Historical Facts About Aloha Airlines, Hawaii's 61-Year-Old Airline

July 26, 1946, is a day that will remain dear to many Hawaii residents because that's the day Aloha Airlines, then called Trans-Pacific Airlines, had its first revenue flight. It was a day that would mark the birth of Hawaii's second largest flagship airline. It would also be a day that would be celebrated for years to come by generation's o families that shared a part of this airlines great lineage over the next six decades. Stories of "bare bones" operations, noisy flights, hula performances by the "stewardesses" and the picturesque view from the DC-3's that took your breath away, these are the stories our grandparents remember about their flights on Trans-Pacific Airlines (TPA). They remark at the lack of comfortable accommodations and decor within the aircrafts and just smile as they remember those carefree days long gone.

Bill Wood states in his book "50 Years Of Aloha, The Story of Aloha Airlines", the airline was the brainchild of a remarkable man named Ruddy Tongg. Mr. Tongg owned a publishing company and was an affluent Chinese who was familiar with the frustrations of the ethnic minorities in Hawaii. Back then, in spite of being in Hawaii, the Caucasians who flooded to Hawaii enjoyed many of the benefits not extended to those not of the Caucasian race. Money wasn't so much an issue when it came to the inequities but rather just the stigma of racial prejudice that was not a part of Hawaiian culture. So it was a time of growth and new discoveries for the Hawaiian Islands. Mr. Tongg wanted to make his mark in Hawaii history and represent the strength and independence of the minority races that were treated unjustly. So, with a dream of social equality and the drive to make it work, Ruddy Tongg and a group of associates, who remain unnamed, embark on their first steps towards creating an airline that will span over 60 years and help define the financial landscape of the Hawaiian islands.