British United Air Ferries Ltd. (BUAF) was a wholly private, British independentindependent from government-owned corporations car and passenger ferry airline based in the United Kingdom during the 1960s. It specialised in cross-Channel ferry flights carrying cars and their owners between its numerous bases in Southern England, the Channel Islands and Continental Europe. All-passenger and all-cargo flights were operated as well. Following several identity and ownership changes, it went out of business in 2001. In its final years, as British World Airlines, its head office was at Viscount House, London Southend Airport."How to Contact Us." British World Airlines. 7 May 1999. Retrieved on 17 February 2019.

History

Establishment through a merger

BUAF came into being on 1 January 1963 as a result of the merger of Channel Air Bridge and Silver City Airways Air Ferry Division.British United Air Ferries, Air Commerce, Flight International, 26 July 1962, p. 117British Air Ferries Ltd. (BAF), Flight International, 11 December 1975, p. 843Aircraft (Gone but not forgotten ... SILVER CITY), Vol 43, No 3, p. 44, Ian Allan Publishing, Hersham, January 2010 The newly formed airline was a wholly owned subsidiary of Air Holdings, which in turn was a subsidiary of British & Commonwealth (B&C). This ownership structure made BUAF a sister airline of British United Airways (BUA), at the time Britain's biggest independent airline and the country's leading independent scheduled operator.

BUAF operated scheduled and non-scheduled vehicle ferry, passenger and freight services. This included scheduled routes from Southend, Lydd Ferryfield and Hurn to ten points in the Channel Islands and Continental Europe. Aviation Traders Carvairs operated what the airline called "deeper penetration" routes to Basel, Geneva and Strasbourg. Bristol Superfreighters plied the routes to Jersey, Guernsey, Cherbourg, Le Touquet, Calais, Ostend and Rotterdam.

The airline's scheduled services between the UK, Le Touquet and Ostend formed part of rail-air operations linking the respective capital cities at each end. These were operated in conjunction with Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer français (SNCF) and Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Belges/Nationale Maatschappij der Belgische Spoorwegen (SNCB/NMBS), the respective national railway companies of France and Belgium. (Amongst these, was a six-times daily Southend—Ostend vehicle ferry service operated in conjunction with erstwhile Belgian flag carrier Sabena. This service, which had been launched by Air Charter in partnership with Sabena in 1957 with three dedicated Superfreighters in full Sabena livery and which BUAF had inherited from Channel Air Bridge, continued until 1964.Airliner Classics (SABENA – Belgium's Flag Carrier: Post-War Years), p. 63, Ian Allan Publishing, Hersham, July 2013) Coach-air services were provided in conjunction with local coach operators between the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland via Calais, Ostend, Rotterdam and Baswl.

In addition, all-passenger configured Bristol Freighters/Superfreighters were used for inclusive tour work on behalf of BUA (Services) Ltd. Sister airline BUA (C.I.) assumed the former Silver City routes linking the North of England with the Channel Isles and the Continent.Flight International, 11 April 1963, World Airline Survey ... British United Air Ferries Ltd, ..., p. 517

BUAF subsequently added routes linking Southampton with Rotterdam, Ostend, Calais, Deauville, Le Touquet, Jersey, Guernsey, Dinard and Cherbourg to its scheduled route network, while discontinuing its "deeper penetration" routes to Basel, Geneva and Strasbourg as these generated insufficient traffic to sustain a viable operation. Some of the new Southampton routes were part of rail-air operations in conjunction with the French and Belgian national railway companies as well.British Airline Survey ... British United Air Ferries Ltd ..., Flight International, 28 September 1967, p. 531BUAF Cuts its Losses, Air Transport, Flight International, 2 February 1967, p. 157

British Air Ferries (BAF)

As a consequence of B&C's reorganisation of the BUA group of companies during 1967/8, BUAF changed its name to British Air Ferries Ltd. (BAF) on 1 October 1967.From BUAF to BAF — Plans for the new independent British Air Ferries, Air Transport, Flight International, 7 December 1967, p. 937From BUAF to BAF — Plans for the new independent British Air Ferries, Air Transport ..., Flight International, 7 December 1967, p. 938Air Holdings Lets Go, Air Transport, Flight International 23 May 1968, p. 775British Air Ferries Look Ahead, Air Transport ..., Flight International, 15 August 1968, p. 248Directory: World Airlines — British World Airlines (VF/BWL) ..., Flight International 12–18 March 2002, p. 90

In October 1971, BAF's ownership passed from Air Holdings to the Keegan family, owners of Transmeridian Air Cargo (TMAC).Ferry changes, Air Transport ..., Flight International, 18 November 1971, p. 794World Airlines — British Air Ferries Ltd (BAF) ..., Flight International, 18 May 1971, p. 17 Consequentially, in 1972, BAF became a wholly owned subsidiary of Transmeridian Air Cargo (TMAC), a Stansted-based all-cargo airline controlled by the Keegan family.

In 1975, BAF began replacing its remaining Carvairs with Handley Page Dart Herald turboprops on its cross-Channel routes linking Southend with Le Touquet, Ostend and Rotterdam. This resulted in these services being converted into ordinary passenger schedules and the Carvairs being transferred to cargo flying.Air Transport, Flight International, 8 May 1975, pp. 726/7British Air Ferries Ltd. (BAF), Flight International, 11 December 1975, p. 844

On 1 January 1977, BAF operated its last car ferry service.British World Airlines Ltd. — Company History: Amalgamation in the 1960s (Original Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 18, St. James Press, 1997)Mike Sessions – Looking on the Bright Side of Life, Airliner World, Key Publishing, Stamford, UK, March 2010, p. 47Summer Timetable 1977 (3 April-31 October), British Air Ferries, Municipal Airport, Southend-on-Sea (Essex - U.K.) Later the same year, on 31 October, BAF Herald G-BDFE operating the airline's inaugural scheduled passenger flight from Southend to Düsseldorf under the command of Captain Caroline Frost and First Officer Lesley Hardy became Britain's first airliner flown by an all-female crew.

