Industry OverviewHistory of the Airline IndustryIn 1903, the Wright brothers' first successful flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, marked the beginning of the aviation industry. In the early years, the public did not accept air travel, believing it to be too dangerous. In 1927, Charles Lindbergh made his first successful solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean and generated enormous interest in flight among the general public. After that, various airline holding companies emerged, including Aviation Corporation. The company's airline division was called American Airways and later became American Airlines, one of the largest commercial carriers in the United States. In 1928, what would become another leading airline company was established as a holding company by Boeing and its airline division, United Aircraft and Transportation Corporation. In 1931, United Aircraft's four airline divisions became United Airlines. Airline Industry Overview Air travel grew rapidly through 2001, from 172 million passengers in 1970 to nearly 642 million in 2003. However, over the next three years, a combination of several factors, including The events of September 11, 2001, and an economic recession, combined to reduce air travel. Despite all the problems faced by airlines, air travel remains one of the most popular modes of transportation today. SWOT Analysis According to the University of South Australia website, a SWOT analysis is defined as "a set of critical steps in a planning exercise." involves carrying out internal assessments (including an analysis of performance against the previous plan) and external assessments (including an analysis of the operating environment) which result in the identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats using what is called a SWOT analysis. a complex analysis that involves matching external possibilities with internal capabilities. The purpose of a SWOT analysis is to identify internal and external factors that are important in achieving a certain goal within the company (Wikipedia, 2007). Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. being observed, and opportunities and threats are the external factors. This analysis is a good tool for looking at a company as a whole. Below is a SWOTT analysis of the US airline industry. The information in the analysis was obtained from Strengths1. Ability to survive two or more years with annual profitability growth (increase in positive net profits)).