COMPAGNIE D’AFFRETEMENTS ET DE TRANSPORTS AERIENS, S. A (CATAIR): France (1969-1981). Catair is organized at Paris (CDG) in the spring of 1969 to offer passenger and cargo operations. C. Slama is named president with J. Prabonneau as managing director. A fleet is assembled that initially comprises 4 Lockheed L-1049C Constellations purchased from the flag carrier Air France.
An L-1049C with four crew is cleared to land at Douala on August 9— and disappears. Wreckage is found three days later 80 km. NE of the airport and there are no survivors.
A fifth replacement L-1049C arrives from Air Fret, S. A. in 1970. Revenue flights are, meanwhile, inaugurated to various destinations in Europe, the Mediterranean, and North Africa.
Operations continue throughout the 1970’s and the fleet is changed; gone are the Super Connies, replaced with 1 Sud-Est SE-210 Caravelle XII and 5 Caravelle VIs. As energy expenses rise and traffic fails due to recession, the carrier is unable to maintain viability and shuts its doors in 1981.
COMPAGNIE DE CHARGEURS REUNIS, S. A.: France (19361943). Chargeurs Reunis is established at Dakar during the first quarter of 1936 to offer scheduled roundtrip services along the West African coast to Casablanca from harbor buoys employed as seadromes. The first 2 Sikorsky S-43s arrive on June 27 and July 7, respectively, and enter service.
Operations continue apace in 1937 and a third S-43 is delivered on January 21, 1938. Acquired in an unsuccessful effort to establish a new flying boat route, the S-43 owned by DNL Norwegian Airlines, A. S. is purchased by the French line on September 14.
Services continue following the establishment of Vichy in 1940; however, the carrier ceases in 1943 and the surviving aircraft escape to join the Free French service being operated from Abidjan.
World History
