youngest. It was established in 1974. However, it was based on an already existing state agency. The company is engaged in the transportation of people, cargo and mail.
For about a decade, British Airways was also owned by the state, until privatization began in 1981. At that time, many carriers were going through hard times, and British Airways itself was suffering losses. However, the new management managed not only to bring the company into profit, but also to gain credibility around the world. British Airways had a net income of £702 million in 2014.
9th - All Nippon Airways
The Japanese air carrier is famous not only for the volume of its traffic, but also for the authentic design of its aircraft, which are often painted with anime characters. The company was established in 1952. Initially, she was engaged in transportation between the islands of Japan using helicopters, but soon the first liners appeared in the company's fleet. In 1986, All Nippon Airways began working for the overseas market. Flights to the USA, Hong Kong, South Korea, Paris were created. Today, the All Nippon Airways fleet includes 188 aircraft. The number of routes is 71.
The corporate headquarters is located in a special area of the city of Tokyo - Minato.
Tenth place - China Southern Airlines
China Southern Airlines is the largest civil aviation corporation in modern China. In 1996, the company began working on long-haul routes. In 1997, a non-stop flight to Los Angeles was made, which was the first of its kind for a Boeing 777 aircraft.
In 2003, the company acquired its main competitor in the domestic market - China Northern Airlines, thanks to which it began to dominate the domestic market in China. The air fleet includes more than five hundred liners. Number of routes - 180.
