British Island Airways - 'Charter Airlines'
 

Does anybody know if this 'entity' (I don't know what other word to use) ever operated a flight or even existed ? I remember a picture of a BIA 1-11 in a holiday brochure from about 1986 - the aircraft had a 'C A' logo on the fin with 'Charter Airlines' titles on the fuselage. I've seen plenty of BIA aircraft but not one like this.

Thankyou.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....7ac918793d.jpg
I hope this photo is reasonable quality.

Interesting - Who was the holiday brochure?

1986 BIA was firmly known as BIA

I don't remember rog, it was a lot of years ago. However, the holiday company involved probably no longer exists.

I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark here - some time around 1983-1986, a major client of BIA's was a seat only firm based in Wembley by the name of Ibesco (no idea what it stood for) and I think I recall that they had designs on their own branding - but I could be well off target here.

Ibesco wanted to charter AE's new 757's for LGW-TLV flights in summer 1983 - not sure if AE got the licence or not

Thankyou casadave. And apologies for the photo being arse about face. I can't explain that.

I don't know what photo technology was like in the mid-1980s; were things like airbrushing and Photoshop around ? Probably not, in which case, this aircraft must genuinely have been redecorated rather than a photograph being altered.

'Charter Airlines' is such an unimaginitive name anyway, I wonder if it was ever for real to begin with ?

MC - your old brochure photo has been 'made-up' - it's not real...sorry.

All holiday brochures from the 60's had artists impressions of their new airlines/new jets or new hotels - sorry that is not a real photo of a painted BIA airliner

Photoshop has been around for about 30 years; skilled photo retouchers using airbrushing and other techniques for much longer!

I distinctly remember the words in the back pages of whichever brochure it was:

'Flights operated by... Charter Airlines (operated by British Island Airways).

Curious.

Yes indeed a puzzle - Most likely the Tour Operators attempt to have an ''in-house'' airline - It does now sort of rings some bells with me but I do not recall any painted as such.
Maybe post this in a BIA thread?

Sureways Travel in 1982 started up Air Manchester with (potentially) a fleet of 3 BAC 1-11's (a 300 + 2 400's were painted up - only 1 flew for them)

MC
your Q answered by Peter Villa (BIA MD)

Ibesco was a tour operator run by a Michael Zwebner. I seem to remember he had headrest covers printed with Charter Airlines but that is all. He never had an airline.

We also flew for Ibero, our own Island Sun Holidays, many many tour operators and even Dan Air subs when their 1-11's or 146 was not too reliable.
We also had schedules to Sicily and Malta.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c54513738d.jpg
bia 1-11

Thankyou rog and Peter. Mystery solved !

There were two iterations of British Island Airways.

The first, originally British United Island Airways came into being in late sixties and merged with Air Anglia and some smaller airlines c1980 to form Air UK.

Although its main business was scheduled flights (mostly domestic) it also had a charter operation flying BAC 1-11 equipment as part of Inclusive Tours for various operators. The charter operation was included in Air UK's operations but struggled to make a profit. It was subsequently (1982?) floated off as 'new' British Island Airways, still operating IT charters with same 1-11 fleet. The retouched brochure photo may reflect fact that it went to press before the deal to hive off BIA, including use of the name, had been finalised.

Flew additional 1-11 and (IIRC) MD kit until ceasing operations in early 1990s.

I was a Traffic Officer (Ship's Papers) at LGW for BUA in 1967. I remember churning out load-sheets for BUCIA (British United Channel Island Airways) Heralds. I even flew as pax from LGW to Jersey on the same.Dream was to become a BUA Cadet Pilot and go straight from AST Perth to LGW based BUCIA Heralds. Horrified to discover that cadet graduates wound up on Moreton DC3 ,Doves, whatever the four engined Dove was called - ( Oh yeah, Heron's) or Carvairs at Southend. All very hazy now, but pursuing flying career I pit-stopped with Moretons as a DO, then BUIA (they dropped the Channel bit). Pit stopped again but returned to what had now become BIA. Point is, BUCIA, BUIA, Moretons, & BIA all seemed the same to me & I even worked out of the same ghastly office at LGW under the same banners! As a BIA Duty Officer, the ghastly Office was opposite the BUA Cabin crew report office which provided for much pleasantries in my ground ops career. BIA at that stage still had the Moreton's Daks(three, I think) and Heralds based at LGW and Blackpool. Apart from glory days indeed, quite formative too.

I was a traffic officer with BUA in 1967 as well! Many if not all charter consolidations were carried out for BIA by Viking International a broking company that eventually formed Air UK leisure, purchased Unijet a major seat sale company and the whole thing was bought by First Choice.
Really super little airline BIA run by an equally fine gentleman in Peter Villa.