Spanish charter airlines
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In 1964 Fred Pontin of Pontin Holidays opened Cala Masqueda holiday camp on the north east coast of Majorca and I remember standing on one of the fingers on a Saturday in the late 1960s at Gatwick watching Spantax DC-7Cs arriving/departing to Palma taking holidaymakers many on their first trip abroad. C-990s started to take over the operation a little later on.
Saw a TASSA Dc-7C at Castle Donnington (EMA) on a Sunday in August 1968 while on a pit stop travelling from Bedford to York on the M1.
Only Spanish charter airline I have flown on was an Aviaco flight to Palma in 1963 from Manchester but it was operated by an Iberia Super Connie so don't know if that counts but the airline ticket does say Aviaco on it. That was with Wallace Arnold Tours to Can Pastilla. I think it was £30 full board for two weeks with own shower and toilet. Great memories.
Saw a TASSA Dc-7C at Castle Donnington (EMA) on a Sunday in August 1968 while on a pit stop travelling from Bedford to York on the M1.
Only Spanish charter airline I have flown on was an Aviaco flight to Palma in 1963 from Manchester but it was operated by an Iberia Super Connie so don't know if that counts but the airline ticket does say Aviaco on it. That was with Wallace Arnold Tours to Can Pastilla. I think it was £30 full board for two weeks with own shower and toilet. Great memories.
I know that many of these airline's have already been mentioned but here's a list of the Spanish airline's that previously flew regular charter flights between the United Kingdom and Spanish destinations from 1960's onwards. I'm including IBERIA as they flew regular charters on behalf of several British tour operators.
Some of the listed airlines rebranded such as IBERWORLD into ORBEST. AVIACO was a wholly owned subsidiary of IBERIA.
AIR EUROPA..Founded in 1986, still in operation
AIR SPAIN.. Founded in 1965, ceased operations in 1975
AVIACO.. Founded in 1948, ceased operations in 1999
BCM AIRLINES..Founded in ?, ceased operations in ?
CENTENNIAL AIRLINES..Founded in 1993, ceased operations in 1996
FUTURA INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS.. Founded in 1989, ceased operations in 2008
GIRJET.. Founded in 2003, ceased operations in 2008
HISPANIA AIRWAYS.. Founded in 1982, ceased operations in 1989
HOLA AIRLINES.. Founded in 2002, ceased operations in 2010
IBERIA..Founded in 1927, still in operation
IBERWORLD.. Founded in 1998, ceased operations in 2009
LINEAS AEREAS CANARIAS.. Founded in 1985, ceased operations in 1990
LTE INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS.. Founded in 1987, ceased operations in 2008
MINT AIRWAYS.. Founded in 2009, ceased operations in 2012
NORT JET.. Founded in 1989, ceased operations in 1992
OASIS AIRLINES.. Founded in 1986, ceased operations in 1995
ORBEST ORIZONIA AIRLINES.. Founded in 2009, ceased operations in 2013
SPANAIR.. Founded in 1986, ceased operations in 2012
SPANTAX.. Founded in 1959, ceased operations in 1988
TAE-TRABAJOS AEREOS Y ENLACES.. Founded in 1966, ceased operations in 1981
THOMAS COOK AIRLINES BALEARICS.. Founded in 2017, still in operation for CONDOR
TRANSEUROPA.. Founded in 1965, ceased operations in 1982
UNIVERSEAIR.. Founded in 1987, ceased operations in 1991
VIVA AIR.. Founded in 1988, ceased operations in 1999
I might have missed one or two, feel free to add if that's the case.
Some of the listed airlines rebranded such as IBERWORLD into ORBEST. AVIACO was a wholly owned subsidiary of IBERIA.
AIR EUROPA..Founded in 1986, still in operation
AIR SPAIN.. Founded in 1965, ceased operations in 1975
AVIACO.. Founded in 1948, ceased operations in 1999
BCM AIRLINES..Founded in ?, ceased operations in ?
CENTENNIAL AIRLINES..Founded in 1993, ceased operations in 1996
FUTURA INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS.. Founded in 1989, ceased operations in 2008
GIRJET.. Founded in 2003, ceased operations in 2008
HISPANIA AIRWAYS.. Founded in 1982, ceased operations in 1989
HOLA AIRLINES.. Founded in 2002, ceased operations in 2010
IBERIA..Founded in 1927, still in operation
IBERWORLD.. Founded in 1998, ceased operations in 2009
LINEAS AEREAS CANARIAS.. Founded in 1985, ceased operations in 1990
LTE INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS.. Founded in 1987, ceased operations in 2008
MINT AIRWAYS.. Founded in 2009, ceased operations in 2012
NORT JET.. Founded in 1989, ceased operations in 1992
OASIS AIRLINES.. Founded in 1986, ceased operations in 1995
ORBEST ORIZONIA AIRLINES.. Founded in 2009, ceased operations in 2013
SPANAIR.. Founded in 1986, ceased operations in 2012
SPANTAX.. Founded in 1959, ceased operations in 1988
TAE-TRABAJOS AEREOS Y ENLACES.. Founded in 1966, ceased operations in 1981
THOMAS COOK AIRLINES BALEARICS.. Founded in 2017, still in operation for CONDOR
TRANSEUROPA.. Founded in 1965, ceased operations in 1982
UNIVERSEAIR.. Founded in 1987, ceased operations in 1991
VIVA AIR.. Founded in 1988, ceased operations in 1999
I might have missed one or two, feel free to add if that's the case.
