In April 1969 British European Airways (BEA) formed a new subsidiary charter airline company, called BEA Airtours Ltd (Airtours). Airtours sought to target the expanding package tour market (providing flights and accommodation) with a fleet of nine Comet 4B aircraft. The first fare-carrying flight - a Comet 4B - departed Gatwick to Palma on 6 March 1970. Between 1971 and 1973 Airtours took delivery of seven former-British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) Boeing 707-436 aircraft, replacin... Read more about British Airtours
In 1967 a government committee chaired by Sir Ronald Edwards published a report in 1969 called 'British Air Transport in the Seventies' arguing for the merger of BEA and BOAC. The findings were accepted by the then Conservative Government and the British Airways Group was formed in September 1972. The two airlines officially merged on 1 April 1974 forming British Airways (BA). The new airline took on the combined BOAC and BEA fleets. Within two years, on 21 January 1976, British Airways inau... Read more about British Airways
In post-war Britain air passenger services were provided by British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). On 1 November 1945 the then Labour Government announced plans to break up BOAC into three state-owned companies: BOAC, flying long haul routes including to North America; British South American Airways (BSAA), flying to South America and the Caribbean; and British European Airways (BEA), flying all domestic and all European routes. BEA was founded as a division of BOAC on 1 January 1946 a... Read more about British European Airways
The British Overseas Airways Corporation - abbreviated to BOAC - was founded in November 1939 following the merger of Imperial Airways and British Airways Ltd. The aircraft were painted in white and blue and carried Imperial's 'Speedbird' logo. Initially BOAC flew flying boats and, post-war, converted military aircraft such as the Avro Lancastrian (a civilian version of the Avro Lancaster heavy bomber). On 1 August 1946 the Civil Aviation Act received Royal Assent in Britain, splitting BOAC... Read more about British Overseas Airways Corporation
Monarch Airlines (Monarch) was formed on 5 June 1967 by two former directors of British Eagle International Airlines. The airline was founded as a charter and scheduled airline and based at Luton in Bedfordshire. The aircraft carried a white, black and gold livery with a stylised 'Monarch' crown emblem. The airline began with two Bristol Britannia aircraft, with the first commercial flight taking place on 5 April 1968. Within a year Monarch had acquired an additional four Bristol Britannia... Read more about Monarch Airlines
