Chicago and Southern Air Lines
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| Founded | 1934 | ||||||
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| Ceased operations | 1953 (integrated into Delta Air Lines) | ||||||
| Fleet size | N/A | ||||||
| Destinations | N/A | ||||||
| Headquarters | Memphis, Tennessee | ||||||
| Key people | Carleton Putnam, Founder | ||||||
Chicago and Southern Air Lines (C&S) was a United States airline that started life as Pacific Seaboard Air Lines in California and was organized on June 15, 1933. Following the move from California, the airline's headquarters were located in Memphis, Tennessee which also served as a hub for the carrier. C&S was merged into Delta Air Lines in 1953 thus providing Delta with its first international routes.
The first service was operated by Pacific Seaboard Air Lines on June 23, 1933 in Carleton Putnam's single engine Bellanca CH-300 "Miss San Jose." Putnam held a Transport Pilot's license. Three Bellanca CH-300s were flown in the California operation. The new airline only flew passengers on the West Coast of California on "The Scenic Route." This route was up the coast of California from Los Angeles (Grand Central Air Terminal at Glendale) to San Francisco's Mills Field. Stops were made at seven destinations located near or on the Pacific Ocean including Santa Barbara, CA, Santa Maria, CA, San Luis Obispo, CA, Paso Robles, CA, Monterey, CA, Salinas, CA and San Jose, CA. For a short period, Pacific Seaboard Air Lines also flew from San Francisco to the capital of California, Sacramento. The primary competition on the L.A.-San Francisco route was United Airlines with twin-engine, ten-passenger, Boeing 247s. United, which also flew the San Joaquin Valley route in California, had the U.S. Air Mail contract and more comfortable aircraft. Putnam decided the only way he could stay in business was to get a U.S. Air Mail contract. In four months and one week, 1113 passengers were carried.
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