Originally Posted by
Peter47
Pan Am operated a lot of charter flights with wide bodied jets. I saw four at Gatwick one Saturday in the early 80s although I think that one was scheduled (IAH route). Also Transamerica (747), American Transair (L15) and probably other US supplementals. I even saw a United 747 in the 80s on a charter from ORD at LGW.
I think that Nationair had a 747.
Indeed -
We saw the first charter flight 747's and DC-10's at LGW and at other UK airports from 1973/74 with Jumbo's from Wardair, and CP Air, who both added DC-10 30's in 1979.
It would be many years before CP Air could gain a foothold in to the UK flying as scheduled routes.
They had only AMS as the nearest to LON on their European route network.
The Canadian charter market to/from UK was huge during the summer months.
These flights were all on Affinity Groups at first, and then ABC Charter bookings were permitted.
World AW 747C's also came in from 1973.
ONA and TIA both got DC-10's at the same time in 1973, along with Laker, who were still to have to wait some more years to be allowed to fly their Skytrain.
Laker would have to continue with flying Charter flights to the USA & Canada.
Transamerica Airlines (TIA) got their 3 747C's later around 1980/81.
BCAL did use their DC-10 30's on ABC charters to the USA & Canada for Jetsave, and Golden Lion.
ATA, Air Transat and Worldways came along much later with Tristars.
Nationair got 3 747 from Wardair, and obtained a few other elderly examples, such as one of Condor's -230B's, one of Swissair's -257B original order, and both of Sabena's -129's, but they did not last long. Following the DC-8 crash in July 1991 the airline was audited for serious safety issues and violations, and this was followed by a massive labour & union dispute citing safety issues as a major factor. Nationair was gone before Summer 1993 started, owing nearly $80m, with $60m in unpaid landing fees.