Walter Varney

Walter Thomas Varney
Walter T. Varney, founder of predecessors of United and Continental Airlines, in 1921
Born	December 26, 1888 San Francisco, California
Died	January 25, 1967(1967-01-25) (aged 78) Santa Barbara, California
Occupation	Pilot, Airline executive
Spouse(s)	Aileen Varney
Children	1
Parent(s)	Thomas and Ella Varney

Walter Thomas Varney (December 26, 1888 in San Francisco, California – January 25, 1967 in Santa Barbara, California) was an American aviation pioneer who founded forerunners of two major U.S. airlines, United Airlines and Continental Airlines. Varney was also one of the most prominent airmail contractors of the early 20th century.

Varney served as a pilot in the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps during World War I. After the war Varney established an aviation school and air taxi service in northern California.

In October 1925, Varney was awarded one of the first contracts under the recently passed Contract Air Mail Act after the determination was made the U.S. Army Air Corps was not suited for air mail flying. He based his operation, Varney Air Service, in Pasco, Washington, and flew routes between Pasco, and Elko, Nevada, stopping in Boise, Idaho each way. Varney's first airmail flight took off on April 6, 1926.

Varney, following a five company merger, sold the much expanded Varney Air Group in 1930 to United Aircraft and Transport. The company's name was changed to United Air Lines in 1933.

Continental Airlines was founded in 1934 by Walter Varney and his partner Louis Mueller as Varney Speed Lines. On July 15, 1934, Varney Speed Lines flew its first trip on a 530-mile route from Pueblo, Colorado to El Paso, Texas with stops in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and Santa Fe and Albuquerque New Mexico. Varney ceded control to Mueller in 1934, and in 1936 a controlling interest in the company was sold to Robert Six who renamed it Continental Airlines in 1937, moving its headquarters to Denver.