Ed Daly

Ed Daly (1922-1984) was an American businessman, best known as the founder and owner of World Airways, a supplemental airline that provided low-cost passenger and cargo service.

Daly started World Airways in 1950, initially focusing on transporting cargo and military personnel. Under his leadership, the airline played a significant role in transporting troops and supplies during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He later expanded the airline's services to include scheduled passenger flights, often undercutting fares of major airlines.

Daly was known for his flamboyant personality and unconventional business practices. He often engaged in high-profile rescue missions, using World Airways aircraft to evacuate people from war zones and disaster areas. A notable example was Operation Babylift in 1975, during which World Airways helped evacuate Vietnamese orphans from Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War. This effort was ultimately controversial and marred by a plane crash, but it solidified Daly's image as a daring and humanitarian figure.

Daly's management style was often described as autocratic, but he also fostered a sense of loyalty among his employees. He maintained tight control over the airline until his death from cancer in 1984. World Airways continued operating under different ownership after his death but eventually ceased operations in 2014. His legacy remains tied to his pioneering role in low-cost air travel and his dramatic, often controversial, interventions in humanitarian crises.