`` America 's favorite way to fly '' has returned . Eastern Air Lines , which used that slogan in the 1980s , flew its first of 20 new planes into Miami International Airport on Friday afternoon . The event marks a relaunch of the once-bankrupt airline , which last flew in 1991 . According to an airline spokesperson , Eastern is now expected to take to the skies in March 2015 as a charter airline . That date is a few months delayed from the original hopes of CEO Ed Wegel , who said in January that the airline would start flights this month . In recent months , Eastern has ordered a fleet of 737-800 Boeing aircrafts . It has also held hiring events for flight attendants , as well as started the application process for pilots . On its website , Eastern says it will initially hire 10 captains and then add 25 to 30 pilots . Eastern Air Lines Group filed an application with the Department of Transportation earlier this year . It will be based in Miami , where Eastern was headquartered from 1927 to 1991 , when it was the largest employer in what was then known as Dade County . Wegel also said no decisions have been made on initial routes , but that the airline plans to restart as a provider of charter services initially and then build into scheduled service at a yet-to-be-determined date . He said the group bought the rights to the Eastern name and logo out of bankruptcy court in 2009 , but it had to wait until now to find the investor support needed to restart the airline . `` When you look at history since '78 , how many airlines started , how many did n't make it , it 's not a business for the faint of heart , '' Wegel said in January . `` But we believe there are opportunities that will present themselves for us once we show we are a good airline operator . '' According to the group 's website , Eastern was founded in 1927 and adopted its name in 1930 . It was a major carrier along the East Coast , pioneering the shuttle service from New York to Boston and Washington . Wegel said there were years in the 1980s when Eastern had the most passengers of any U.S. airline , because of the shuttle and its extensive Latin American route system . `` We 've done extensive surveys and polling on the name , '' he said . `` It has 80 % recognition in Miami , and overall it has very positive name recognition still . '' The airline was sold in 1986 and filed for bankruptcy protection in 1989 . Labor unrest and a drop-off in air traffic associated with the January 1991 Gulf War forced it out of business .
Revived Eastern Air Lines will be based in Miami . It will start with charter flights and build to scheduled service . Airline went bankrupt in 1986 , but new group bought rights to the name .