Air UK The Third Force

摘要

He UK's commercial airline scene in the 1970s and 1980s was dominated by flag carrier British Airways (BA). For the travelling public, the only real alternative to the self-proclaimed 'World's Favourite Airline' was London Gatwick-based British Caledonian Airways (BCAL), which was the largest independent carrier in the country. However, a series of major financial setbacks during the mid-1980s rocked the UK's 'Second Force' and in December 1987 it was acquired by rival BA. Officially, the deal was presented as a merger between equals, but within the aviation industry it was widely acknowledged as a mutually agreed rescue deal to avoid the collapse of BCAL. In order to gain approval from the UK Monopolies and Mergers Commission, BA was forced to significantly reduce its presence at Gatwick.