On 1 January 1979, BAF transferred its entire scheduled operation including associated aircraft and staff to British Island Airways (BIA).Air Anglia takeover creates new force in Europe, Air Transport, Flight International, 11 November 1978, p. 1720British World Airlines Ltd. — Company History: New blood in the 1970s (Original Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 18, St. James Press, 1997)

Following British Airways's decision to withdraw from its loss-making regional routes and to retire its Vickers Viscount turboprop fleet, BAF acquired the entire 18-strong fleet along with the spares inventory during the early 1980s. This acquisition made it the world's largest Viscount operator at the time.Southend-based British Air Ferries ..., Airliner Market, Flight International, 24 January 1981, p. 211British Air Ferries ..., Airliner Market, Flight International, 23 January 1982, p. 161British World Airlines Ltd. — Company History: Different Aircraft, Different Owners in the 1980s (Original Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 18, St. James Press, 1997)RAF Rochford — History: Post War

As a result of the changes the airline underwent in the late 1970s and early 1980s, BAF mainly concentrated on leasing, charter and oil industry support work.BAF wins oil contract, Air Transport, Flight International, 14 January 1984, p. 53Now that the honeymoon is over ..., Flight International, 17 March 1984, p. 684Now that the honeymoon is over ... British Air Ferries ..., Flight International, 17 March 1984, p. 685Viscount's last passenger flight, Air Transport, Flight International, 6–12 March 1996, p. 8British World considers more ATR 72 orders, 29 May — 4 June 1996, p. 13British World Airlines Ltd. — Company History: A shining Gold Anniversary, to 1996 and beyond (Original Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 18, St. James Press, 1997)

In 1983, the Keegans put some of their businesses into receivership and in March of that year, sold the British Air Ferries name along with the airline's commercial flying operations to the Jadepoint investment group for £2m.Keegan clarifies, World News, Flight International, 8 October 1983, p. 931World Airline Directory — British Air Ferries ..., Flight International, 14–20 March 1990, p. 78 On the other hand, this meant the direct management of two airlines: the regional Guernsey Airlines (from August 1983) and the charter Jersey Air Ferries, which however lasted only a few months (August-October 1983). In the spring of the same year, some scheduled services were also reactivated, which would last until the beginning of 1988. In the two-year period 1986-1986 BAF also operated some services under the British Caledonian Commuter brand under the name Tulip Express.

Growing financial difficulties at Jadepoint resulted in BAF being placed in administration in January 1988.Airline seeks bankruptcy protection, World News, Flight International, 16 January 1988, p. 2 A new holding company, called Mostjet, was formed within a year to enable the airline to emerge from administration in May 1989, the only British airline to do so at the time.British Air Ferries ..., Flight International, 13 May 1989, p. 16 At the same time, the charter airline Baltic Airlines, which had been established just over a year earlier, was absorbed.

British World Airlines (BWA)

On 6 April 1993, BAF was renamed British World Airlines Ltd. (BWA), ICAO code BWL.BAF sheds ferry tag, Air Transport, Flight International, 14–20 April 1993, p. 10

Following delivery of BWA's first ATR 72 on 1 April 1996, the airline converted its three remaining passenger-configured Viscounts to freighters.More than 45 years ..., Straight & Level, Flight International, 24–30 April 1996, p. 44 On 18 April the same year, BWA Viscount G-APEY operated the type's last passenger flight, marking the 43rd anniversary of the Viscount's entry into full commercial air service with British European Airways (BEA).

BWA ceased trading on 14 December 2001, as a result of the tough business climate during the post-9/11 downturn.Mike Sessions – Looking on the Bright Side of Life, Airliner World, Key Publishing, Stamford, UK, March 2010, p. 48

Fleet

BUAF/BAF/BWA operated the following aircraft types:

Aviation Traders ATL 98 Carvair (BUAF/BAF) ATR 72-200 (BWA) BAC One-Eleven 200 (BAF) BAC One-Eleven 500 (BWA) BAe ATP (BWA) BAe 146-100 (BAF)/200 (BAF)/300 (BWA) Bristol 170 Freighter Mark 21E (BUAF) Bristol 170 Freighter Mark 31 (BUAF) Bristol 170 Superfreighter Mark 32 (BUAF/BAF) Boeing 727-200 (BAF) Boeing 737-300 (BWA) Boeing 757-200 (BWA) British Aerospace ATP (BWA) British Aerospace 146-300 (BWA) Canadair CL-44 (BAF) Fokker F-27 600 (BAF) Handley Page Dart Herald 200 (BAF) Hawker Siddeley HS 125 (BAF) McDonnell-Douglas MD-80 (BAF) Shorts 330 (BAF) Shorts 360 (BAF) Vickers Viscount 800 (BAF/BWA).

Hovercraft Vickers-Armstrongs VA-3 (BAF)

In BUAF's days, all aircraft were given individual names.

Fleet in 1963 In April 1963, the fleet comprised 28 aircraft.

+ British United Air Ferries fleet in April 1963AircraftNumberAviation Traders ATL 98 Carvair3Bristol 170 Superfreighter Mark 3221Bristol 170 Freighter Mark 311Bristol 170 Freighter Mark 21E3Total28

BUAF employed 519 people at this time.

Fleet in 1967 In September 1967, the fleet comprised 23 aircraft.