Military payments to Airlines
 

Couple of years ago a friend indicated that some European national airlines got support from their Government each year done under a Military seats plan.

Country A contracts Flag Carrier A to provide X thousands potential seats per year for €/£ 2000 so in event of urgent military requirement airline would call on airline for the planes and seats.

Suggestion was in BA's case it was 200,000 for £1500 and in AF case it was 250,000 for €2000 each passenger which would be a nice way to provide state aid to an airline with no EU involvement as it was defense related.

No idea if it is true can anybody provide any info ?

CRAF and STUFT
 

US paid in 1970s to convert PanAm/TWA 747-100 to pax/freight QC, remaining in airline operation under an annual retainer equating to weight increase/operating cost pain. Civil Reserve Air Fleet tails were then liable to short-notice call-up in military exigency. World and other DC-10QC similarly.

UK MoD has open-door, on-call charter General Terms Agreements to access defined hulls at very short notice; no delaying tender process, rates all pre-sorted. Heavylift Belfast was a case; weird Antonovs now ditto. The maritime phrase is Ships Taken Up From Trade.

Rest is conspiracy. UK or French Defence budget-holders are not in the business of hand-outs to shareholders - in BA's case foreigners exceeded 51% of equity many years ago.

World Airways is definitely one of those. My brother used to work for them at a time where one week they'd be bringing the pilgrims to the Haj, and the same plane would be used as a US troop carrier a week later. It's only business !

Aisle2c,

Just because an airline like world is flying random missions on a weekly or day to day business, doesn't necessarily indicate that they have an agreement with the government. Many airlines (small and large) fly scheduled pax one day, pilgrims the next and troops the day after at certain times of the year and not all of these are signed up.
It's just a way to maximise revenue.

World Airways absolutely do have a standing agreement with the US government to be available in times of conflict. As I said, my brother used to work for them.