AVO (AEROVIAS OCCIDENTALES, S. A.): Costa Rica (1947-1951). Founded at San Jose by two U. S. citizens on July 24,
1947, this small carrier is one of the last in the hemisphere to operate the Boeing 247D. Employing these twin-engine machines, along with a No-orduyn Norseman, the company initiates services to Parrita and Puerto Jimenez.
Unable to maintain the level of finances required, the operation ends in 1951.
AVRO CIVIL AVIATION SERVICE: United Kingdom (1919). Employing company model 504K/Ms and 536s, the Avro aircraft manufacturing company of pioneer aviator A. V. Roe operates the first daily British domestic air passenger service between May 24 and September 30, 1919. A total of 194 unsubsidized flights (out of 222 laid on) are completed between Manchester’s Alexander Park and Blackpool via Southport. Each one-way flight costs passengers four guineas a head.
Flying an Avro 504L floatplane, pilot C. Howard Pixton, on August 4, begins a month of daily newspaper flights from Windermere to the Isle of Man.
AVSAT AVIATION: 557 Sandau, San Antonio, Texas 78216, United States; Phone (210) 828-0551; Fax (210) 340-3711; Year Founded 1981. Initially established as an FBO at San Antonio in 1981, Avsat also undertakes charter work, including executive and small group passenger flights to destinations in Mexico, Texas, and other points in the U. S. By 2000, the company employs 3 pilots and operates 1 each Learjet 24B, Learjet 25B, Beech 58 Baron, Cessna 414 Chancellor, and Beech 35 Bonanza.
AVTECH EXECUTIVE FLIGHT CENTER: 1800 Airport Road, Kenneshaw, Georgia 30144, United States; Phone (770) 422-2345; Fax (770) 423-1544; Year Founded 1987. This company is established at Kenneshaw, Georgia, in 1987 to offer executive and small group passenger charters throughout the southeast and other points in the U. S. Scott A. Beale is general manager and, within 12 years, he employs eight pilots and has aircraft stationed at three different airports. One Cessna 550 Citation II is at Dekalb-Peachtree Airport at Atlanta and 1 Cessna 182 Skylane is at Washington-Wilkes County Airport at Washington, Georgia. The largest part of the fleet is stationed at Cobb County-McCollum Field at Marietta, Georgia. Located here are 2 Cessna 500 Citation executive jets, 2 Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftains, 2 Cessna Skylanes, 1 Beech Super King Air 200, and 1 Beech 58 Baron.
AVWEST CHARTERS, LTD.: P. O. Box 102, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2M1, Canada; Phone (604) 655-3620; Fax (604) 6550488; Year Founded 1992. Originally established as Laughing Sky Air Charters, Ltd. in 1992, Managing Director Raymond Rosenkranz’s company is soon renamed. The concern offers passenger and cargo charters, as well as aerial photography and aerial surveillance flights.
Revenues total C$140,000 in 1997 and by 2000 the fleet includes 1 each Cessna 182 and C-401.
AWAIR (AIR WAGON AIRLINES): Jakarta, Indonesia; Http://www. awaairlines. com; Year Founded 2000. Air Wagon is the first of 12 new airlines authorized by the Indonesian government in the spring of 2000 to actually be launched. Rachmat Soebakir is named managing director and he quickly recruits a workforce and leases a pair of Airbus Industrie A310-221s previously flown by Swissair, A. G. By early June, tentative licenses are received for 27 domestic and 28 international routes.
Revenue flights commence on June 22 with two daily roundtrips from Jakarta to Surabaya and one daily from Jakarta to Medan, Balikpapan, and Denpasar.
It is reported in early July that the company also wishes to serve Taipei, Singapore, and Seoul. The fleet is increased on October 1 by the addition of an A300-600R. On October 18, that aircraft suffers the company’s first major incident when, shortly after landing at Balikpapan, it catches fire. Although the plane is damaged, the blaze is quickly extinguished by firemen practicing at the airport when it broke out.
