Could Pan Am be about to return to the skies?

Pan American Airways, better known as Pan Am, ceased trading in 1991, bringing to an end an iconic brand that was synonymous with bringing air travel to the masses. It was after Pan Am founder Juan Trippe that convinced Boeing to make airliners such as the Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet.

But the airline hit hard times and several high-profile accidents and incidents, including the Lockerbie bombing, led to its demise.

This could all be about to change, however, as it’s been widely reported that Pan American Global Holdings LLC, which owns the brand, together with Avi8 Air Capital, have begun the certification process to launch the airline with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

In a joint statement, the companies said that once certified, the airline would operate a fleet of Airbus aircraft and have its headquarters in Miami, Florida. A long way from the New York-based original that flew primarily Boeing aircraft.

The airline is planned to be a scheduled carrier rather than a charter operation, which is what the original Pan Am thrived on.

We’ve been here before, though; several attempts have been made to resurrect the Pan Am name, which ended up going nowhere, but formally starting the certification process is a stage further than many of them got.

This one is very much a case of watch this space, closely!