Wien Alaska Airlines
Operator Identification
Summer 1927 to November 1984
United States of America
TYPE: Airline
IATA/ICAO CODES: WC / ---
HEADQUARTERS: Anchorage, AK
OTHER NAMES: Wien Alaska Airways (1927-1930), Northern Air Transport (1930), Wien Alaska Airways (1930-1940's), Wien Alaska Airlines (1940's-1960's), Wien Air Alaska (1960's-1968), Wien Consolidated (1968-1974), Wien Air Alaska (1974-1984), Wien Airlines (1984-1985)
SUBSEQUENT NAME: Nil
Operator History
Noel & Ralph Wien were two brothers, respectively a pilot and a mechanic, who pioneered air transportation in Alaska in 1924. After the summer of 1927, they started Wien Alaska Airways in Fairbanks, AK, operating scheduled flights to Nome, AK, along with special air mail flights.
In 1929, Noel & Ralph sold Wien Alaska Airways to Avco, which merged with Anchorage Air Transport and Bennett-Rodebaugh into a new company called Alaskan Airways, Inc. Noel flew for Alaskan Airways until August 1932, when his non-compete clause ended. He then restarted Wien Airways of Alaska, Inc. Northern Air Transport of Nome merged with Wien in 1936. In 1936, Wien had the first air-to-ground radio links in Alaska, and by 1937, Noel had 3 other pilots flying Wien's 8 aircraft, and 3 other mechanics worked with Sigurd Wien, his brother, while 3 people administered their offices in Fairbanks and Nome. Noel Wien was forced to sell his shares to Sig in 1940, so Noel could pay for his wife's medical care. He returned as a vice-president and continued to fly for the airline into the fifties. Noel then worked public relations for the company into the 1970's.
Wien merged with Northern Consolidated Airline in 1968. Sig was named chairman, Ray Petersen president, and Noel and Fritz board members. The new company was called Wien Consolidated Airlines until 1973, when the company name became Wien Air Alaska. By then the airline had more than 800 employees , and operated a large fleet of jets & turboprops. On 23 November 1984, Wien was the target of a corporate raider who purchased the company shares in a leveraged buyout, closed it down and sold its assets for double the price.
Commando Operations
February 1948* to July 1969*
Last edited: 14/03/2024