Shareholding is divided between local interests (79%) and U. S. investors (21%). Employing a single Douglas DC-3, the company begins nonscheduled passenger charters in the spring of 1947.
Another Douglas transport is acquired and, in July 1948, a scheduled route is inaugurated from Kingston to Nassau via Montego Bay. Permission is now sought from the CAB for the start of scheduled flights to the United States.
With authority from Washington as of July 14, 1949, BCA is able to begin flying regularly scheduled return services from Kingston to Miami. In October, the company’s stock is purchased by British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), which begins to integrate it into British West Indies Airways, Ltd. (BWIA). The company loses its identity on March 31, 1950.
BCA (BRITISH CARIBBEAN AIRWAYS, LTD.) (2): British Virgin Islands (1981-1986). This small all-cargo operation is established at Tortola in April 1981. Equipped with 1 Douglas DC-7C and 1 DC-3F, the 18-person airline begins scheduled and charter services in May. Destinations include Antigua, Dominica, Montserrat, Nevis, Puerto Rico, St. Barthelemy, St. Kits, St. Lucia, St. Martin, St. Vincent, and Miami. A Beech 18 is added in 1982.
In the spring of 1986, the carrier, employing the first of two British Aerospace BAe 146-100s, begins scheduled Tortola to Miami passenger service. Unable to maintain viability in a crowded market, the company stops flying on October 12 even before the second BAe can be acquired. The first one is returned to the U. K.
BCA (BRITISH COLONIAL AIRWAYS, LTD.): British Honduras (1952-1956). The charter carrier British Colonial Airways, Ltd. is formed at Belize, British Honduras, on March 1, 1952. The new entrant is a subsidiary of the American-owned Freiberg Mahogany Co.; John L. Freiberg is president and T. S. Baker, managing director. The operator’s single Cessna 170 begins ad hoc revenue flights on the same day. A second Cessna 170 is purchased in late spring and on August 4, BCA inaugurates scheduled flights about the colony and to Chetumal, Mexico. These low-key operations continue in 1953-1955.
On October 24, 1956, the carrier is purchased by British West Indies Airways, Ltd. (2) (BWIA), becoming a wholly owned subsidiary.
BCFAVIATION, S. A.: Zaire (1984-1991). BCF is established at Kinshasa in 1984 to operate international passenger charters with a Bristol Britannia 312. Dr. T. Mayani’s company is grounded in 1991. Although the owner promises to resume operations, he actually begins a new carrier, Blue Airlines, S. A., instead.
BCM AIRLINES, S. A.: Spain (1996-1999). BCM is set up at Palma de Mallorca in the late fall of 1996 to offer charter operations to Spain, Europe, and Mediterranean destinations. Bartolome Cursach is named president and he recruits an 85-person workforce. Painted in a blue and white livery with red, yellow, and blue titles, an Airbus Industrie A320-231 is subleased from the British nonscheduled operator Airworld Aviation, Ltd. on November 13. It enters service three days later.
Orders are placed early in 1997 for two more small, Airbus narrow-bodies, which will begin flying in a red and green color scheme upon their receipt in the spring.
Although service is maintained in 1998, rising costs, led by fuel expenses, force the carrier to shut down its website and close its doors at the end of 1999.
World History