AWOOD AIR, LTD.: P. O. Box 2280, Victoria, British Columbia V8L 3S8, Canada; Phone (604) 656-5521; Fax (604) 655-3766; Code 8D; Year Founded 1983. Alex Wood establishes Awood Air at Victoria, British Columbia, in 1983 to provide air tanker and fire fighting services throughout Western Canada. Nonscheduled freight and passenger flights begin during the late 1980s, especially during the summer, to points throughout British Columbia, the Queen Charlotte Islands, and numerous points along the coast.
In 1995, Awood begins scheduled services to Vancouver four times daily. Equipment includes 2 each British Aerospace (HS) 748-B2s received in June, 3 Beech King Air 90s, and 2 Piper PA-31-310 Navajos.
Airline employment stnads at 25 in 1996 as one Navajo is removed. It is understood that flights continue without change during the remainder of the decade; exact information is, however, unavailable.
AXON AIRLINES, S. A.: 4 kifissias Ave., 151 25 Marousi, Athens, Greece; Phone 00995 (32) 94 75 37; Fax 00995 (32) 99 07 98; Http://www. axon-air. gr; Code A9; Year Founded 1999. Axon is established as a subsidiary of the Axon Group at Athens in the spring of 1999 to provide scheduled roundtrip service to points in Western Europe. Employing a pair of leased Next Generation Boeing 737-7K9s, President Thomas Liakounakos’s company inaugurates service on June 11 to Milan, Paris, and Brussels.
Orders are placed for 2 Boeing 717-200s that are to arrive under lease from the factory in April.
Daily B-737-7K9 roundtrips are inaugurated on April 12, 2000 between Athens and Rome. When the deal to obtain B-717s falls through, requests are completed on October 1 for 4 Embraer ERJ-145s, the first of which will be delivered in the spring.
AYAKS AIRLINES: Timiryazevskaya Str. 4-12, Moscow, 127422, Russia; Phone 7 (095) 150-4592; Fax 7 (095) 150-4592; Year Founded 1996. Ayaks is established at Moscow in 1996 to provide on-demand passenger and cargo services to points throughout the country, the CIS, and worldwide. Revenue flights begin with a pair of giant Antonov An-124-100s and a single Tupolev Tu-154M.
AZERBAIJAN AIRLINES (AZERBAIJAN HAVA YOLLARI): Prospect Azadlig 11, Baku, 700000, Azerbaijan; Phone 994 (8922) 93 44 34; Fax 94 (8922) 96 52 37; Http://www. ipi. co. uk/dics/ azerbaij; http ://Www. rz. uni-frankfurt. de/~puersuen/twaahy. htm; Code J2; Year Founded 1992. The former Aeroflot Soviet Airlines Azerbaijan directorate is reformed at its Baku base in 1992 and transformed into the new state airline of Azerbaijan. Vagif Sadykhly is general director and operations are undertaken with a fleet taken over from the former Soviet carrier that includes 11 Yakovlev Yak-40s, 6 Tupolev Tu-154Bs, 5 each Tu-134As and Tu-134B-3s, 4 each Tu-154B-2s and Antonov An-26s, and 2 Tu-154Ms.
Each aircraft is painted in a new livery with the Azerbaijan Airlines titles in English on the forward fuselage and the letters “AHY” at the rear for the airline’s Turkic name, Azerbaijan Hava Yollari. Orders are placed for a pair of hush-kitted Boeing 727-235s, once flown by Pan American World Airways (1). The first leased unit arrives in late December.
Beginning on January 2, 1993, the Boeing trijet undertakes scheduled service to Budapest. The second B-727-230 is delivered in March. Also in the first quarter, frequencies to the Turkish cities of Ankara and Istanbul are stepped up. The trijets also fly to Dubai, London (LGW) via Istanbul, Athens via Ankara, and to Frankfurt.
The first four-engine western aircraft joins the fleet in June 1994—a B-707-341C that had first been delivered to VARIG Brazilian Airlines (Viacao Aerea Rio-Grandense, S. A.)—chartered from Texas-based Buffalo Airways. Consequently, 1 Yak 40 and the 4 An-24s are retired.
Enplanements total 1,527,000 and 32.34 million FTKs are operated.
