Originally Posted by
Sotonsean
In June 1987 Air UK announced that it would start a new charter airline to be based at London Stansted Airport which would start operating in 1988 with two leased Boeing 737-200 aircraft.
The company Air UK (Leisure) Limited was formed in 1987 with Air UK providing 30% of the £2.5 million capital, B&C Holding (the parent company of Air UK) 30% with the rest from the travel group Viking International.
Air UK Leisure started operations in 1988 with two leased Boeing 737-200's and the airline placed orders for four new Boeing 737-400's from a leasing company for delivery in October 1988.
The first flight was from London Stansted Airport to Faro in Portugal in April 1988. Air UK Leisure became the first operator of the Boeing 737-400 in Europe with the first delivery on the 14 October 1988.
Air UK Leisure went on to operate seven Boeing 737-400's on charter flights with base's at London Gatwick Airport, London Stansted Airport and Manchester Airport.
In 1993 Air UK Leisure introduced two leased Boeing 767-300's flying on behalf of the British tour operator Unijet.
In 1996 Air UK Leisure was sold to the tour operator Unijet and was renamed Leisure International Airways and moved it's main base from London Stansted Airport to London Gatwick Airport.
On the 29 March 1996 Leisure International Airways introduced the first of three Airbus A320's into service intended to replace the Boeing 737-400's.
In 1998 First Choice acquired the airline when it took over Unijet. The airline and operations were taken over by the First Choice in-house airline Air 2000.