UK Charter Airline Genealogy Part 2
Britannia Airways can trace its history back to Euravia in 1962, one of a new breed of holiday charter airlines. BEA meanwhile in 1970 setup its own charter airline, BEA Airtours, which was eventually sold in 1995 (by which time it was known as Caledonian).
During the 1980s Thomson Holidays (who owned Britannia) was joined by other holiday companies starting their own in-house charter airlines and the fates of these carriers has been entwined with that of their parent companies. Consolidation in the marketplace, and from the late 90s the decrease in package holidays (in favour of web based ticketed trips), has seen the number of separate charter airlines decrease to two main players: Thomas Cook and Thomson.
During the 1980s Thomson Holidays (who owned Britannia) was joined by other holiday companies starting their own in-house charter airlines and the fates of these carriers has been entwined with that of their parent companies. Consolidation in the marketplace, and from the late 90s the decrease in package holidays (in favour of web based ticketed trips), has seen the number of separate charter airlines decrease to two main players: Thomas Cook and Thomson.