Air Kruise (Trans-Channel Airways)

♦ Air Kruise (Trans-Channel Airways) was formed in 1946 by Squadron Leader Hugh Kennard DFC and started operations in Aug1946. The company operated a scheduled air service to Le Touquet as Trans Channel Air Services Ltd until they moved to Ramsgate in 1953. In Spring 1958, the Air Kruise cross-Channel services, as well as all Dragon Airways, Lancashire Aircraft Corporation and Manx Airlines operations from Newcastle upon Tyne, Blackpool and the Isle of Man were transferred to Silver City’s new Northern Division to streamline BAS’s fragmented airline operations ♦

♦ Silver City Airways was formed on 25Nov1946 by a mining company, ‘The Silver City’ from Australia. Run by Britavia (British Aviation Services) it began ad-hoc charters as initially a car ferry service. It operated the world’s first cross-Channel air ferry service on 07Jul1948 and then was used on Berlin Airlift. Absorbed Dragon Airways, Lancashire Aircraft Corporation and Manx Airline in 1958 and then merged with Channel Air Bridge to form BUAF (British United Air Ferries) in 1963 ♦

♦ BUAF came into being on 01Jan1963 as a result of the merger of Channel Air Bridge (founded 1959) and Silver City Airways (founded 1946). On 01Oct1967, BUAF became known as British Air Ferries (BAF)
< BUAF operated scheduled and non-scheduled vehicle ferry, passenger and freight services. This included scheduled routes from Southend, Lydd Ferryfield and Hurn > ♦

♦ British World Airlines (i) was formed by the merger of Channel Air Bridge (founded 1959) and Silver City Airways (founded 1946) and was renamed as BUAF (British United Air Ferries). This was renamed to BAF (British Air Ferries) in 1967 and finally adopted British World Airlines on 06Apr1993. Discontinued it’s passenger services in 1994 to concentrate on cargo. BWA ceased trading on 14Dec2001, as a result of the tough business climate during the post-9/11 downturn ♦