One each B-707-323C and B-707-399C are received from Buffalo Airways early in 1995. In September, the B-707-399C completes a 4,000-km. nonstop freighter flight from Baku to Ostend, Belgium. Having arrived at Baku after a November 30 all-cargo service from Urumqi, the B-707-323C with six crew encounters difficulty in lowering its left main landing gear. Passing low over the airport runway, the plane turns to make another approach, but instead strikes light stanchions on a road bridge and crashes (two dead).
Just after takeoff from Nakhichevan on a December 5 service to Baku, a Tu-134B-3 with 6 crew and 76 passengers, suffers the loss of both engines; while making a forced landing 3,400 m. from the runway the jetliner crashes (44 dead).
Passenger boardings fall 32.3% to 912,000 while cargo increases to 40.95 million FTKs.
A B-707-321C, originally operated by Pan American World Airways (1), is purchased in the U. K. during January 1996; repainted, it arrives by spring. In September, the carrier receives a grant from ICAO. It will be employed to assist in the improvement of cargo handling, establishment of quality control systems for passenger services, flight safety and security control systems, and technical assistance to improve internal management.
Passenger traffic recovers, moving skyward by 5.2% to 1,251,200. On the other hand, only 32.23 million FTKs are operated, a 17.3% decline.
The fleet in 1997 includes 1 each B-707-399C, B-707-341C, and B-707-321C, 2 B-727Fs, 9 An-26/32s, 8 Tu-134Bs, 15 Tu-154B/Ms, and 13 Yak 40s.
While returning to Gyandzha airport after a May 15 training flight, a Yak 40 with 6 crew is hit by stray bullets from the rifles of Azerbaijani soldiers firing at a road side. One of the missiles hits an oxygen tank that catches fire and causes the aircraft to crash 5,160 m. short of the runway; although the aircraft is a total loss, there are no fatalities.
Having come off lease with Buffalo Airways in the U. S. during early spring, the world’s last operational Canadair CL-44 Conroy is acquired and placed into service hauling outsized-cargo throughout west Asia.
During the spring, with support from ICAO, the carrier establishes a security division. It will provide security measures at the airline’s major locations and help to prevent acts of terrorism on its flights.
In May, plans are announced for aircraft renovation and restoration. While the search for financing is undertaken, the company acquires 3 used Tu-154s from Latvia for $850,000.
Customer bookings plunge 37% to 590,900. Cargo traffic, on the other hand, inches up 1.2% to 28.7 million freight FTKs.
Service is maintained in 1998. During the summer, Ogden, the U. S. concern, England’s International Handling Company, and Azerbaijan establish a Joint Venture Ground Handling Company, which begins to provide ground service for passengers and airplanes at Baku Airport on November 1.
Having secured an 80% loan guarantee from the U. S. Export-Import Bank and credit from two banks for the remaining 20%, the carrier, in December 1999 is able to request 2 Boeing aircraft valued at $105 million. Azerbaijan President Haydar Aliyev personally signs for the airline.
With over 600 chartered flights having been made between Baku and Urumqi, capital of northwest China’s Xinjiang province since 1994, scheduled services are now ready to be initiated and weekly Tu-154M roundtrips are subsequently launched on May 5, 2000.
While en route from Nakchivan to Baku on August 18, a Tu-154B with 118 passengers is hijacked in midair by terminally ill—but drunk— Mehdi Husseinli, who displays a hand grenade. The pirate demands to be flown to Ankara, Turkey, where he hopes to receive the same medical treatment news reports indicate is being provided to former Azerbaijan President Heydar Aliyev. Two security agents successfully talk the man into surrendering, after which he is disarmed and restrained.
On August 22, security police detain Rauf Arifoglu Abbasov, editor-in-chief of the influential opposition newspaper Yeni Musavat. Authorities claim to have found documents and an unregistered gun in his home and link them to the recent hijack attempt. Three days later, leading opposition and independent newspapers halt publication in protest of the arrest.
The first of the 2 B-757-22LERs to be delivered arrives at Baku on October 9; the second is expected in January.
