EGPF Forum

Now that summer is upon us (even if the weather doesn’t seem like it) what is, or was, your favourite airline to fly away on holiday with.

For me it’s no contest.

The late, great, Britannia Airways. A great innovator and trend setter. The first in the UK to fly the game changing , and what became the industry benchmark, Boeing 737-200 as well as the Boeing 767-200.

At it’s peak it had four based 737s at GLA operating for a myriad of tour operators including Thomson, Budget Holidays, Ellerman Sunflight, Global Holidays and OSL/Wings. 767s followed in Winter84/85 flying to Alicante, Malaga and Palma. In fact my first ever 767 flight was to PMI in January 1985 with complimentary headsets and inflight meals. Plus the obligatory g&t and Dunhill Internationals.

Over the years they operated based 737-200/300/800s, 757-200 and 767-200/300 as well as a DC8-61, a Transaer 320 and an Icelandair 757-200. Who remembers the summer of 1982 with Quebecair , Transavia and air Florida 737s all drafted in following the collapse of Laker Airways in 5th February 1982. For many years they ruled Saturday afternoons with departures to Geneva, Salzburg, Alicante, Las Palmas and Lyon.

Next year would have been their Diamond Jubilee: let’s hope TUI mark the occasion with a British retro jet. That would be a suitable moniker for the company who used “Welcome Aboard, First Steps to a happy holiday, 22 Acacia Avenue 737 - we fly from your local airport and last but never least; Pride In Service”.

A truly great airline.

I can remember when I was a boy Novair / Calair.. had a based 734 at Gla and an occasional Dc10-10 . Flew once from Man-BGR-MCO .. I loved Air Europe (UK brand) . Got to say can anybody remember Air UK leisure ? Only had a weekly 734 from GLA to some ski destination and a twice weekly MCO on a 763 but from what I can remember a great service

Ekally1 wrote: ↑Wed May 29, 2024 3:59 pm I can remember when I was a boy Novair / Calair.. had a based 734 at Gla and an occasional Dc10-10 . Flew once from Man-BGR-MCO .. I loved Air Europe (UK brand) . Got to say can anybody remember Air UK leisure ? Only had a weekly 734 from GLA to some ski destination and a twice weekly MCO on a 763 but from what I can remember a great service

I certainly do. They were tied up with seat brokers and tour operator Viking and Unijet. Although they had a limited operation from GLA, First Choice Holidays “merged” with Unijet and the seat only business was amalgamated with owners Abroad, the seat booking arm of First Choice. Going forward the tour operator was First Choice, Air UK Leisure and Leisure International Airways (the 767 operation) and Air 2000 all came First Choice Airways and the seatbroking arm became Viking International.

Jet2

Ekally1 wrote: ↑Wed May 29, 2024 3:59 pm I can remember when I was a boy Novair / Calair.. had a based 734 at Gla and an occasional Dc10-10 . Flew once from Man-BGR-MCO .. I loved Air Europe (UK brand) . Got to say can anybody remember Air UK leisure ? Only had a weekly 734 from GLA to some ski destination and a twice weekly MCO on a 763 but from what I can remember a great service

Regards Novair. They were formed as British Caledonian Charter after the collapse of Laker Airways. Two DC10-10 aircraft were purchased and they flew from London Gatwick and Manchester. Two of the W patter flights were LGW-PMI-GLA-PMI- LGW on Saturdays and LGW-IBZ-GLA-IBZ-LGW on Sundays. These flights were operated on behalf of Blue Sky Holidays, Ellerman Sunflight and OSL/Wings.

BCA Charter became Cal Air International adding 747-400s to their fleet and was sold to The Rank Organisation who by this time owned OSL/Wings with Cal Air International becoming Novair.

Novair operated a winter season flight fro Glasgow to Goa via Rhodes and Sharjah on behalf of tour operator inspirations East. They also flew short season trips to Orlando during school holiday peaks.

Clive wrote: ↑Wed May 29, 2024 6:26 pmJet2

I’ve never met or heard of anyone who has had a bad experience withJet2. They do a sterling job.

Spanair

I remember flying on one of their MD82’s I believe from Glasgow to Tenerife. A real bucket and spade route filled with stag parties, first time holiday away from the parents 18 year olds and wannabe be 21 again pax. Good times.

Clive wrote: ↑Wed May 29, 2024 6:26 pmJet2

Jet 2 were my favourite too, right up to this year. Booking a trip, flights,transfers and hotel, get to the payment page only to find we were on a 19.30 departure (or something like that), getting to the hotel at midnight. But! For an extra £100 each we could go on the traditional early morning departure. Feck that. Booked with Easyjet holidays instead. Lunchtime flight out, early doors from PMI back to GLA.
My all-time, never to be beaten favourite was, and always will be Globespan. Bloody marvellous company from top to bottom, and it showed.

Planeenthusiast wrote: ↑Thu May 30, 2024 2:05 pm Spanair

I remember flying on one of their MD82’s I believe from Glasgow to Tenerife. A real bucket and spade route filled with stag parties, first time holiday away from the parents 18 year olds and wannabe be 21 again pax. Good times.

Piperone and myself had a memorable trip on a Spanair MadDog PMI-GLA. A Friday night fillet steak night on a near empty leg courtesy of Airtours.

ATA .. flew one of there L1011 on a GLA-BGR-MCO in the 90's ..