Boeing 737-200 'Holiday Jets'
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Air Belgium, of course. OO-PLH, sometimes wore her own livery, sometimes that of America West. Sometimes she even flew for Air Belgium rather than subbing for somebody else.
I think Sabre and Peach Air were both post-1990. I'm not sure about Ambassador but I think G-BFVA and VB were common factors here! Might have been BECG and CH. All Britannia cast-offs anyways.
What an incredibly successful aeroplane it was. Interesting that Britannia didn't go for the -300 (and -500) until much later, the Orion aircraft notwithstanding.
I think Sabre and Peach Air were both post-1990. I'm not sure about Ambassador but I think G-BFVA and VB were common factors here! Might have been BECG and CH. All Britannia cast-offs anyways.
What an incredibly successful aeroplane it was. Interesting that Britannia didn't go for the -300 (and -500) until much later, the Orion aircraft notwithstanding.
Braathens was another pioneer with the 737, which was used on a mixture of Norwegian trunk domestics and runs to the Mediterranean, taking over from a DC-6B fleet. I think at one stage they had the highest hourly utilisation of any 737 operator.
European Aviation operated a -200 on behalf of Bournemouth based Palmair
The Braathens -200's mentioned by WHBM and those of Busy Bee mentioned by adjm, were both regulars at STN in the late 70's on the Sunday morning/evening Scandi charters
The Braathens -200's mentioned by WHBM and those of Busy Bee mentioned by adjm, were both regulars at STN in the late 70's on the Sunday morning/evening Scandi charters
Did the British Airways 200s make it to the Med resorts.
There was also about three or four French 200s F-GCSL being one that changed company's for various reasons. One being Euralair.
And more company's in Spain.
There was also about three or four French 200s F-GCSL being one that changed company's for various reasons. One being Euralair.
And more company's in Spain.
In recent times BA Cityflyer have got into a similar market with their Embraers; returning from Palma a few years ago to London City it was quite a surprise to find no less than four of the BA E190s lined up together on the remote stands there, holiday charters to Glasgow/Edinburgh etc.
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I remember BA 757's at weekends in summer at NCL used to do charters to Spain overnight, but i don't remember any BA 737-200's doing the same. DAN had one 737-200 based at NCL flying charters for many years on behalf of Intasun ,until 1990 when two DAN 737-400's took over.
I remember BA 757's at weekends in summer at NCL used to do charters to Spain overnight, but i don't remember any BA 737-200's doing the same. DAN had one 737-200 based at NCL flying charters for many years on behalf of Intasun ,until 1990 when two DAN 737-400's took over.
the BA 737’s did do this 86, 87 at least and then perhaps not after the recession of 88 when loads of lights were cut back. Not sure when they started. The 757 didn’t night stop until the end of the 80’s.
I recall the BA 757s doing a lot of overnight charters (mostly for Intasun) as the British Midland DC9 did at Teesside and the Dan-Air 146s also did at Newcastle. However I can't remember any BA 737-200 overnight charter operations at Newcastle or anywhere else.
The ex-Britannia Ambassador / Sabre / Peach duo were G-BAZH and G-BFVB which were both later re-registered as they moved through life.
Amber Air / Paramount had ex-Britannia G-BOSA (which was G-BAZI with Airways Cymru in a previous life) and G-BKMS which was an Orion aircraft.
The ex-Britannia Ambassador / Sabre / Peach duo were G-BAZH and G-BFVB which were both later re-registered as they moved through life.
Amber Air / Paramount had ex-Britannia G-BOSA (which was G-BAZI with Airways Cymru in a previous life) and G-BKMS which was an Orion aircraft.
I recall multiple Pan Am 737s at Palma from Berlin on a Saturday as well. The internal German flights reduced notably at weekends and having the aircraft to hand at Berlin slotted in nicely. For some reason the German market never went for the UK tradition of fully overnight flights (depart 11pm, Med destination in the small hours, back at 6am), and so they did mass departures on the nose of 6am when their airports opened (of course, by the time the UK 8am departures were coached to the beach, all the sunbeds were gone ... 
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I think it's almost impossible to add any more 737-200's to the list outside of main airline aircraft doing charters at the weekend or ad-hoc. Did anyone mention Aer Lingus's 732's doing charters to the near Med or religious pilgramage sites ?
I believe Air Europe also had a brief aircraft sharing arrangement with Air Florida. I've a vague recollection of being mildly surprised at seeing a B737-200 in Air Florida colours at Gatwick in the early 1980s.
Even Court Line did it in the early 1970s with their One-Eleven 500s, sending a couple over to Caribbean operator LIAT, which they had a part ownership of, in the winter.
Looking at logbook , BA mainline did 732 charters from Berlin TXL to Med destinations over w/es when IGS business routes less busy . BA Airtours could be backed up at w/es with extra 732s popped over from LHR to LGW [ Friday night special , pop one over at end of a tour , MT back ].
Whilst Airtours LGW posted , we had BHX or Leeds tours , occaisionally MAN [ mainly covered by MAN based crews ] .
Night charters from shuttle destinations went from T3s to 75s. 732s not normally on Shuttle dest. night stops , as bigger capacities needed .
Some early BA 75s got sold on to Air Europe [ with some crews volunteered for some months ], and leased back when charters less busy . Into '90s we had some 75 tours ex LGW. don't think they were charters .
Caledonian [ YDA Yellow Dog Airways , and succesor to BA airtours ] had up to 6 75s in their own colours .
rgds condor .
Whilst Airtours LGW posted , we had BHX or Leeds tours , occaisionally MAN [ mainly covered by MAN based crews ] .
Night charters from shuttle destinations went from T3s to 75s. 732s not normally on Shuttle dest. night stops , as bigger capacities needed .
Some early BA 75s got sold on to Air Europe [ with some crews volunteered for some months ], and leased back when charters less busy . Into '90s we had some 75 tours ex LGW. don't think they were charters .
Caledonian [ YDA Yellow Dog Airways , and succesor to BA airtours ] had up to 6 75s in their own colours .
rgds condor .
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SpringheeledJack. Yes, I mentioned the Aer Lingus 737s in my opening post. I gather they also used to send their 707s and 747s to the Mediterranean when they weren't crossing the Atlantic or flying for another airline, as they often were. I don't know if their 1-11s got a slice of the Mediterranean market; Autair, BUA-Caledonian, Airways Cymru and others did.
Which reminds me, although the 732 was clearly the king of the Med thirty-plus years ago, let us not forget the other aeroplanes that were heavily involved too. The Viscount and Britannia, the DC6, the 707/720 and 727, the BAC1-11, the DC8, DC9 and DC10 and the TU134 and TU154. Lockheed TriStar. Then came the later marks of the 737, the 757 and 767 and Airbuses of many kinds. And the MD80 series.
Which reminds me, although the 732 was clearly the king of the Med thirty-plus years ago, let us not forget the other aeroplanes that were heavily involved too. The Viscount and Britannia, the DC6, the 707/720 and 727, the BAC1-11, the DC8, DC9 and DC10 and the TU134 and TU154. Lockheed TriStar. Then came the later marks of the 737, the 757 and 767 and Airbuses of many kinds. And the MD80 series.
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Comet and Caravelle as well.
- for the first two summers of 83 & 84. I don't have a photos of the Air Florida 737, but her are some others.
Still around by the way, on a plinth as a centrepiece for a shopping centre attraction in Indonesia
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