11/27/1992: Dan-Air Merges into British Airways

DALLAS — Today, in 1992, the subsidiary of the Davies and Newman shipbroking company, Dan-Air (DA), was sold to British Airways (BA) in 1992.

Dan-Air (Dan Air Services Limited) was created in 1953, and operations commenced with a charter flight from Southend (SEN) to Shannon (SNN) via Manchester (MAN) using a single Douglas DC-3 (G-AMSU).

Gatwick's Second Largest Airline

Following a move from SEN to London Gatwick (LGW), the airline expanded quickly, taking advantage of the growing Inclusive Tour (IT) charter market. To operate these flights, the de Havilland Comet was added in 1966. DA would go on to become the world’s largest operator of the type, also flying de Havilland Dove and Geron aircraft.

By the end of the 1960s, DA had become the second-largest operator at LGW.

The 1970s saw the airline enter the schedule market. It also commenced transatlantic charter flights with second-hand Boeing 707-300s acquired from Pan Am (PA). In late 1971, its parent company, Davies and Newman Holdings, floated on the London Stock Exchange.

The additional capital raised allowed DA to expand its fleet, adding types such as the BAC One-Eleven, Airbus A300, and Boeing 727 and 737. The Boeing 737-300/400 was the only aircraft from DA's vast fleet to survive the merger.

Financial Woes

Initially, DA had a diverse fleet that allowed them to meet the requirements of various tour operators. However, this eventually led to financial difficulties for the airline.

Dan-Air was unable to form partnerships with any UK tour operators because these operators had already started establishing their own charter airlines. By 1992, DA had accumulated debts of £50 million and was put up for sale. Discussions were held with Virgin Atlantic (VS), which was willing to invest £10 million in DA, but the deal did not materialize.

Eventually, British Airways (BA) acquired DA for a nominal fee of £1. The airline was integrated into BA's operations at London Gatwick (LGW), taking on financial obligations of £50 million, which included debts of £37 million.

As part of the acquisition, British Airways received 12 of DA's newer Boeing 737 aircraft, a similar number of short-haul scheduled routes from LGW, the Heathrow-Inverness feeder service, and approximately one-fifth of the airline's workforce, consisting of 2,500 employees.

Featured image: A Dan-Air Boeing 727-100 in 1974.