Isle of Man Air Services Ltd (IoMAS) was a small airline, based at Ronaldsway Airport Isle of Man, which operated scheduled flights to the English and Scottish mainland between formation in September 1937 and nationalisation in January 1947.
Isle of Man Air Services Ltd (IoMAS) was a small airline, based at Ronaldsway Airport Isle of Man, which operated scheduled flights to the English and Scottish mainland between formation in September 1937 and nationalisation in January 1947.
Railway Air Services (RAS) had operated scheduled services to the Isle of Man from 20 August 1934. From 15 April 1935, the operating name used for RAS services to the island was "The Manx Airway". Olley Air Services, founded by Captain Gordon P.Olley, had formed a company named "Isle of Man Air Services Ltd" on 21 January 1935 with a share capital of £1,000. In September 1937, IoMAS was reconstructed and enlarged and the capital increased to £75,000. The three companies involved each contributed £25,000: Olley Air Services Ltd, the London Midland & Scottish Railway and the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. [1]
The newly created airline began scheduled operations on 26 September 1937 using an ex-RAS fleet of six De Havilland Dragon Rapides and one De Havilland Dragon. [2] The initial frequency was two return services each weekday over the Manchester-Liverpool-Blackpool-Isle of Man route, plus one daily return service Liverpool-Isle of Man-Belfast. [3] IoMAS flights to Manchester initially served Manchester (Barton) Aerodrome. [4]
Following the completion of the larger and better laid-out Manchester (Ringway) Airport, IoMAS services switched to the new airport from 26 July 1938. [5] Scheduled services by Isle of Man Air Services ceased temporarily at the outbreak of war.
IoMAS were permitted to resume a limited schedule of flights from 20 November 1939 serving the Isle of Man-Liverpool and Isle of Man-Belfast routes. However, the Belfast flights were soon suspended as a result of government orders prohibiting civil air traffic between the IoM and Northern Ireland. [6] The Associated Airways Joint Committee (AAJC) was set up on 5 May 1940 to co-ordinate the air services of the seven UK internal airlines involved, including IoMAS. Services were suspended during the Dunkirk evacuation in mid/late May, but the civil aircraft were not used to repatriate troops because of the vulnerability of the unarmed aircraft. The limited services to the IoM were resumed on 3 June. On these and other UK services, government and military passengers had priority over normal traffic. [7]
IoMAS services gradually returned to a more normal pattern during 1946, and from 15 April, the airline's fleet of four Dragon Rapides operated seven return flights to Liverpool on weekdays. During the peak summer period, the airline also operated two return services each weekday from Ronaldsway to each of Blackpool, Carlisle, Glasgow and Manchester. The Belfast route was resumed on 12 November. [8]
The Civil Aviation Act 1946 created a nationally owned British European Airways (BEA) on 1 August 1946. The AAJC companies, including IoMAS were permitted to continue operating their UK routes until 1 February 1947, when BEA took over the aircraft, staff and routes of the four remaining airlines, including IoMAS, which then ceased to exist. [9]
The de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide is a 1930s short-haul biplane airliner developed and produced by British aircraft company de Havilland. Capable of accommodating 6–8 passengers, it proved an economical and durable craft, despite its relatively primitive plywood construction.
The de Havilland Express, also known as the de Havilland D.H.86, was a four-engined passenger aircraft manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company between 1934 and 1937.
British Airways Ltd was a British airline company operating in Europe in the period 1935–1939. It was formed in 1935 by the merger of Spartan Air Lines Ltd, United Airways Ltd, and Hillman's Airways. Its corporate emblem was a winged lion.
Isle of Man Airport is the main civilian airport on the Isle of Man. It is located in the south of the island at Ronaldsway near Castletown, 6 nautical miles southwest of Douglas, the island's capital. Along with the Isle of Man Sea Terminal, it is one of the two main gateways to the island. The airport has scheduled services to the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
City Airport is an airport in Barton-upon-Irwell, Greater Manchester, England, 5 nautical miles west of Manchester. Formerly known as Barton Aerodrome and City Airport Manchester, It is known by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as Manchester/Barton.
The de Havilland DH.84 Dragon is a successful small commercial aircraft that was designed and built by the de Havilland company.
Land's End Airport, situated near St Just in Penwith, 5 NM west of Penzance, in Cornwall, is the most south westerly airport of mainland Britain. The airport is owned by the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company (ISSC). ISSC's subsidiary Land's End Airport Limited operates the airport, and another subsidiary, Isles of Scilly Skybus, operates a regular passenger service to St Mary's in the Isles of Scilly as well as scenic flights around west Penwith.
Railway Air Services (RAS) was a British airline formed in March 1934 by four railway companies and Imperial Airways. The airline was a domestic airline operating routes within the United Kingdom linking up with Imperial's services.
St Mary's Airport or Isles of Scilly Airport is an airport located 1 nautical mile east of Hugh Town on St Mary's in the Isles of Scilly, to the south west of Cornwall, UK. It is the only airport serving the Isles of Scilly, handling all air traffic to and from the Islands. The airport is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall and currently is operated by the Council of the Isles of Scilly.
Manx Airlines was an English-owned, Isle of Man-based airline that existed between 1982 and 2002. Its head office was located on the grounds of Isle of Man Airport in Ballasalla, Malew. An airline of the same name existed between 1947 and 1958.
Hall Caine Airport, also known as Jurby Airfield, was an airfield on the Isle of Man near Ramsey. It was named after the author Sir Thomas Henry Hall Caine CH, KBE by his sons Gordon Hall Caine and Derwent Hall Caine, who began the project, and was the first airport in the British Isles to be named after a person. From 1935 to 1937 it handled domestic scheduled passenger flights to English, Scottish and Irish airports. By 1937 it had fallen into disuse, primarily due to its location.
Cambrian Airways was an airline based in the United Kingdom which ran operations from Cardiff Airport and Liverpool Airport between 1935 and 1974. It was incorporated into British Airways when BOAC, BEA, Cambrian and Northeast merged on 1 April 1974.
Stanley Park Aerodrome was an airfield located in the Stanley Park area of Blackpool, Lancashire, England. It was also known as Blackpool Municipal Airport, and was in use for civil and military flying from 1929 until closure of the airfield in 1947. The site is now used by Blackpool Zoo.
Morton Air Services was one of the earliest post-World War II private, independent British airlines formed in 1945. It mainly operated regional short-haul scheduled services within the British Isles and between the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. In 1953, Morton took over rival independent UK airline Olley Air Service. In 1958, Morton became part of the Airwork group. Morton retained its identity following the 1960 Airwork — Hunting-Clan merger that led to the creation of British United Airways (BUA). The reorganisation of the BUA group of companies during 1967/8 resulted in Morton being absorbed into British United Island Airways (BUIA) in 1968.
Hillman's Airways was a 1930s British airline that later became part of British Airways.
Allied Airways was a UK airline based at Aberdeen, Scotland. Formed in 1934 as Aberdeen Airways it was taken over by British European Airways in 1947.
Northern & Scottish Airways was a regional airline established in Glasgow in 1934. It was taken over in 1937, eventually becoming part of British European Airways.
Scottish Airways was an airline serving most of Scotland, especially the Highlands and Islands. It was active from 1937 until 1947, when it was merged into British European Airways.
Midland & Scottish Air Ferries was Scotland's first airline, operating from 1933 to 1934. It is particularly noted for pioneering flights to the Inner Hebrides
| Passenger |
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo |
| ||||
Related topics: List of defunct airlines of the United Kingdom | |||||
