Following its abandonment of unprofitable scheduled services on October 31, 1969, Autair International Airways, Ltd.’s owner Court Line, Ltd. elects to concentrate all of its airline resources on inclusive-tour operations. From September to November, tour contracts are signed with 11 major holiday booking agencies, including giant Clarkson’s Holidays, Ltd. In December, 2 new BAC 1-11-518FGs, ordered in April, are delivered and christened Halcyon Sky and Halcyon Sun.
On January 1, 1970, the company name, in tune with a decision announced the previous September 11, is changed to Court Line Aviation, Ltd. During the first quarter, 4 more BAC 1-11-518FGs, Halcyon Days, Halcyon Nights, Halcyon Star, and Halcyon Cloud, are added and the lone BAC 1-11-408EF Halcyon Cloud is sold. Beginning on March 14, inclusive-tour services are inaugurated to the Mediterranean from the main London (CTN) base, plus Cardiff, Birmingham, and Bristol. Clarkson’s Holidays, Ltd. for its part begins to offer thousands of low-cost tour opportunities aimed at its goal of becoming the nation’s volume leader in travel. As a result, a price war breaks out between U. K. tour agencies.
At this point, the company, following the example of Braniff International Airways in the U. S., becomes the first air carrier in Europe to introduce vivid aircraft paint schemes. Within months, the entire airline, from jetliner to ticket counter to boarding passes, is covered in two - and three-tone psychedelic color schemes designed by Mr. and Mrs. Peter Murdoch, fresh from their graphical triumph at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games. Thus the Halcyon Sun is painted in a radiant two-tone orange, the Halcyon Dawn is two-tone green, and the Halcyon Cloud is pastel two-tone pink. The single word “Court” appears on the fuselage under the windowline and a stylized “C” appears on the tail.
Female flight attendant uniforms—Court referred to these employees as hostesses, not stewardesses—consisted of short skirts, fashion blouses, and straw boater hats. Only the hats themselves were a straw-colored; the hatbands, uniform shoes, and separates were multicolored. Other flight and ground personnel were not quite so boldly attired. Famed designer Mary Quant would be called in later to design additional new clothing.
To assist travelers needing transportation from central London to Luton Airport or back, the company establishes a bus service based in the district of Swiss Cottage. Atotal of 28 motor coaches, each painted in a bright two-tone color, provide transport to the North London Air Terminal.
Fleet changes in 1971 include the sale of the BAC 1-11-416EK Halcyon Sun and the purchase of a Hawker Siddeley HS 125,2 BAC 1-11-518FGs christened Halcyon Dawn and Halcyon Beach, and 2 BAC 1-11-517Fes christened Halcyon Bay and Halcyon Cove. In late winter, with British business slow, several of the carrier’s BAC 1-11s are transferred to LIAT in what will become an annual practice.
With the parent already owning holdings in the West Indies, Court Line Aviation, in December, takes a 75% controlling interest in Leeward Islands Air Transport, Ltd. (LIAT). This local service Hawker Siddeley HS 748/Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander operator was formerly affiliated with British West Indies, Ltd. (2) (BWIA International Airways, Ltd.). Meanwhile, the Court Line group is building a large resort at St. Lucia and planning is begun for air service to the U. K.
Clarkson’s Holidays, Ltd., the company’s major contractor, suffering in its price war, loses ?2.6 million even though the carrier has enplane-ments for the year of 1,158,000.
Airline employment in 1972 stands at 1,053. London (LGW) and Manchester become departure points for the many Mediterranean tours and on August 17, an order is placed for 2 Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStars Is; this is the first non-North America TriStar order. The last 2 HS 748s are sold to LIAT in October and in addition to extensive additional West Indian investment, a BAC 1-11-523FJ, Halcyon Breeze, is purchased. It joins a pair of BAC 1-11-523FJs leased from British Midland Airways, Ltd. and left unnamed. The fleet now includes 12 BAC 1-11-500s.
