46 years ago Court Line went

[rog747]

This day 46 years ago Court Line were on the brink - Court Line collapsed on 15 Aug 1974 into oblivion taking with them their airline, Clarksons, Horizon Holidays, and 4S Travel...
Then the biggest Company collapse ever.

Here we are 46 years on, also in an Aviation Armageddon.

OU's 2 new shiny 400 seat Lockheed Tristars would then sit around for a few years with no takers and fading paint.
The BAC 1-11 500 fleet quickly went mainly to Dan Air Monarch & BCAL.

Horizon Midlands Holidays was saved from the ashes by Management, and went on to set up in 1979 their EMA based airline Orion Airways.
Both losing out to a hostile-ish takeover by Thomsons in 1989.

[wrecker]

Remember flying some repatriation flights for stranded passengers
Was it really that long ago?

[CV880]

The Tristars were acquired by Cathay Pacific in 1977 and remained there until 1995/96. G-BAAA became VR-HHV and G-BAAB became VR-HHW.

[condor17]

Like Wrecker , remember some repat flights using T1s. Almeria springs to mind .
A lot of the Courtline 'gurls joined Ba Shuttle , and a breath of fresh air they were. If you remember the TV series Highlife ?
Then a Courtline 'gurl provide the character Sh... Spu.... Redhead and all . But not a Scots lass , but Beds .
24 years later the Bedford TK with mounted stairs , was still in use at Luton servicing Cale Tristars . Courtline still visible under some of its peeling paint .

rgds condor

[FlightlessParrot]

SNIP
A lot of the Courtline 'gurls joined Ba Shuttle , and a breath of fresh air they were. If you remember the TV series Highlife ?
Then a Courtline 'gurl provide the character Sh... Spu.... Redhead and all . But not a Scots lass , but Beds .
SNIP
rgds condor

The High Life (to give it its official name) is one of the best TV comedy series I've ever watched. Very low budget (except for the titles), very high imagination, including some of the very few convincing drunk scenes on TV, or indeed in any medium. Especially to be enjoyed was the moment of the Captain playing cards with himself in the crew lounge.

Thread drift, but it's possible people aren't aware of this gem.

[FantomZorbin]

Slight thread drift ... the Court Line booking computer ended up at RAF Shawbury (apparently via the bottom of a harbour in South America!), it was used for training ATCOs.

[The AvgasDinosaur]

Does anyone have a copy of their ‘three shades of silver’ scheme which was intended to be applied to their Beverley RB-211 support ship. Which is just about still clinging on on Humberside👍👍
Be lucky
David

[Mooncrest]

Did Court Line take delivery of or begin flying their TriStars before British Airways ?

[SpringHeeledJack]

I thought that Court were the first to have the type outside of the US and Japan.

[rog747]

Did Court Line take delivery of or begin flying their TriStars before British Airways ?

Yes both Court and LTU took their first aircraft ready for summer season work in 1973 (OU 2 & LT 1)

BA was seeing first deliveries in late 1974 (as part of a BEA order) first full season was summer 1975 with 6 on stream,
with 3 more in a year or so.

KT British Airtours were initially transferred 3 during 1982 onwards with more later on.
plus a -200 in 1981 new from Lockheed direct to KT, and a -500 in 1983 (one more of each would go to KT)