Airlines: With Reason

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When Trans World Airlines starts touting Pan American World Airways, its nose-to-nose U.S. rival for the lucrative transatlantic traffic, there must be a good reason. Last week there was: in President Johnson's moves to cut the U.S. balance of payments deficit, TWA saw a way to cut in on the 60% of the transatlantic business now held by foreign airlines even if that meant sharing the rewards with Pan Am.

TWA began a novel fly-U.S.-airlines campaign. Full-page newspaper advertisements featured a sketch of a gold bar, under which the boldface copy read: "There are only two ways to keep it in the U.S.A. when you fly to Europe. TWA—or our friends at Pan Am." The smaller print appealed directly to businessmen who, no matter what the Government's travel restrictions turn out to be, must still go abroad to sell U.S. goods and services. "We'll help you," concluded the ad, "even if we have to send you to our friends up the street." Pan Am, caught completely by surprise, seemed to be enjoying the ride.