Passenger boardings climb 25% to 1,5440,000, but Clarkson’s loss mounts to ?4.8 million.
A BAC 1-11-517FE, Halcyon Beach, is purchased in February 1973. In March, the first L-1011-1 is delivered under charter from Airlease International. Outfitted with a unique self-contained, main-deck air stairs and painted two-tone yellow and orange, it is christened Halcyon Days.
On April 2, the aircraft begins the first European wide-body service, flying a charter from London (CTN) to Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Seventeen other destinations in the Mediterranean and in Europe will also be visited on holiday services. The second TriStar, in a two-tone pink livery, is delivered on April 30 and is christened Halcyon Breeze; it joins its predecessor in service on May 5.
Meanwhile to prevent the bankruptcy of its largest contractor, Court Line purchases Clarkson’s Holidays, Ltd. in April. The cost is ?1, plus assumption of the tour operator’s substantial debt. In May, Airfare, Ltd., an advance booking charter (ABC) agency is acquired. The energy crisis of October, caused when the OPEC countries triple the price for oil, will lead to a recession in the travel industry and kill off a number of companies. In November, the Lockheeds begin flying inclusive tours from London (LGW/CTN) to the Caribbean. Enplanements reach 2.25 million.
Horizon Holidays, Ltd. is purchased in January 1974, becoming the sixth tour operator acquired since 1970. Its commitments with others must now be fulfilled by Court Line Aviation, Ltd., including money-back guarantees, refundable deposits, and promises to other airlines, such as British Caledonian Airways, Ltd. (BCAL) for the lease of equipment. Unfortunately, the world oil crisis has caused national recession and inflation that deliver only poor bookings, further conspiring to cause Court Line severe financial distress.
In the spring, political discord in Greece, Portugal, and Cyprus cause the closing of certain tour destinations. In June, the British government agrees to take over Court Line’s shipping concern for ?16 million.
This is not, however, sufficient to save the airline subsidiary, which, with ?15 million in debts, is allowed to suddenly go bankrupt on the evening of August 15. In the largest and most severe British airline collapse ever, and one of the first in a series of charter carrier failures, 1,100 airline employees lose positions, 50,000 vacationers are stranded, and over 150,000 with paid contracts lose their investments. Only a lucky few, aboard the pink L-1011 TriStar Halcyon Breeze complete their trip home, arriving at London (CTN) from the Caribbean early on the morning of August 16.
COURTESY AIR SERVICE: United States (1979-1980). Courtesy Air Service is set up by Theodore Zoli at Glens Falls, New York, in the summer of 1979 to provide scheduled passenger and cargo services to intrastate destinations. Employing 1 each Beech 18 and Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain, daily roundtrips are inaugurated in September linking the company’s base with Saranac Lake and New York City (LGA).
Operations continue apace into 1980 and, in February, the company is one of several providing shuttle flights for travelers visiting the Lake Placid Winter Olympic Games. Unable to maintain economic viability, the company goes out of business in August.
COVAL AIR, LTD.: Canada (1979-1994). Coval is established at Campbell River, British Columbia, in 1979 to undertake scheduled floatplane services to over 150 points throughout the province. For most of the next decade, the fleet of 2 Cessna 185s, 2 de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beavers, and 3 DHC-3 Otters is operated by Managing Director George Fillatrault.
Bob Dick becomes general manager in 1987 and he is succeeded by Dave Jackson in 1989; Donna Denny is president. The fleet is enlarged in 1991 by the addition of another Beaver and a second C-185. In 1993, the workforce totals 22 and the fleet now includes 3 Cessna 185s, 3 Beavers, and 3 Otters.
Unable to maintain its economic viability in hard times, the company shuts down in 1994.
COYOTE AIR, INC.: Box 162, Teslin, Yukon Territories, Y0A 1B0, Canada; Phone (403) 390-2605; Fax (403) 390-2606; Year Founded 1998. Coyote is established at Teslin in 1998 to operated charters to bush locations throughout the Yukon. Pilatus Porter operations begin and continue.
World History
