Eastern Airlines returns to Miami with first Boeing 737

Eastern Airlines planes can again be spotted at Miami International Airport.

A start-up outfit that hopes to reboot the Eastern Airlines brand took delivery of its first aircraft Friday in Miami. The jet received a water-cannon salute upon arrival to the airport.

The aircraft shown Friday is a Boeing 737-800 that previously flew for Kenya Airways, according to AirwaysNews. Beyond that first aircraft, Eastern has placed orders with Boeing for 10 new 737-800s. The carrier also has options for 10 newer-version models of the jet.

The Sun Sentinel of South Florida writes "the effort to relaunch the U.S. passenger airline is spearheaded by Miami-based Eastern Air Lines Group Inc., which bought the intellectual properties of the former iconic airline brand in 2011."

The company intends to start with charter flights before expanding into regularly scheduled passenger airline service. Eastern said in January 2014 that it had hoped to begin flying this month, but now has projected March 2015 for its debut, according to CNN.

It was unclear what the initial destinations might be for the Miami-based airline, though Airways pointed to Cancun and the Bahamas as possibilities for the company's early charter routes.

The original Eastern began flying in 1927 and went on to become one of the USA's biggest and most-identifiable airline brands before falling into hard times and abruptly shutting down in 1991. The "new" Eastern's attempt to resume flying from South Florida appears to have struck a sentimental chord in Miami, where the original Eastern was based and was one of the region's biggest employers.

"I never thought it would be back, and we are pleased," Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez is quoted as saying by Airways at Eastern's event to show off its new plane on Friday. "Eastern's headquarters has returned to Miami after 23 years."