The History of BEA airtours

(for more on the history of BEA / British Airtours click here)

UNITED KINGDOM - G

Call sign was:    BEATOURS

Contact me on:  britishairtours@aol.com

Comet 4Bs G-ARGM, G-APMG and F at Gatwick 1971 - Copyright Caz Caswell

BEA airtours

NOTE: BEA Airtours became British Airtours with the merger of it's parent company, BEA with the long-haul state sister airline BOAC .

BEA Airtours started in 1969 and made a first flight in 1970 using ex-BEA Comet 4Bs on inclusive tour holiday charters to the sun. The first livery was a BEA livery but with additional 'airtours' titles.

JL takes off on First comercial flight for BEA Airtours

The airline ordered ex-American Airlines Boeing 707-123s in 1971 but this purchase was not completed as BEA and BOAC demanded that the carrier buy ex-BEA and BOAC aircraft instead. So ex-BOAC Boeing 707s with RR Conway engines were introduced in 1971.   They were later used on charters from Gatwick and Newcastle.  Trans-Atlantic charters were flown in 1973 with the 707s. By 1974 the Comet 4B jets were retired as more 707s entered service.

BEA Airtours Boeing 707-436 G-APFH in 1973 - Copyright unknown

BRITISH AIRTOURS

1974: With parent company BEA's merger into the new British Airways the airline changed it's name and livery. It became British Airtours and the new livery was a basic British Airways 1974 livery but with a new fin design - the titles 'British airtours' were placed underneath a red upper fin. The earlier Boeing 707s were replaced with later versions powered by P&W JT3 engines, again from British Airways stock. 

Boeing 707-336 G-AXXY at Gatwick in 1983 - Airline History

By the 1980s BEA Airtours had replaced the Boeing 707s with Tristars and Boeing 737-200s.

Boeing 737-236 G-BGJK at Gatwick 1983 -Airline History site

A Boeing 747 was used for transatlantic charters for a summer in the early 1980s.

Boeing G-BDXL 747-236 at Heathrow - Airline History website

Prior to it's dissolution the airline changed it's livery to match the newly introduced dark blue British Airways livery.

Copyright Airline History website

Tristar 100 G-BBAJ at Gatwick in 1982

Copyright Airline History website