whats in a name
 

The link in this thread (and the link is probably of general interest, not just for AA) got me wondering about this kind of silly question, why do airlines who use the plural 'airlines' in their name? Such as American Airlines, Continental Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, China Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, etc.

Similarly for airways: All Nippon Airways, Quantas Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, British Airways, etc.

Is it that airlines and airways refer to, or are meant to imply, multiple air routes?

This is total speculation on my part, but in the early day companies like United (when they were joined with Boeing) were formed from an amalgamation of smaller limited-route operations. So perhaps at least for some companies, the plural has meaning. Or perhaps it just sounds good...