With assets and equipment purchased out of the British Eagle Airways, Ltd. bankruptcy, the nonscheduled carrier Fairflight is formed at Biggin Hill in December 1968 to undertake passenger, cargo, and contract services in the U. K. and throughout Europe.
In May 1969,a de Havilland DH 104 Dove 5 is purchased and employed to inaugurate ad hoc passenger and cargo charters.
Another Dove is purchased in January 1970, followed by the ex-Gibair DC-3 in June. During the national dock strike, the Douglas transport is employed to fly foodstuffs from Rotterdam to various English destinations. An undercarriage accident in September forces the company to sell the aircraft.
During 1971 the Doves are chartered to the British Airports Authority.
A Dove 5 is obtained in March 1972, followed by a DH 114 Heron 1B in May.
During this year and 1973 the aircraft fly out of London (LGW) to three destinations in France plus the Channel Islands.
Operations begin in support of the North Sea oil industry in 1974, as two of the Herons are replaced by Piper PA-23 Aztecs and PA-31-310 Navajos. During 1975, Riley Dove conversions are placed in service.
During the years 1976-1981, Fairflight Charters begins to obtain larger aircraft, such as Shorts 330s, and undertakes contract charters as far away as North Africa. On January 31, 1980, the company joins the Royal Mail program known as “Spokes from Speke,” flying one of its new Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirantes each night from Exeter to the sorting hub at Liverpool (Speke Airport) and back to Exeter for distribution.
In 1982, the carrier becomes affiliated with the commuter Air Ecosse, Ltd., a feeder marriage that lasts until December 1985.
Thereafter in 1986-1990, Managing Director Gordon Burdess’s company continues air ambulance and charter services to previous destinations with a fleet of 2 Shorts 360s, 2 Shorts 330s, 8 Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirantes, and 2 Cessna Citations.
While taxiing at Southport preparatory for a flight to Biggin Hill for maintenance, a Shorts 330-200 with two crew suffers the failure of its nosegear steering. Consequently, the aircraft makes an uncommanded left turn and crashes into a parked British Air Ferries, Ltd. Vickers Viscount 806. Although both aircraft are damaged beyond repair, the two pilots escape without injury.
As the 1990s begin, the fleet is altered. Gone are the Bandeirantes and Citations, replaced by a fleet of nine additional Shorts 330s and one Shorts 360s. In 1990, three of the former are leased to Celtic Airways, Ltd., four to Gill Aviation, Ltd. and one is placed in storage while the Shorts 360 is leased to Air Europe Express, Ltd. Operations are performed with but two Shorts 330s.
Revenue flight operations are suspended in 1991 as all but four Shorts 330s are withdrawn; three of those remain on lease to Gill Aviation, Ltd. and the fourth is stored.
Two Shorts 330s are sold in 1992 and two remain on lease to Gill Aviation, Ltd. When the lease is concluded, the company shuts its doors.
FAIRLINE, A. B.: Sweden (1966-1968). Supported by Swedish shipping interests, Fairline is established at Goteborg in November 1966 to operate all-cargo flights in Scandinavia on their behalf. Employing a pair of Curtiss C-46 Commandos, revenue operations duly begin and continue into 1968.
FAIRLINES, B. V.: The Netherlands (1996-1998). Fairlines, also known as F’airlines, is established in 1996 to provide scheduled domestic and regional passenger services. G. Ter Beek is managing director and he recruits a workforce of 20. Revenue flights begin with four Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirantes.
Service is maintained in 1997-1998. In April of the latter year, the company is taken over by KLM Exel, C. V.
FAIRLINES, S. A.: France (1997-1998). Francois Arpels, of the fragrance and jewelry concern Van Clef & Arpels, establishes Fairlines at Paris (CDG) in December 1997 to offer up-scale business-class service from Paris to Italy. Two Boeing and McDonnell-Douglas MD-81s are acquired under charter and christened Faust and Tosca in honor of two operas of interest to the owner. They are employed, beginning on January 19, 1998, to inaugurate thrice-daily roundtrips to Nice. Twice-daily services from Paris to Milan commence on March 4, along with twice-daily service between Nice and Milan.
Plans are made to inaugurate services to additional European cities and to acquire eight more MD-80s over the next three years. In May, the airline is the official carrier for the Monte Carlo Open tennis tournament. The high-class, business-class service never catches on and, in September, the carrier is forced to terminate its scheduled routes, replacing them with scheduled flights. Without income, the company is also forced to suspend its aircraft lease payments.
French aviation authorities agree to give Fairlines three months to get its financial house in order. In exchange, owner Arpels promises to find a major airline partner and find investors willing to join him in making additional equity infusions. He also seeks to renegotiate lease payments and build a cash reserve. Progress toward these goals is slow, with none achieved by the beginning of November. On December 31, Fairlines ceases operations.
FAIRWAYS: Philippines (1964-1965). Led by former Philippine Air Lines (PAL) President Renato Barretto, a group of the flag carrier’s former executives form this concern at Manila in December 1964 to offer scheduled services in competition with their former employer. Capitalization comes in the form of a PP 2.7-million loan from the Philippine National Bank.
After obtaining a temporary government operating certificate and a fleet of 8 Douglas DC-3s and two DC-6Bs, Fairways inaugurates revenue flights (initially charter) on January 6, 1965, linking its base with Bacolod, Cebu, and Davao. It will be plagued with numerous operational accidents, beginning on January 21 when a DC-3 is destroyed at San Jose as the result of a bad landing; no injuries are reported.
Flight 43, a chartered DC-3A with 3 crew and 9 passengers and en route from Manila, crashes into Mt. Tangcong Vaca on March 8 (10 dead). The tragedy does not prevent the new entrant from inaugurating scheduled flights on March 10. Discount scheduled DC-6B Orchid service is started between Manila and Cebu on March 30. Other Orchid communities are added during the next two quarters and orders are placed for Japanese-made Nihon YS-11A turboprops. President Barretto resigns in May.
A DC-6B is destroyed when it fails takeoff from Cebu City on June 6; there are no fatalities. A DC-3A with three crew and eight passengers crashes into Mt. Kantakan near Bacolod on September 11; there are no survivors. This second loss of a Douglas transport within four months, and the fourth since January, leads to public concern over the airline’s safety. In response, the company is shut down for assessment during the next 45 days. The reformed carrier returns to service in November under the name Filipinas Orient Airways (FOA).
FAIRWAYS AVIATION (JERSEY), LTD.: United Kingdom (1953-1956) . To operate scheduled services from the Channel Islands to England, Channel Air Services (Jersey), Ltd. is formed at Jersey in January 1953. Employing two Avro 19s, the company flies ad hoc seasonal charters from Jersey to both England and northern France. The name Fairways Aviation (Jersey), Ltd. is adopted at year’s end.
During 1954-1955, the carrier, having received a license for inclusive-tour flights from Jersey and Guernsey to London (LGW), undertakes these charters as well as those to destinations reached earlier. On August 6 of the latter year, an Avro 19 runs out of gas and successfully ditches in the Solent, off Calshot. The aircraft is replaced by another Avro 19 in September.
Late in the year, the company applies to the U. K.’s Air Transport Licensing Board (ATLB) for scheduled routes; however, instead of receiving such permission, it is convicted of operating an unlicensed scheduled Jersey-Blackbushe route. To pay the ?500 fine, company directors sell their two aircraft and go out of business in the spring of 1956.
World History