AZTEC AIRLINES: United States (1966-1967). Aztec is set up at El
Paso, Texas, in the summer 1966 to provide daily scheduled passenger and cargo flights. Employing Piper 23 Aztecs, the commuter inaugurates daily roundtrips on September 7, linking its base with Las Cruces, Silver City, and Douglas. Unable to achieve viability, Aztec ceases operations in 1967.
AZTECA CARGO, S. A. de C. V.: Mexico (1994-1995). AC is established at Mexico City in the summer of 1994 to operate all-cargo charter flights to destinations throughout the country, and to the U. S. and Central America. Revenue services commence with a pair of Boeing 727-100F freighters.
Unable to achieve economic viability, the company shuts down within a year.
AZZA TRANSPORT COMPANY, LTD.: P. O. Box 11586, Mak Nimir Street-KRT, Khartoum, Sudan; Phone 249 (11) 70 408; Fax 249 (11) 770 408; Year Founded 1993. This all-cargo carrier is established at Khartoum in the summer of 1993; shareholding is divided between the govenrment of Sudan, Omdurmon National Bank, and Shikan Insurances. Dr. Gibril Mohd is appointed managing director and he recruits a workforce of 100. International and regional freight services commence in September and continue with a fleet, which, by 2000, includes 1 each Boeing 707-330C, B-707-368C, and Lockheed C-130E Hercules.
AZZURRA AIR, S. p.A.: Viale Pap Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, 48 24121, Italy; Phone 39 (35) 416 0343; Fax 39 (35) 416 0300; Http://www. greenwichinfo. com/lcy/azzurra. htm; Code Z5; Year Founded 1995. Azzurra is established at Milan’s Bergamo Airport on December 20, 1995. With ?10 million in fully subscribed shareholding, ownership is divided between Air Malta, Ltd. (49%), IMS International (26%), and several other financial and private investors, including SO. Fl. PA Mediocredito Centrale, Banca Popolare Di Bergamo, and Credito Varesino.
Air Malta, Ltd. Chairman Joseph Tabone signs an agreement for AM management input, as well as pooled maintenance, components, and spare parts. He joins the IMS president and former Alitalia, S. p.A. official, Alberto Denzler, as joint vice chairman under 23-year Air Malta, Ltd. veteran Dominic Attard, who is elected chairman. During this startup period, Tabone consults with and receives blessing for the new entrant from Alitalia, S. p.A. CEO Domenico Cempella.
Gianfranco Imperatori is appointed president and recruits a workforce of 60 at Milan’s Bergamo-Orio Airport. Three Avro RJ85s are acquired via Air Malta, Ltd. and once the first two are in hand and have been route proven, an operating certificate is received. Four days later on December 10, 1996, scheduled regional services commence.
Destinations initially visited include Turin, Rome, Munich, Paris (CDG), and London (LCY). Expresso and cappuccino are offered as part of in-flight services and customers are given a chance to purchase preseason Italian fashions.
In January 1997, weekend flights begin to London (STN). The third RJ85 arrives from Air Malta, Ltd. in April and, during the month, a code-sharing agreement is initialed with Swissair, A. G. Discussions commence with Alitalia, S. p.A. concerning a possible franchise affiliation. When Air Malta, Ltd. in September decides to move away from the hub concept, it puts its RJ70 up for lease.
In late October, a strategic alliance is entered into with the U. K. discount carrier Debonair Airways, Ltd. Under its terms, the two agree to share codes on routes between Britain and Italy, with Debonair providing services to its partner at London (CTN).
Daily dual-designator roundtrips performed by an Azzurra RJ85 begin during the second week of November from London to Milan’s Bergamo Airport, with a through service available to Ciampino Airport at Rome. The first two former Air Malta, Ltd. RJ70s arrive under lease from Fortis Aviation at month’s end. The company celebrates its first anniversary on December 10. Enplanements for the year total 73,000.
In January 1998, the company transfers its base of operations from Ciampino Airport to Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport.
With the arrival of the remaining RJ70s in March, the company is able to expand its code-share with Alitalia, S. p.A. Dual-designator routes offered include Milan and Turin to London (LCY) and London (LGW) to Turin. Additionally, international frequencies are operated to Zurich and domestic flights are made to and between Rome, Al-ghero, Milan, and Turin.
