Originally Posted by
Chugalug2
Reference flights on BOAC during the war years, I doubt if it operated much if at all as a conventional airline (ie carrying private fare paying pax) on any of its routes. It was essentially a nationalised civilianised Transport Command, carrying official (ie Govt sponsored) pax/cargo, but often to neutral countries where military flights were excluded. How the seats were sold I have no idea, but would suspect that the payload offered was chartered by HMG. There would thus be a system of 'offering space available' carriage by some form of Air Booking Centre. So if we had a crew etc to move from A to B with spare seats available then they would be boarded rather than let the flight go part full.
That's my theory anyway, but merely based on post war Transport/ Air Support Command practice only. Ready to be rigorously corrected as ever...
Chugug2,
When war broke out in Europe, the British Air Ministry prohibited private flying and most domestic air services. Imperial Airways and British Airways Ltd, at the time in the process of being merged and nationalised as BOAC, were evacuated from Croydon and Heston to Whitchurch.
The government restricted all domestic and international flights, military and civilian, to diplomats, military personnel, VIPs, and anyone else with specific government approval or on government business.
The aircraft were generally flown by BOAC pilots although ex-BOAC aircrew from the Services were often 'seconded'.
I guess in todays parlance, BOAC ran a charter service on a government scheduled contract.