Air Plus Comet
BUT did Air Plus Comet and AE Bal actually operate full dedicated "charter" flights from Spain to UK destinations or even other European destinations?
My list wasn't a full list of all of the former Spanish airline's, it was a list of all of the former Spanish airline's that operated dedicated "charter" flights.
If it was meant to be a list of ALL of the former Spanish airline's it would have been far more extensive and it would have included AE Bal and Air Plus Comet.
As far as I'm aware, neither of those two airline's operated their own dedicated charter flights from Spain to the UK hence "why they we're not included" in my list. After all the title of the thread is SPANISH CHARTER AIRLINE'S.
My list wasn't a full list of all of the former Spanish airline's, it was a list of all of the former Spanish airline's that operated dedicated "charter" flights.
If it was meant to be a list of ALL of the former Spanish airline's it would have been far more extensive and it would have included AE Bal and Air Plus Comet.
As far as I'm aware, neither of those two airline's operated their own dedicated charter flights from Spain to the UK hence "why they we're not included" in my list. After all the title of the thread is SPANISH CHARTER AIRLINE'S.
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In the early 70s I went with a mate on a three day winter break (probably with Vistajet) to Palma flying from Glasgow on an Air Spain DC8 series 20. The cost was a heady £13 each! The trip was fairly uneventful except for an aborted take off at Palma on the return leg. The reason was not explained but after 3 hours we reboarded the same aircraft and arrived back in Glasgow successfully.
BUT did Air Plus Comet and AE Bal actually operate full dedicated "charter" flights from Spain to UK destinations or even other European destinations?
My list wasn't a full list of all of the former Spanish airline's, it was a list of all of the former Spanish airline's that operated dedicated "charter" flights.
If it was meant to be a list of ALL of the former Spanish airline's it would have been far more extensive and it would have included AE Bal and Air Plus Comet.
As far as I'm aware, neither of those two airline's operated their own dedicated charter flights from Spain to the UK hence "why they we're not included" in my list. After all the title of the thread is SPANISH CHARTER AIRLINE'S.
My list wasn't a full list of all of the former Spanish airline's, it was a list of all of the former Spanish airline's that operated dedicated "charter" flights.
If it was meant to be a list of ALL of the former Spanish airline's it would have been far more extensive and it would have included AE Bal and Air Plus Comet.
As far as I'm aware, neither of those two airline's operated their own dedicated charter flights from Spain to the UK hence "why they we're not included" in my list. After all the title of the thread is SPANISH CHARTER AIRLINE'S.
I saw Air Plus Comet plenty of times in LGW 2005/2006, but...whatever
The airline was established on 23 December 1996 as Air Plus Comet and started operations on the 01 March 1997 based at Madrid Barejas Airport. It mainly operated long haul charters from Madrid and Palma de Mallorca to destinations in the Americas and the Caribbean. The airline also operated ad-hoc charters on behalf of other airlines and in particular Air Europa.
It relaunched as a full service carrier under the name Air Comet in January 2007 and took over some of the defunct Air Madrid's Latin American routes. Air Comet was wholly owned by Groupo Marsons.
Groupo Marsons we're also the owners of Aerolineas Argentinas the national flag carrier of Argentina. In 2002 Aerolineas Argentinas offered a feeder flight three times weekly each from Madrid Barejas Airport to London Gatwick Airport and Paris CDG Airport to connect with their flights to Buenos Aires initially using aircraft from Air Plus Comet.
Aerolineas Argentinas eventually based two MD88 aircraft at Madrid Barejas Airport to cover these feeder flights. The two MD88's based at Madrid Barejas Airport were LN-VGA and LN-VGB. These feeder flights ceased in 2006 with the two MD88''s returning to Argentina.
At the airline's peak Air Comet operated 12 aircraft including Airbus A310-300 and Airbus A330-300.
On the 11 February 2009 Air Comet was suspended from IATA, the airline ran into severe financial problems after being sued by the German bank HSH Nordbank and ceased operations altogether due to bankruptcy on the 21 December 2009. At the time of the airline's collapse it's fleet consisted of four Airbus A330's.
It relaunched as a full service carrier under the name Air Comet in January 2007 and took over some of the defunct Air Madrid's Latin American routes. Air Comet was wholly owned by Groupo Marsons.
Groupo Marsons we're also the owners of Aerolineas Argentinas the national flag carrier of Argentina. In 2002 Aerolineas Argentinas offered a feeder flight three times weekly each from Madrid Barejas Airport to London Gatwick Airport and Paris CDG Airport to connect with their flights to Buenos Aires initially using aircraft from Air Plus Comet.
Aerolineas Argentinas eventually based two MD88 aircraft at Madrid Barejas Airport to cover these feeder flights. The two MD88's based at Madrid Barejas Airport were LN-VGA and LN-VGB. These feeder flights ceased in 2006 with the two MD88''s returning to Argentina.
At the airline's peak Air Comet operated 12 aircraft including Airbus A310-300 and Airbus A330-300.
On the 11 February 2009 Air Comet was suspended from IATA, the airline ran into severe financial problems after being sued by the German bank HSH Nordbank and ceased operations altogether due to bankruptcy on the 21 December 2009. At the time of the airline's collapse it's fleet consisted of four Airbus A330's.
Last edited by Sotonsean; 21st Apr 2020 at 13:17.