The marketing agreement with Alitalia, S. p.A. is completed and Azzurra prepares to become the Italian major’s first independently owned franchise partner.
In April, Azzurra ends its code-sharing pact with Debonair, Ltd. and, under a five-year contract, becomes a full franchise partner of Alitalia, S. p.A., reporting to Alitalia Express, S. p.A. Minerva Airlines, S. p.A.,
Operating its seven Dornier 328-100s on Italian domestic routes, also becomes a franchise partner.
Both airlines, in the manner of “British Airways Express,” paint their aircraft in Alitalia colors, with Alitalia interiors. Alitalia uniforms are provided and check-in and ticket counters receive Alitalia branding; indeed, even the supplies used in in-flight meal services come from the Italian major. Still, in Azzurra’s case, there are corporate reminders, with company insignia on the nose and engines of the aircraft, as well as ground and cabin uniforms; cockpit crews wear full Azzura uniforms.
A total of 170,000 passengers are transported on the year.
Airline employment at the beginning of 1999 stands at 60.
Azzurra becomes the first NG B-737 operator in Italy during the spring when it takes delivery of a pair of leased Next Generation B-737-73S aircraft. The new planes are committed to charter work from Milan, but are occasionally also employed on Alitalia replacement service.
Weekday B-737 service between Bergamo and Rome is resumed on November 8.
Annual traffic figures are reported as part of the Alitalia, S. p.A. total. However, during the year and into 2000, airline employment is increased to 200.
B AIRWAYS: United States (1988-1990). Possessing possibly the shortest name of any airline, B is established at Miami in 1988 to offer nonscheduled cargo services throughout the state of Florida and the Caribbean. Revenue operations commence with a single Douglas DC-3, but are suspended early in 1990.
BAC AIRCRAFT, LTD.: United Kingdom (1991-1994). BAC Charter, Ltd. is founded at Horley in Surrey in 1991 to offer regional ad hoc nonscheduled passenger and cargo services. Ownership is held by the BAC Group, Ltd., established in 1982, with Neil Dickson as chairman. In addition, a contract is obtained to fly the Royal Mail at night to and between Belfast, Bristol, Leeds, East Midlands, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, and London (STN and LGW). Revenue flights commence with a fleet of 1 de Havilland Canada DHC-6-200, 2 leased DHC-6-300s, 3 Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirantes, and 1 chartered Shorts 330.
Despite a name change in September 1992, the privately owned company, which releases neither traffic nor financial information, must reduce its fleet size. A Bandeirante and the Shorts are withdrawn and a DHC-6-300 is leased to Abu Dhabi Aviation, Ltd.
The DHC-6-200 is withdrawn in 1993 and the Dash-300 is also leased to Abu Dhabi Aviation, Ltd. Operations are maintained with a new Shorts 360-200 and Managing Director David Robinson oversees a workforce of 35. The company is renamed BAC Express Airlines, Ltd. in 1994.
BAC EXPRESS AIRLINES, LTD.: BAC House, Bonehurt Road, Horley, Surrey, England, RH6 8QB, United Kingdom; Phone 44 (1293) 821 621; Fax 44 (1293) 821 204; Http://www. bacexpress. com; Code RPX; Year Founded 1994. BAC Aircraft, Ltd., owned by BAC Group, Ltd. and based at Horley in Surrey, undergoes a corporate restructuring in 1994 that results in a name change. David Robinson continues as managing director; however, renewed emphasis is placed upon the company’s nighttime Royal Mail contract with passenger flights during the day strictly ad hoc charter. The fleet is enhanced by the addition of 1 Shorts 360-200, 4 Bandeirantes, 2 Shorts 330s, and 2 Handley Page Dart Heralds.
The route system extends to Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Exeter, and London (LGW and STN). Passenger traffic figures are reported through August and show a total of 3,035 passengers flown.
Flights continue in 1995-1998, during which years Mike Forsyth becomes managing director and airline employment reaches 60. The fleet now includes 3 Shorts 360-200s, 1 Shorts 360-100, 1 Shorts 360-300, 2 Shorts 330-200s, and 1 each Fokker F.27-500 and F.27-600.
