| Iata: | SB(1)[1] |
| Icao: | SB(1) |
| Callsign: | SEABOARD |
| Founded: | |
| Ceased: | |
| Headquarters: | New York, New York United States |
| Bases: | New York, New York |
| Fleet Size: | 81 (Historically) |
| Notes: | (1) IATA, ICAO codes were the same until the 1980s |
Seaboard World Airlines was an international all-cargo airline based in the United States. It was certificated as the first US transatlantic scheduled cargo airline in 1955 by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), the now defunct federal agency that, from 1938 to 1978, tightly regulated almost all US commercial air transportation. Seaboard's headquarters were on the grounds of John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City.[2]
Seaboard World Airlines was founded on September 16, 1946, as Seaboard & Western Airlines. It initially operated Douglas DC-4 aircraft, followed by Lockheed Super Constellation airliners. In 1955, it received final approval on CAB certification to fly scheduled cargo services across the Atlantic.[3]
It adopted the name Seaboard World Airlines in April 1961. Jet cargo service started in 1964 with the introduction of the Douglas DC-8.
The airline played a prominent role in the Vietnam War during the late 1960s, using Douglas DC-8-63 jets to connect McChord Air Force Base, Washington with Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. In 1968, one of these flights operating as Seaboard World Airlines Flight 253A was forced to land in the Soviet Union with 214 American troops on board.
See main article: Seaboard World Airlines Flight 253A.
On 30 April 1969, a Seaboard World Airlines DC-8 with 219 passengers and 13 crewmembers landed by mistake at Marble Mountain Air Facility, when it had actually been cleared to land at the nearby Da Nang Air Base.[4] [5] After fuel and passengers were offloaded, the plane was towed to the north overrun and departed five hours after the landing incident. See External links for a video of the DC-8 departing Marble Mountain.
Seaboard was the first airline to fly a 747 Freighter service from the UK to the USA.
The airline merged with Flying Tiger Line on October 1, 1980, resulting in the loss of its corporate identity.[6]