Remember Metro International Airlines?

[Speedbird1]

I am sure there was an airline operating at JFK called "Metro International Airlines". It operated an all-747 fleet. I think it was in the 80's. When I search for information, no such airline appears. I wanted to know when it went out-of-business. It is also not listed with the Wikipedia list of defunct US airlines. Transamerica, which flew 2 747's out of JFK, is also not listed.

[Matt Molnar]

"Passenger division of Flying Tigers, which operated flights on behalf of Tower Travel." They had at least two 742s.

http://rzjets.net/operators/operator.php?opid=2799

[Ari707]

I beleive it was the forerunner of tower air, used to fly jfk-tlv

[Speedbird1]

Yes, you are correct. The fleet of Metro were re-painted as Tower Air. I think Metro used the then British Airways Terminal (now T7). There is little, if any, information on the WWW re: Metro International; not much on Tower Air, either.

[Lezam]

Tower air used to fly various routes with 747-1/2 aircraft. As stated above, they used to fly JFK-TLV JFK-florida (forgot which) and JFK-LAX as well as a few other charter routes. Their terminal was all the way on the outskirts of JFK, I wonder if its even being used anymore

There was actually a instrument panel for sale on ebay last week from a tower air 747, I found that pretty cool.

[Ari707]

it was JFK MIA in a 747,they also did charters for the Air force, I remember Metro flying the JFK-TLV route, before Tower,

[hiss srq]

Metro is the forrunner to Tower. The Airplanes Tower flew were former Metro birds or at least most of them. Metro was the pax charter department of Flying Tigers untill Tower Tours (Natchomi Morris) decided to jump in and Tower Air was born to die a painful death for it's employes in the late 90's.

[SengaB]

What year did Tower Air start flying?
Senga

[Matt Molnar]

1983: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_Air

[SengaB]

Wow I didn't know they had started that long ago.

Senga

[LGA777]

One of the more popular Tower routes not mentioned was JFK-SJU, I am sure AA was thrilled when it ended. And while it did not last long they also operated JFK-SDQ, I actually picked my wife up (back when she was my GF) one afternoon after flying back to JFK on a Tower 747 from SDQ. They operated JFK-MIA for a long time, it usally did well at least LF wise, I think most fares where between $69-$99.

Regards

LGA777