air carrier

American  

noun

1. a commercial carrier utilizing aircraft as its means of transport; an airline, as for passengers or freight.

2. an aircraft meeting specified requirements, for use by an airline.

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Etymology

Origin of air carrier

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Cargo load factor for the three-month period fell by 1.0 percentage point to 56.2%, a segment that still faces uncertainty due to changing trade policies and market dynamics, the air carrier said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 13, 2025

Delta Air Lines Inc.’s stock price surged Thursday after the air carrier signaled early signs of a strong holiday travel season and reported profit and revenue that rose well above expectations.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 9, 2025

One action that the Group of Seven countries are mulling is to prohibit Iran Air, the country’s national air carrier, from flying to Europe, according to a senior Biden administration official.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 15, 2024

Labor Department in 2017 under the AIR21 Whistleblower Protection Program, which protects employees of plane manufacturers who report information pertaining to air carrier safety violations.

From New York Times • Mar. 12, 2024

When I had absorbed a chestful of this clean air, I looked for the conduit—the "air carrier," if you prefer—that allowed this beneficial influx to reach us, and I soon found it.

From Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Walter, F. P.