Trans-Canada Air Lines
Trans-Canada Air Lines (TCA) was created by the Crown corporation Canadian National Railways (CNR), and launched its first flight on 1 September, 1937 on a flight between Vancouver and Seattle.
The creation of TCA was driven partly by CNR's management who wanted to expand the company into the new field of passenger aviation, and was partly by government direction. CNR was the country's largest corporation at the time and proved an effective vehicle for the government to create a national airline.
Prior to TCA, no large national airline existed in Canada. With war looming, and other nations (primarily the U.S.) experiencing major increases in the creation of passenger airlines, it was necessary to have a presence.
Interestingly, TCA was also in direct competition with passenger trains operated by parent CNR, and contributed to the decline of passenger rail service as Canada entered the pioneering years of air travel.
Timetables and Promotional Materials
 c.1938 |
 1 April, 1939 |