Replacement scheduled services on behalf of British Regional Airlines, Ltd. and Manx Airlines, Ltd. (2) are enhanced while the night mail service continues. Destinations visited include Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Exeter, Isle of Man, Liverpool, London (STN), and Newcastle. The company also offers charters to the 1997 Ryder Cup tournament in Spain.
Traffic figures are available in the latter year and show a total of 3,000 enplanements and 48.23 million FTKs operated through October. Profits average ?700,000 per year.
Customer bookings plunge 66.7% to only 1,000. Airline employment is cut 20% and, at the beginning of 2000, totals 3,155.
BADER EXPRESS: United States (1985-1986). Bader Express is established at Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1985 to provide daily CASA C-212-200 Aviocar air taxi flights for gamblers traveling to and from Washington, D. C. (DCA).
Traffic is insufficient to allow continuance of the service beyond 1986.
BAHAMAS AIRWAYS, LTD.: Bahamas (1936-1973). Sir Harry Oakes and the Hon. H. C. Christie incorporate this carrier at Nassau in 1936 as an outgrowth of the latter’s outer island charter service begun in 1933. Having obtained a colonial government contract, Christie inaugurates scheduled passenger, mail, and cargo flights in 1937 over the outer island routes followed earlier on an ad hoc basis. A weekly Nassau-Eleuthera Island frequency is provided with a Douglas Dolphin flying boat between January 1 and April 10, 1941.
Pan American Airways (PAA) acquires a 43% interest in Christie’s company on December 10, 1943; Juan Trippe’s enterprise begins to implement a management contract in January 1944. Employing a Consolidated Commodore flying boat transferred from its American partner, the carrier begins monthly multistop service on December 1, 1945 from Nassau to Rock Sound and Clarence Town and weekly flights, again multistop, from Nassau to West End.
Pan American Airways (PAA) adds a Consolidated PBY-5A to the carrier’s fleet in the spring of 1947 and, on May 27, the U. S. CAB grants a Foreign Air Carrier permit, allowing operations to Florida.
In February 1948, scheduled DC-3 service is opened Nassau to Miami and West Palm Beach as West End becomes the second Bahamian terminus. On October 23 the airline is purchased by the British South American Airways Corporation. The fleet now comprises 2 DC-3s, 1 Catalina, 1 Commodore, and 2 Grumman G-44s; the local unduplicated route network stretches for 761 miles.
International service is started to Havana early in 1949 and the Commodore is retired. On July 30, British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) acquires the shares of BSAA when the latter is merged into the British state carrier. When British West Indies Airways, Ltd. (2) (BWIA) acquires British Caribbean Airways, Ltd. in October, the latter airline’s two DC-3s are passed to Bahamas Airways, Ltd.
Service is maintained in 1950-1951; however, in 1952 the Miami, West Palm Beach, and Havana routes are transferred to British West Indies Airways, Ltd. (2) (BWIA) , the DC-3s are all sold, and the carrier becomes a flying boat operator. Flights continue in 1953-1954. DC-3s are reintroduced in 1955 to supplement the G-44s; in August, a de Hav-illand DH 114 Heron is delivered and placed in service.
BOAC Associated Companies in November 1958 sells its 80% shareholding in Bahamas Airways, Ltd. to Eric Ryland’s Skyways Bahamas Holding Co., Ltd. The Skyways acquisition becomes effective on April 1, 1959. The U. S. CAB now raises doubts about traffic rights for the new concern; service flown by British West Indies Airways, Ltd. (2) (BWIA) on the carrier’s behalf to Havana now ends. Following the U. K.’s barring of Pan American World Airways (1) jet services to Jamaica the previous day, the U. S. halts this carrier’s Nassau-Miami tourist flights on December 18. The matter is resolved by year’s end.
In February 1960, two Handley Page HP-70 Hermes 4s are placed on the Nassau to Miami, West Palm Beach, and Ft. Lauderdale routes. The U. S. government concern and the decline in traffic caused by the unreliable Hermes 4s forces BOAC Associated Companies to repossess the airline in December. Once again under British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) control in 1961, the carrier receives Vickers Viscount 805 s with which to replace the Hermes 4s on the Florida services.
