History
In June 1987 Air UK announced that it would start a new charter airline based at London Stansted Airport which would start operating in 1988 with two leased Boeing 737-200 aircraft. [1] The company Air UK (Leisure) Limited was formed in 1987 with Air UK providing 30% of the £2.5 million capital, B&C Holding (the parent company of Air UK) 30% with the rest from the travel group Viking International. [1]
The airline started operations in 1988 with two leased Boeing 737-200 aircraft and placed orders for four new Boeing 737-400s from a leasing company for delivery in October 1988. [2] The first flight was from London Stansted Airport to Faro Airport in Portugal. [2] The airline became the first operator of the Boeing 737-400 in Europe when the first aircraft was delivered on 14 October 1988. [2]
The airline went on to operate seven Boeing 737-400s on both charter and scheduled services and to base aircraft at Manchester and Gatwick Airport as well as Stansted.
In 1993 the airline introduced two leased Boeing 767-300 aircraft on behalf of British holiday tour operator Unijet. [3]
Leisure International Airways
In 1996 the airline was sold to the tour operator Unijet and was renamed Leisure International Airways and moved its main base to London Gatwick Airport. [4]
On 29 March 1996 the airline introduced the first of three Airbus A320s into service to replace the Boeing 737-400s. [5]
In 1998 First Choice acquired the airline when it took over Unijet, the aircraft fleet and operations were taken over by the First Choice airline Air 2000.
