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Chalks Ocean Airways: The Actual Oldest Airline in the World?

© John L. Hoh, Jr.

In a topic like this, one touches on history. Now, there is a funny thing about history. One can do research and believe they have the "final answer." One can search the internet and books galore and rest believing one has the ultimate answer.

But then you publish your findings and someone asks an innocent question. I received an e-mail with the subject line reading "KLM - Oldest airline? Chalk's?" Susan Stabley, a reporter for The South Florida Business Journal, was the author and she asked: "What about Chalk's? The seaplanes started in 1919."

Now, in my internet and hard copy investigation the following had been told as "fact:"

KLM was documented as the oldest airline, founded on 7 October 1919 and beginning service 17 May 1920.

Avianca of Columbia is listed as the oldest in the Americas and second oldest in the world.

Mexicana, the Mexican air carrier, is often listed as the oldest in North America.

Northwest is listed as the oldest US air carrier. This will require further research since today's Northwest is comprised of several airlines through mergers over the years, including North Central, Southern, and Republic among others.

So, with the e-mail began a search to find the answer. And there is indeed a Chalk's--officially it's called Chalk's Ocean Airways.

Chalk's Ocean Airways operates between Florida and the Bahama islands of Bimini and Paradise Island. Now here some things get interesting. Ms. Stabley had given me a date of 1919, the same date as found on Chalk's web site. But some sources give the date as 1917. An inquiry to Chalk's brought this response from Albert Vitale of Chalk's: "Chalk's Ocean Airways is the world's oldest continuously operating airline. Chalks began initial operations in 1917 as an ad hoc charter operator but regular service commenced in February of 1919 from Downtown Miami (Watson Island) to Bimini (Alicetown, Bahamas)."

Thus Chalk's began service before KLM was even formed!

One can look at the location of the airline and wonder if there is a connection to an earlier airline featured here as the first ever airline in the world. And you would guess right. Arthur B. Chalk, the founder of Chalk's Ocean Airways, had received flying lessons from noted barnstormer Tony Janus. Mr. Janus was the pilot for the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line.

Arthur B. Chalk was an automobile mechanic in Paducah, Kentucky. In 1911 Chalk was introduced to Tony Janus, who subsequently gave Mr. Chalk flying lessons in exchange for repairs on his aircraft. Mr. Chalk soon followed the path of many early aviation pioneers in barnstorming around the south. In 1917 he took up residence in Miami, at that time a fledgling city.

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