Fortunes decline in 1962-1967 as the British flag carrier shows little interest in improvement and Bahamas Airways routes fail to generate sufficient traffic for an economical return. The search begins anew for a purchaser.
In October 1968, the Hong Kong-base Swire Group purchases 60% control and a new management team is installed. In September, the company orders 2 BAC 1-11-517s, taking an option on a third. Two BAC 1-11-423s are leased from their manufacturer; the first arrives on November 11 and the second on December 4. The two begin jetliner services from Miami to Nassau and Freeport.
Operations continue apace in 1969. The DASH-517s requested the previous year are delivered on July 23 and 29, respectively. They immediately enter service over a route from Nassau to Miami via Freeport and between Freeport and Nassau. They also fly “Casino Special” late night flights between Miami and Freeport, especially for U. S. gamblers.
In April 1970, BAC 1-11-423 service is introduced from Nassau to Freeport. On October 7, the company halts its flights and two days later it goes into liquidation. The two leased BACs are returned to the U. K.; they will be passed to Gulf Air, Ltd. in Bahrain. Within 48 hours the nation’s prime minister reports that all routes abandoned by the line have been reopened, claiming credit for averting a transportation crisis.
Unable to make a profit in these years, the Swire Group, upon Bahamian independence in 1973, elects to close the carrier down, 40 years after H. C. Christie started his pioneer charter service that led to its birth.
BAHAMAS INTERNATIONALAIRLINES: United States (19811982). BIA is organized at Homestead, Florida, in 1981 to offer scheduled services to Freeport in the Bahamas. Operations commence with 1 Beech 18 and 1 Piper PA-34 Seneca and are gradually expanded to include stops at Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Pierce, Orlando, Tampa, and Titusville. In late 1982 the company is renamed Aero International Airlines.
BAHAMASAIR, LTD.: Bahamasair House, P. O. Box N-4881, Nassau, Bahamas; Phone (809) 377-8451; Fax (809) 377-7409; Http://www. bahamasair. com; Http://www. successfx. com/bahamasair; Code UP; Year Founded 1973. To replace disbanded Bahamas Airways, Ltd., the government of the newly independent Bahamas amalgamates two small independents, Flamingo Airways, Ltd. and Out Island Airways, Ltd., into a new national carrier at Nassau’s Windsor Field on June 18, 1973. Shareholding is split between the government and private interests.
The initial fleet, which is primarily that of the two merger partners, comprises 2 Fairchild Hiller FH-227Bs formerly flown by Allegheny
Airlines, 2 Aero Commander 500s, and 1 de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter. Interisland and regional services are now started, many flown over the old routes of Bahamas Airways, Ltd. The first of 4 BAC 1-11-401 Astrojets purchased from American Airlines is received late in the year.
A second BAC 1-11-401 is received in early 1974 and employed to operate between Nassau, Freeport, and Miami. It will be joined by 2 more by the end of the first quarter.
On July 31, an FH-227B fails its takeoff from Chub Cay, Berry Island. The aircraft returns to the runway where its gear fails, forcing it to slide 1,385 ft. down the strip, going beyond the coral rock and into a mangrove swamp. Although no injuries are reported, the aircraft is a total loss.
A maintenance man finds a bomb in the restroom of the BAC 1-11401 at Miami International Airport on November 28, 1975. An anonymous telephone caller says it was placed aboard to protest the banning of Cuban exile fishermen from Bahamian waters.
Significant fiscal losses incurred as the result of start-up and fuel costs, force retrenchment in 1976-1977. In December of the latter year, a management contract is signed with Aer Lingus Irish Airlines. Meanwhile, a Curtiss C-46 Commando is leased and stationed at Miami International Airport, from whence it provides regular charter-cargo services.
New services to the islands are started from Florida in the fall of 1978, including Ft. Lauderdale departures; Miami-Nassau frequencies are boosted. Airline employment is now 450 and a Boeing 737-200 is leased on December 15, allowing the BACs to be placed on lesser regional services. Enplanements for the year total 528,436.
