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British Regional Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
TH BRT BRITISH
Founded1996
Ceased operations2002
Operating bases Manchester Airport
Belfast City Airport
Southampton Airport
Cardiff Airport
Inverness Airport
Edinburgh Airport
Glasgow Airport
Fleet size56
Parent companyBRAL Group
Headquarters Manchester Airport
Key people Michael Bishop ( Chairman)
Terry Liddiard ( MD)

British Regional Airlines was a franchise partner of British Airways based in Manchester. They operated a large network of domestic and European services from many UK regional airports.

British Regional Airlines held a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence, It was permitted to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.

History

British Regional Airlines can trace its history back to March 1991 when Manx Airlines created Manx Airlines Europe in order to expand and fly routes within the United Kingdom. [1]

In 1995 Manx Airlines Europe became a franchise carrier for British Airways, operating some routes from its Manchester base under the British Airways Express brand. [2] In September 1996, Airlines of Britain Holdings which owned British Midland along with regional carriers Manx Airlines, Manx Airlines Europe, and Loganair, announced it would split the regional airlines into a separate grouping. As a result, the three regional carriers were spun off as the British Regional Airlines Group (BRAL). The UK based British Airways Express franchise operations of Manx Airlines Europe and Loganair now operated as a combined British Regional Airlines, while Manx Airlines continued to operate services from the Isle of Man. [3] At the same time, British Airways closed down its 'Highlands' division and transferred the routes to British Regional Airlines which would operate them as a British Airways Express franchise partner. [4]

In February 1997, BRAL announced an order for five Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft, the first of which was delivered in June that year. The aircraft replaced the BAe Jetstream 41 on services from Manchester and Southampton to Scotland. [5] [6]

In March 1997, Loganair was subject to a management buyout led by Chairman Scott Grier. The independent Loganair continued as a British Airways Express franchise partner and operated services in the Northern Isles with a fleet of six aircraft (one de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter and five Britten Norman Islanders). The main cross-border trunk routes remained with British Regional Airlines. [7]

In 1998 the British Regional Airlines Group floated on the London Stock Exchange. [8]

In March 2001 British Airways purchased the British Regional Airlines Group (holding company of British Regional Airlines and Manx Airlines) for £78m. [9] The airline was merged with Brymon Airways to create British Airways CitiExpress on 28th March 2002. Sister company Manx Airlines continued to operate as a stand-alone carrier until it too was merged in September 2002. [10]

Fleet

At the time of the merger with Brymon Airways, British Regional Airlines and Manx Airlines operated a large fleet of regional aircraft including: [11] [12]

Aircraft British Regional Airlines Manx Airlines Total
BAe 146-100 1 1
BAe 146-200 2 1 3
BAe 146-300 1 1
BAe Jetstream 41 11 1 12
BAe ATP 10 3 13
ATR 72-200 1 1
ERJ-145 19 19

Gallery

  • Embraer 145, G-EMBD departing Bristol Airport
    Embraer 145, G-EMBD departing Bristol Airport
  • BAe ATP, G-MANG at Manchester Airport
    BAe ATP, G-MANG at Manchester Airport
  • BAe 146-200, G-GNTZ departing Manchester Airport
    BAe 146-200, G-GNTZ departing Manchester Airport
  • Embraer 145 at Oslo Airport
    Embraer 145 at Oslo Airport

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to British Regional Airlines.
  1. ^ Wings of Mann, Kniveton G N
  2. ^ 1995-02-01T00:00:00+00:00. "Pragmatic progress". Flight Global. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ( link)
  3. ^ 1997-03-05T00:00:00+00:00. "Regionals split from British Midland". Flight Global. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ( link)
  4. ^ 1996-09-04T00:00:00+01:00. "Manx takes over BA's 'loss-making' Scottish services". Flight Global. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ( link)
  5. ^ 1997-02-26T00:00:00+00:00. "Manx Airlines selects EMB-145". Flight Global. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ( link)
  6. ^ 1997-06-17T00:00:00+01:00. "BRA receives first Embraer jetliners". Flight Global. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ( link)
  7. ^ "Our Heritage | Loganair". www.loganair.co.uk. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  8. ^ 1998-05-06T00:00:00+01:00. "British Regional gets ready for June flotation". Flight Global. Retrieved 7 May 2023.{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ( link)
  9. ^ Ex-footballer makes killing from British Regional Air Lines - The Independent
  10. ^ 2002-11-05T00:00:00+00:00. "British Airways pushes ahead with UK operations reorganisation". Flight Global. Retrieved 25 May 2023.{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ( link)
  11. ^ "British Regional Airlines Fleet Details and History". www.planespotters.net. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  12. ^ 2001-05-15T00:00:00+01:00. "British Airways forms CitiExpress from regionals". Flight Global. Retrieved 25 May 2023.{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ( link)
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