British Caledonian Airways

British Caledonian Airways (also known as BCal) was an independent airline, operating out of London’s Gatwick Airport. The company was formed in November 1970 when charter airline British Caledonian took over British United Airways, then the largest independent airline in the UK. The takeover enabled British Caledonian to become a scheduled airline.

Between 1970 and 1981 BCal was a subsidiary of Caledonian Airways Ltd. BCal itself had a number of subsidiaries including several hotels, and two package holiday companies. It also established Caledonian Airways Equipment Holdings and Caledonian Airways (Leasing) to acquire and sell aircraft for the business, as well as selling maintenance, management expertise and training to staff of other companies. In addition to the main passenger side of the business, British Caledonian Airways operated an air freight terminal at Heathrow.

In its first year of flying, the company carried 2.6 million passengers to destinations in the British Isles, Continental Europe, Africa and South America. The business soon moved into the transatlantic market, with flights to New York and Los Angeles.

British Caledonian made much of its Scottish connections in its branding. Flight attendants wore tartan uniforms, tailfins featured the company’s Scottish Lion Rampant logo, and most of its aircraft were named after well-known Scottish people and places.

In its early years BCal enjoyed various forms of government support, aimed at establishing a competitive airline industry. However, economic difficulties and the creation of competitor airline British Airways saw the company cut routes and the number of staff from 1974. The measures were successful and BCal was once again profitable in the following financial year. In 1978 British Caledonian Airways became the first airline to offer a ‘Business Class’ service, in addition to its First and Economy Class flights.

Throughout the 1980s the company struggled to grow, and in December 1987, British Airways took over British Caledonian. European regulators stepped in to try to ensure the airline industry remained competitive, and concessions were agreed over routes.