Forced landing, imminent take-off. Virtually out of the air since 1991, the name of the American airline Pan Am is about to reappear on earth - and in Europe - through a series of airport hotels. JP Hospitality, a group of investors based in Vienna, took advantage of the Expo Real trade fair in Munich to announce the launch of a brand of top-of-the-range lifestyle hotels playing on the aura of this legend from the golden age of air transport. " With the launch of Pan Am Hotel, we are setting a new benchmark in airport hotels. Airports deserve better hotels, without excessive prices, but offering comfort, quality and innovation. "said Gebhard Schachermayer, CEO of PNMB Brand and Managing Partner of JP Hospitality.
Owner of around twenty hotels, including the Voco, Hoxton and Renaissance in Vienna, JP Hospitality is counting on the emergence of business hubs around the major European hubs to make its mark on business travellers with establishments in line with their new expectations. In other words, with a contemporary design inspired by the fifties and, in particular, Pan Am's 'Worldport' terminal 3 at New York's JFK airport, demolished in 2013, but whose saucer shape has remained famous, inspiring the architects of the Stade de France, among others. Also on the programme are vast lobbies where you can relax and work, attractive restaurants, a gaming room and a fitness area, as well as the occasional rooftop or swimming pool.
" The ever-increasing demand for airport accommodation, combined with the often mediocre quality of the services on offer, has prompted us to fill this gap with top-of-the-range hotels tailored to travellers' needs. "said Dietmar Ploberger, PNMB Brand Development Director and Managing Director of JP Hospitality.
New constructions, rebranding of existing establishments: JP Hospitality is counting on these two models to develop hotels from 150 to 300 keys accessible to all budgets with a quarter of economy rooms of 11 m², 60 % of Premium rooms and 15 % of First rooms, of 40 m². At the same time, the future Pan Am hotels will also feature "sleeperettes", capsule cabins where travellers can relax and refresh during the day.
A Pan Am hotel at Paname-CDG?
All the airports of Europe's major cities are on the list of destinations being considered for Pan Am hotels. Paris - what could be more logical with such a name, but also Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, Geneva, Lisbon, London, Oslo, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Stockholm and of course Vienna. But the tracks could also lead the hotel brand to more distant horizons such as Dubai or Istanbul, Singapore or Tokyo, Buenos Aires or Rio and, Pan Am obliges, Los Angeles and New York. JP Hospitality's flight plan calls for it to take off in 2028, with two hotels in operation by then, and around fifteen hotels and as many other projects signed up by 2033.
In the course of its history, America's best-known airline had already undergone several attempts at revival. While its bankruptcy in 1991 led directly to Delta Air Lines taking over a large proportion of its routes, several niche players tried to breathe new life into it, including a group of investors for long-haul low-cost flights between 1996 and 1998.
More surprisingly, the company's return to the rails also materialized in the rail sector with the purchase of the name and logo by Guilford Rail System. Renamed Pan Am Railways, this North American carrier operated regional train services criss-crossing New England under this name until its takeover by rival CSX in 2022. A far cry from the legendary transatlantic jet routes of the golden age, or the time when Pan Am gave birth to the luxury InterContinental hotels, owned by the company until 1981...
Proof that the name still resonates with travellers, Pan Am Global Holdings, owner of the rights to the brand, has big plans for it. At the same time as JP Hospitality unveiled its hotel ambitions in Europe, a division of Pan American Global Holdings, Pan Am Brands, announced on 9 October a strategic partnership with Avi8 Air Capital to assess the feasibility of reintroducing Pan Am as a scheduled airline.
As the Pan Am name celebrates its hundredth anniversary in 2027, Pan Am Global Holdings is planning to expand into the world of travel, with top-of-the-range watches under licence from Timex, as well as the launch this year of Pan Am Travel, a travel agency specialising in leisure, business and incentive group travel. In the meantime, we await a possible new venture into the airline world.
But this expansion is also continuing in the hotel sector, with plans for the Pan Am Hotel by Hilton, expected in mid-2026 in Los Angeles. Part of the Tapestry Collection, this hotel in the Citadel Outlets shopping mall will be entirely themed around the world of the former airline. This could create a gap between the ambitions of Pan Am Global Holdings and JP Hospitality.
When contacted, JP Hospitality explained that it held the rights to the "Pan Am Hotel" brand and other related brands in the hotel sector, while Pan Am Global Holdings, according to them, held its own brands for the United States and American territories, essentially granting licences in the area of merchandising. " Future collaboration in this area cannot be ruled out "says JP Hospitality's marketing department. This could be the case if future Pan Am Hotels are envisaged on American soil. For his part, Craig Carter, CEO of Pan American World Airways LLC, replied " have not authorised this use of our trademark and name, and we are taking steps to protect our rights. ". Could we be in for some turbulence?
