Eastern Airlines announced it is relocating its headquarters to Kansas City, investing over $4.7 million in a move the company expects to create 165 new jobs.
Eastern Airlines, a cargo and charter airline, is one of three subsidiaries owned by Eastern Air Holdings. Eastern Airlines leadership cited the success of the holding company's other two Kansas City businesses, as well as the city's new airport terminal, as factors contributing to the move, according to a news release.
“Kansas City and its airport have a great legacy in our industry,” Stephen Buscher, Eastern Airlines' chief financial officer, said in the release. “We did look at a number of cities to rebase our headquarters, but the enthusiasm of Missouri and the city combined with the generous assistance of the Missouri Works program made our decision easy.”
Missouri Works is a state government program designed to help create jobs and expand facilities through tax incentives.
Eastern Airlines transitioned its headquarters from Wayne, Pennsylvania, to a site at 11500 N. Ambassador Drive in Platte County near the Kansas City International Airport at the end of 2023. The relocation required a $4.7 million capital investment, according to regional economic development leaders.
The company has had a presence in Kansas City since 2021 when it purchased a maintenance, repair and overhaul facility, Alta Aero Technic, LLC, and formed a passenger-to-freighter design company called Foxtrot Aero, LLC. The new terminal in Kansas City opened in spring 2023.
In addition to bringing jobs and investment, the new headquarters could drive growth in knowledge of the aviation industry within the local workforce, according to an emailed statement from Steven Anthony, vice president of business development for the Economic Development Corp. of Kansas City.
More immediately, the move will create new jobs for maintenance workers, pilots and flight operations workers, among others — with an average salary of $96,000.
“We believe any headquarters location is a big deal for Kansas City to showcase itself as a world class city, and a place where business leaders can imagine their workforce having an exceptional quality of life,” Anthony said in an emailed statement.
The company currently operates 12 airplanes, though it does not offer commercial passenger service out of Kansas City.
Eastern Airlines was founded in 1926 and grew into one of the largest U.S. carriers. It shut down in 1991, hampered by labor strife, a challenging route structure and bankruptcy brought on by a high debt load.
Today, Eastern Airlines seeks to cater to "underserved markets across the globe," according to its website.
This story was originally published by the Missouri Business Alert, with additional reporting by Startland News.
