In 1945, airfares were set by a Cartel, an association of businesses that agreed to limit competition among airlines by fixing prices. Every airline had to charge the same amount for flights to the same places. However, Juan Trippe, from Pan American airlines, disagreed with the Cartel and worked hard to change the fare plan. When he first tried to reduce the cost of fares for flights going overseas, the British refused to allow his Pan Am plane to land in London. Trippe then tried another plan. He knew that the Cartel had no control over flights that went from New York to San Juan, Puerto Rico. He filled each flight from New York to San Juan with one-way fares of $75. The route was very popular, and the airline grew. Eventually, the Cartel had to let airlines set their own prices which encouraged competition among airlines. It was always Juan Trippe’s hope that the average person would be able to enjoy airline travel, and he continued to work against the Cartel until his dream became a reality.
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