MUSEUM OF THE FALLEN
Dominance is not eternal.
The Wall/ Dead Companies/ Eastern Air Lines
The Eastern Air Lines wordmark; the US carrier ceased operations in 1991.

Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Dead Companies

Eastern Air Lines

1926 CE 1991 CE

A founding giant of American aviation, ground down by deregulation, labor war, and a corporate raider.

Born
1926 CE
Died
1991 CE
Lived
65 years
Dead for
35 yrs
At its peak
One of the 'Big Four' U.S. airlines; ~$3.9 billion revenue (1986)
Cause of death
Overreach
Replaced by
—
The Obituary

Eastern Air Lines traced to 1926 and grew into one of America’s “Big Four” carriers, famous for its no-reservation Air Shuttle linking New York, Boston, and Washington. Airline deregulation in 1978 exposed its high costs, and in 1986 the corporate raider Frank Lorenzo took control. His confrontations with unions culminated in a savage 1989 machinists’ strike that crippled operations. Eastern entered bankruptcy and burned through cash trying to survive. On 19 January 1991 it shut down and was liquidated, ending 65 years of flight.

Worth remembering

  • It was one of the 'Big Four' U.S. airlines and once flew the famous Eastern Air Shuttle between New York, Boston and Washington.
  • A bitter 1989 machinists' strike, after Frank Lorenzo's takeover, helped drive it into bankruptcy and then liquidation.

Sources

  1. Eastern Air Lines ceased operations in January 1991 and was liquidated, after labor disputes and the takeover by Frank Lorenzo Wikipedia
  2. Frank Lorenzo's Texas Air acquired Eastern in 1986; a 1989 machinists' strike accelerated its collapse Wikipedia

A graveyard tradition: leave a stone to show you came, and remembered.

Buried nearby
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Arthur Andersen
1913 CE — 2002 CE
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Atari, Inc.
1972 CE — 1984 CE
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Pan Am
1927 CE — 1991 CE
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