UK and Euro 707's (Big Jets now)
The start ------
All began once upon a time, I think with Condor and Sabena (Sobelair) back in the mid 1960's onwards using parent 707's for IT.s
BOAC did use their 707's on plenty of Affinity and Group charters both from LHR and LGW but not IT's to the Med.
British Eagle gained a couple of ex Qantas 707-138B's in 1968 primarily not for IT work but they hoped to get BDA and NAS and other scheduled long haul routes which the UK Board of Trade said no to.
Sadly EG folded, and Laker took the 707's on in 1969 and put the pair ZZ and DG to good use on Lord Bros Holidays flights, plus a lease agreement for one 707 to fly to Barbados via Luxembourg for a joint venture with Barbados Tourism (ICA International Caribbean Airways)
They ended up helping out on USA & Canada charters, plus early Skytrain too.
Caledonian Airways were getting on the growing USA/Canada East Africa and the Far East Affinity Group and IT charters and ordered 2 new 707C's in 1967, plus leased 2 more from Flying Tigers, and took 2 more from Exec Jet, another ex British Eagle example NTU a newish 707-365C TZC from Airlift also ended up with Cale making 7 in the fleet by 1970.
Massive hoo hahs began with the Govt and BOAC objecting over the purchases, and the requested waiver of Import Tax Duty from HMRC.
EG had this same problem.
Global Holidays took great delight in advertising Cale 707 holidays from LGW MAN & GLA to Palma Ibiza Tenerife and Benidorm (ALC) for summer 1969.
Next saw Pan Am start to offload in 1970 their early 707-321's and we saw Dan Air, BMA, and Lloyd all take a pair, plus Donaldson took 4.
All saw plenty of holiday work down to the Med and the Canary islands plus loads of dodgy Affinity Groups to the USA and Canada, plus HKG and East Africa.
There was rumour Channel AW were looking at old 707's too - Both from CO and AA so I gather.
Both Monarch and BEA Airtours 720B's and 707's were boldly splashed across their in-house Tour Operators brochures (Cosmos and Enterprise) as artists impressions for summer 1971 ''Look what we've bought for you''! they proclaimed - Much oohing and aahing came the Public and Travel Trade's response.
KT had wanted to buy more fuel efficient ex AA 707-123B's but HM Govt said Nope.
Also in 1971 Britannia AW leased a couple of 707C for ITs to the Med and Jamaica but they did not fit in and were soon moved on to BCAL.
BCAL flew plenty of 707C Charter work all over, plus ABC's and holiday IT's
Invicta bought 2 720B from AA in 1974 but only flew 1 themselves and leased out the 2nd.
Both Monarch and Invicta chose the extra pair of over wing exits to be added, as did Conair and Maersk to their 720B's.
Other airlines followed buying up or leasing older 707 or 720/720B
Conair, TEA, Maersk, Air Commerz, Eagle Air, Montana, Luxair, Transavia, Paninternational, Phoenix, AeroAmerica, Air Berlin USA which were all seen at Palma every weekend in the 1970's at some point.
A few others with 707/720 soon failed --- Air Viking Calair, Trans Polar Aeropa Perfect AT, and Delta AT.
On the Transatlantic holiday and group charters front we saw 707's coming in to the UK from the late 1960's of
Wardair, Quebecair, Transair, PWA, Ontario Worldair, World AW, Pan Am, and TWA.
Saturn Airways had cancelled their 707C orders, and a 707C would remain on option for AFA until they also switched sides and both ordered the DC-8-63 in late 1968.
American Flyers was taken over by Universal Airlines in 1971 (which in turn was taken over by Saturn, then in turn by TIA)
Airlift International own 707C seen occasionally and Executive Jet Aviation 707C was immediately leased to Airlift International returning to Executive Jet.
The following month it was leased to International Air Bahama then off to Caledonian AW.
As an aside -
Seen at Palma any summer from around 1967-1972
KLM, Martinair, Sudflug, Pomair, Atlantis, Finnair, Spearair, Karair, Air Spain, Balair and Scanair (SAS) all using DC-8's to the Med,
followed a bit later by SATA, Aviaco Spantax, and TAE.
Balair, Internord, and Modern Air (from TXL) in the 1960's had all been using the CV990,
as was Spantax who were then starting to acquire the type.
That's it for the early period - I'm knackered