In the spring of 1979, BAC supplies 4 Hawker Siddeley HS 748-2As to replace the remaining FH-227B. An order is placed for an owned B-737-2V5, which is employed to inaugurate Nassau-Atlanta direct flights on December 13. Late in the year, the government assumes complete shareholding. Customer bookings jump 19.8% to 658,897 while operating income is boosted 26.6% to $26.3 million.
The workforce is increased by 12.2% in 1980 to 550 and a second B-737, a chartered Dash-2L9, is received. Enplanements climb 12.5% to
720,000.
Passenger boardings decline 3% in 1981 to 684,039. The BACs are withdrawn in 1982 and replaced by 2 more B-737-2L9s under charter. Airline employment is 600. Daily Nassau and Freeport to Newark flights begin in 1983.
Additional international destinations in 1984 include Tampa and South Caicos in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The domestic route network includes turboprop stops at 13 destinations, with the principal internal link Nassau to Freeport. Enplanements in 1985 total 852,815.
Airline employment in 1986 remains at 600. Passenger boardings jump 11% to 958,219. Operations continue apace in 1987-1988.
In 1989, the fleet includes 3 British Aerospace BAe (HS) 748-2A, 1 BAe (HS) 748-2AF, 3 leased B-737-2L9s, and 1 B-737-275A. Orders are placed for 2 B-737-4YOs and daily nonstop B-737-275A service is started in February from Washington, D. C. (IAD) to Nassau, with continuation to Freeport. In October, the board of directors votes to acquire 4 de Havilland Canada DHC-8-301s. It is later alleged that over $1 million in bribes were paid to complete the $64-million transaction.
A B-727-225 is leased from Eastern Air Lines in 1990 as 4 chartered de Havilland Canada DHC-8-301s are acquired, including the ex-Presidential Airways/United Express John Adams. The Eastern aircraft is returned in 1991 as 3 DHC-8-311s arrive. The 3 chartered B-737-2L9s are returned in 1992.
In 1993, Chairman Macgregor Robertson’s 600-employee carrier has a fleet comprising 7 DHC-8-300s, 3 Cessna 402s, and 1 Beech Super King Air 200. Destinations visited from Nassau include West Palm Beach and Miami. Responding to the challenge posed by the inauguration of service by Trinity Air Bahamas, Ltd., Bahamasair, Ltd. wet-leases an Airbus A320-231 from Air 2000, Ltd. Enplanements total 647,102.
Airline employment is increased by 0.2% in 1994 to 608 and 2 Shorts 360-300s are briefly leased. At year’s end, the King Air is retired. Passenger boardings inch up 0.7% to 651,663.
The workforce grows again in 1995, up 6.9% to 650. The company’s 11 aircraft transport a total of 678,198 customers during the year, a 4% increase.
There is no change in company employment during 1996. It is announced on February 12 that several officials of Boeing’s Canadian subsidiary are under investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Bahamas Commission of Inquiry for paying more than $1 million in bribes and fees to sell DHC-8-311s to the carrier in 1990. The investigators focus attention on Philip Bethel and Darrell Rolle, two former chairmen of the airline.
Traffic figures are available through October and show passenger bookings up 9% to 547,000.
Lester Tumcuest is chairman in 1997-1998 with William R. Curtis as general manager. Two B-737-201As are leased from USAirways during the former year. Destinations visited from Freeport and Nassau include Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, New York (JFK), Orlando, and West Palm Beach, as well as interisland markets.
Twice-weekly B-737-201A roundtrips are inaugurated on February 8, 1999 from Miami to Grand Turk, capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Although traffic figures are not available, reports indicate that an operating loss of $10 million has been suffered.
On January 4, 2000, the government’s cabinet is reshuffled and Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham appoints Sir William Allen to be Transport Minister. The new minister immediately appoints a new airline board chairman, Frederick Gottlieb, and a new managing director, Paul D. Major. They ordered to begin downsizing operations in an effort to save costs.
In protest of the downsizing, unionized company employees stage a coordinated sick-out on March 6-7 that effectively shuts the carrier down, but has no visible impact on the new financial policy.
Although traffic figures are not available, reports indicate that an operating loss of $10 million has been suffered.
World History
