First Choice Airways

♦ Air 2000 was founded by Errol Crossley at Manchester and started operations on 11Apr1987. In 1998 First Choice acquired rival tour operator Unijet including their in-house airline Leisure International Airways. The Leisure International Airways fleet was repainted in Air 2000 colours. Renamed to First Choice Airways on 11Apr2004. On 23Apr2007, First Choice confirmed it is to close its bases at London Luton Airport and Cardiff from 01Nov2007 however due to the merger with Thomsonfly who also operate from these bases, the combined airline will still operate from these bases ♦

♦ Thomson Airways formed as Euravia on 01Dec1961 an started operations on 05May1962. Britannia Airways was adopted in Dec1964. Orion Airways, founded in 1979 by Horizon Holidays and later owned by the large brewing firm Bass Brewery and InterContinental Hotels Group, merged into Britannia Airways in 1989. The carrier became Thomsonfly on 09May2005. Thomson Airways officially changed its legal name to TUI Airways on 02Oct2017
< offering scheduled and charter flights from the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland to destinations in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America > ♦