American Airlines Cargo Celebrates 65 Years of Aviation Leadership

From the Company's First Scheduled Airfreight Service to Its Present Global Network Spanning Six Continents, AA Cargo Celebrates 65th Anniversary

FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Airlines Cargo Division (AA Cargo) today celebrates 65 years of air cargo service to global customers spanning six continents. The anniversary marks the date of the air cargo industry's first scheduled airfreight service on Oct. 15, 1944. The 19-hour flight from New York's LaGuardia Field moved 6,000 pounds of bulk cargo to its Burbank, Calif. destination.

From the earliest days, American Airlines was led by bold and visionary aviation pioneers who flew an array of aircraft, beginning with the DC-3 Flagship freighter which accommodated an assortment of bulk cargo including fashion goods, textiles and machine parts. Sixty-five years later, the world's supply chain is dependent on air cargo for transport of some of the most precious cargo in the world - from pallets of life-saving vaccines to priceless art and critical machine parts.

To accommodate the needs of its customers, AA Cargo continually evaluates and introduces programs to enhance its fleet, network, technology and product portfolio, all with the aim of providing excellent service.

"From the beginning, American's founders saw the promise of a dedicated air cargo business, and invested in innovative solutions that have benefited our industry," said Dave Brooks, President - American Airlines Cargo. "We thank the long list of employees, customers and associates who have been a part of our story through the years. We look ahead with an unwavering commitment to our industry and our valued customers."

AA Cargo has forged numerous innovations for the air cargo industry, including:

• the first air freight loading conveyors
• the first portable motorized loading conveyors
• the first Unit Load Device (ULD)
• the first scissor-lift system
• the first pet carrier container for air travel
• the first refrigerated "coldbox" container
  

Today's innovations include leveraging Web-based technologies to monitor shipments and support the reliability of new products such as ExpediteTC(SM) - AA Cargo's new temperature-controlled cool-chain solution for pharmaceuticals and high-value perishables.

AA Cargo is celebrating this historical milestone by giving back to its customers in the form of a promotional offer providing 65 percent off for 48 hours - on its premium service, Expeditefs(SM). For full promotional details, please visit www.aacargo.com.

About American Airlines Cargo

American Airlines Cargo(SM), a division of American Airlines, Inc., provides more than 100 million pounds of weekly cargo lift capacity to major cities in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia. American's combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. AA Cargo provides one of the largest cargo networks in the world, with cargo terminals and interline connections available across the globe.

Current AMR Corp. releases can be accessed on the Internet.

The address is http://www.aa.com

SOURCE American Airlines Cargo Division