Dan-Air

Dan-Air Services Ltd, known as Dan-Air, was a British airline owned by the shipbroking company Davies and Newman. The business was launched in 1953 with a single aircraft. Dan-Air initially flew charter passenger and cargo flights out of Blackbushe and Southend airports. In 1954 Dan-Air created an engineering business, Dan-Air Engineering.

In 1960 Dan-Air moved to London’s Gatwick Airport, and began to offer scheduled services year-round. The company also moved into ‘inclusive tour’ charter flights, and, in 1961, acquired Scottish Airlines. Dan-Air was an early adopter of jet aircraft in Britain, buying two de Havilland Comet series 4 jets in 1966. Dan-Air established its first overseas base at Berlin’s Tegel airport in 1969.

The 1970s saw the business expand into the long-haul market, with flights to the United States and Canada. Dan-Air acquired Skyways International as the business grew. The company also became heavily involved in transporting oil industry workers involved in North Sea operations.

The company expanded its scheduled services and grew throughout the 1980s. At its peak in 1989, Dan-Air carried 6.2 million passengers. The company underwent an extensive re-branding exercise, adopting new livery, uniforms, stationery etc. However, 1989 was also a rare year when Dan-Air made a loss in all 12 months.

Decline came swiftly at the start of the 1990s, and Dan-Air lost £35 million in 1991, and £24 million during the last six months of its existence in 1992. The mix of aircraft owned by the airline was inefficient, management changes and financial difficulties all presented challenges. Attempts to merge Dan-Air with Virgin Atlantic failed and the business was sold to British Airways for £1 in 1992.