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Janet -

Nobody really knows why the airline is called Janet. Some have speculated that it's an acronym standing for “Just Another Non-Existent Terminal” or “Joint Air Network for Employee Transportation.”

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Strange markings -

The planes are not marked by the typical logo seen on commercial airlines. They are marked by either a horizontal red or blue line.

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The fleet -

Janet's fleet contains just 11 aircraft—six Boeing 737-600s, two Beechcraft 1900s, and three Beechcraft 200Cs.

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First flights -

The first flights on Janet Airlines took place in 1972.

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Who owns the airline? -

The fleet belongs to the US Air Force and the planes are operated by the defense contractor, AECOM.

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Home sweet home -

The airline operates out of McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.

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Private terminal -

The airline operates out of a private and restricted terminal that is known as the Gold Coast Terminal.

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Daily operations -

Popular Mechanics publication reports that the terminal's parking lot fills up with hundreds of cars every day and that in the evening, all of the cars are gone.

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Who runs the terminal? -

AECOM operates the aircraft, but it is unknown as to who owns and runs the terminal. After the contract was passed from company to company over the years, it is now speculated that AECOM both operates the planes and runs the terminal.

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Flight attendants -

Flight attendants are required to hold top-secret security clearance to work for the airline. The application process is painstakingly thorough, requiring applicants to divulge every aspect of their lives down to the tiniest of details.

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Background checks -

Investigators not only look into the applicant's history, they also interview family members, friends, and other people they may be close to.

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Lie detector test -

The final step of the hiring process is a polygraph test.

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Hiring process -

Even though the hiring process is intensive, the company posts openings for flight attendants and pilot positions like any other company—in plain sight on job hiring boards.

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Area 51 -

Although it cannot be proven, there exists a lot of evidence pointing to the airline's transportation of personnel to the government's top secret military base, Area 51.

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Conspiracies -

The base, located in Nevada, is a popular location for conspiracy theories surrounding US government activities. Many people are convinced that the government hides operations having to do with extraterrestrial life, including studying crashed UFOs, meeting with extraterrestrials, and manufacturing alien technology.

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Highly classified -

The US government has provided minimal information about Area 51, aside from the fact that it's highly classified. The Janet aircraft that supposedly flies there turns off tracking and communication transponders when passing through Area 51 airspace.

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Protected airspace -

The airspace, Airspace 4808 North, is one of the most highly protected in the world.

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Protected airspace -

Military fighter jets patrol the airspace and are authorized to shoot down any intruders. However, Janet aircrafts pass in and out of the airspace without incident.

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Call signs -

After take off, the planes communicate with McCarran Departure Control using specific call signs. Once they pass through Area 51 airspace, they allegedly switch to a different frequency and change their call signs.

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Other destinations -

It is speculated that the airline flies to Area 51 due to the fact that it also flies to other destinations in which it doesn't turn off its transponders.

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Other destinations -

The majority of the destinations are located around southern Nevada, but others are located in New York, New Mexico, and California, among others.

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Other destinations -

Some of these destinations include the Naval Air Weapons Station at China Lake (pictured), Air Force Plant 42, and Edwards Air Force Base.

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Travelers -

Popular Mechanics reports that the airline flies anywhere from hundreds to thousands of travelers every day. Though passengers are dressed casually, they all travel to military and government facilities around the country.

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Mixed signals -

Although the airline is top secret and the activities of passengers are generally unknown, it is possible to see the planes when traveling through Las Vegas' airport.

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Maintenance -

It is also possible to spot an aircraft in Atlanta, as they are serviced at Delta Air Lines’ TechOps maintenance facility.

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Original roots -

All of Janet's Boeing 737-600 aircraft originally belonged to Air China's fleet and were bought secondhand.

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Only incident -

The airline has only suffered one crash. In 2004, an aircraft crashed as it approached Tonopah Test Range after the pilot had a heart attack. Five other people died.

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The mystery remains -

You may be able to see Janet's planes at the airport, but most of its destinations and passenger operations remain a mystery to the general public. Do you have any theories about what the government is up to?

See also: Surprising facts you probably didn't know about America's first ladies 

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