Trans European Aviation was a British charter airline which operated from 1954 until closure in 1963. With the introduction of the larger

Lockheed Constellation The Lockheed Constellation ("Connie") is a propeller-driven, four-engined airliner built by Lockheed Corporation starting in 1943. The Constellation series was the first pressurized-cabin civil airliner series to go into widespread use. Its press ...

to its services, the airline name was changed in 1961 to Trans European Airways. Lockheed L-049E G-AMUP Tr-European RWY 18

History

The airline was formed in early 1954 to operate charter flights from

Swansea Airport Swansea Airport ( cy, Maes Awyr Abertawe) is located in the middle of Fairwood Common on the Gower Peninsula to the west of Swansea, Wales. Operations

with two

de Havilland Dragon Rapide The de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide is a 1930s short-haul biplane airliner developed and produced by British aircraft company de Havilland. Capable of accommodating 6–8 passengers, it proved an economical and durable craft, despite its rela ...

aircraft. In early 1960 the operations base was transferred to

Coventry Airport Coventry Airport is located south-southeast of Coventry city centre, in the village of Baginton, Warwickshire, England. The airport is operated and licensed by Coventry Airport Limited. Its CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P902) allows flights ...

and a

Bristol Freighter The Bristol Type 170 Freighter is a British twin-engine aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company as both a freighter and airliner. Its best known use was as an air ferry to carry cars and their passengers over relatively s ...

, previously owned by Air Condor, was acquired in October that year. This larger aircraft was used to operate both freight and passenger charter flights. In 1961 the airline decided to enter the inclusive-tour market when it tried to acquire a Lockheed Constellation from Cubana. The deal fell through but in May 1961 it took delivery of the first of three Constellations, which were based at

London Gatwick Airport Gatwick Airport (), also known as London Gatwick , is a major international airport near Crawley, West Sussex, England, south of Central London. In 2021, Gatwick was the third-busiest airport by total passenger traffic in the UK, after Hea ...

. The airline operated charters and inclusive tour flights from London and other major United Kingdom airports to Mediterranean resorts. It also operated inclusive tour flights from

West Berlin West Berlin (german: Berlin (West) or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin during the years of the Cold War. Although West Berlin was de jure not part of West Germany, lacked any sovereignty, and was under mi ...

. In August 1963 the airline ceased operating.Merton Jones, p. 464

Fleet

References

* {{Airlines of the United Kingdom Defunct airlines of the United Kingdom Airlines established in 1959 Airlines disestablished in 1962

History

Fleet

See also

References