Lloyd International Airways
Founded | 1961 |
---|---|
Ceased operations | 1972 |
Parent company | Aviation Management (1961–1968) Lloyd International Airways (Holding) (1968–1971) Lloyd Aviation Holdings (1971–1972) |
Headquarters | Central London (1961–1967) London Stansted Airport (1967–1972) |
Key people | J.Ortiz-Patiño, N.F. Mavroleon, C.B.M Lloyd, A.L. MacLeod, J.L. Marden, J.L.M. Crick, P.O. Scales, D.B. Ludbey, K.R. Begg, T.W. Fripp, F. Rossini, T.A. Geekie, M.D. Day, D.L. Willis, Capt. R.P. Wigley |
Lloyd International Airways Ltd was a private,
History
This article may contain an excessive amount of intricate detail that may interest only a particular audience. |
In 1960, Brian Lloyd and Alastair Macleod, two experienced shipping managers and
Lloyd International Airways commenced operations in 1961 with a Douglas DC-4 acquired from Icelandic airline Loftleiðir.[1] Its first engagement was a series of charter flights carrying ship crews between the United Kingdom and several destinations in the Far East.[3][13] It soon found other charter work for the aircraft, which led to the acquisition of two more DC-4s in 1962.
Lloyd International's first two years of operations were unprofitable, mainly as a result of uneconomic charter rates caused by excess capacity. Other contributing factors included an expensive emergency
To ensure every single operation showed a clear profit on a
In addition, the principle of strict cost control was also applied to
In the context of Lloyd International's management's firm belief in exercising tight control over ist costs regarding all aspects of the airline's operations, it is of interest to note that flightdeck crews were instructed to operate their aircraft in high-speed cruise mode despite the resulting higher operating costs due to increased fuel consumption. In an era of low jet fuel prices, this was the most economical option when taking into account the then statutory limit for aircrew to fly up to 115 hours in 28 days, the fact that engineering costs were charged on a flat hourly basis and that there were generally few opportunities to take advantage of differentials in fuel prices at different stations served by the airline.[17]
In 1964, Brian Lloyd, one of the airline's founders, sold out while well-established Far East trading company Wheelock Marden bought into the company by acquiring a 33% stake in the business. The latter transaction put Wheelock Marden's sales offices in
In January 1965, Lloyd International decided to acquire two Bristol Britannia 312 turboprops from British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and to have them fitted with special doors and stronger floors to allow the carriage of large-size palletised freight consignments. The first aircraft joined the fleet in April of that year. Aviation Traders won the contract to convert the Britannias into freighters. This involved fitting the aircraft with large forward cargo doors and strengthening the cabin floors. Conversion began during the 1965/6 winter season. This enabled the company to concentrate on long-haul charters, especially between Europe and the Far East. While these aircraft were primarily intended for freight operations, they were also used to transport passengers.[4][14][19]
In 1966, the Hong Kong Air Transport Licensing Authority (ATLA) awarded Lloyd International Airways (Hong Kong) Freighters, an associate company of Lloyd International, a licence to operate twice-weekly all-cargo services between Hong Kong and
In 1967, Lloyd International shifted its main operating base from Gatwick to Stansted. The latter also became the location of the airline's headquarters, which had been located in Central London since its inception.[3]
In 1968, Lloyd International and its associated companies underwent a reorganisation. This resulted in the creation of Lloyd International Airways (Holding) as the group's holding company with J. Ortiz-Patiño as chairman. Lloyd International Airways (Holding) acquired the entire share capital of Lloyd International Airways, Lloyd Aircraft Services, Brokaloyd and other associated companies. Effectively, this constituted a transfer of shares from Aviation Management, a company based in Hong Kong, to the new British holding company.[11][12]
In 1969, Lloyd International purchased two former British United Airways (BUA) Britannia 307s. This doubled the size of the airline's Britannia fleet to four aircraft. These aircraft were fully convertible, with large freight doors. They could either be operated as pure freighters, in a mixed passenger/cargo configuration or as all-passenger aircraft seating up to 132 passengers. The addition of these aircraft gave the airline greater flexibility in its core long-distance charter operation, which mainly consisted of ad hoc passenger/seamen and cargo flights between Europe and the Far East, primarily to and from Hong Kong. Lloyd International also developed additional sales and promotional facilities on the Europe — Hong Kong route in association with the Ben Line, a well-known Far Eastern shipping line,[22][23] to increase air cargo volumes.[3][13]
Lloyd International's first
In January 1971, Lloyd International entered into an agreement with East African Airways Corporation (EAAC) to operate scheduled all-cargo services on the latter's behalf between London, Dar es Salaam, Nairobi, Entebbe and Lusaka. This was also the year the airline acquired two more 707s, another -321 and a -324C. The latter was a convertible aircraft that could either be operated in an all-passenger, all-cargo or mixed passenger/cargo configuration. It was also the company's first turbofan-powered jet.[25]
In early-1972 Lloyd International increased its Far East Britannia freight services from six to eight a month, resulting in a twice-weekly operation to Singapore and Hong Kong. The increase in flight frequencies would have boosted annual available cargo capacity to 3.25
Lloyd International's rapidly deteriorating financial performance as a result of cancellations and overcapacity in the low-
Fleet
Fleet in 1966
In April 1966 the Lloyd International Airways fleet comprised 5 aircraft.[5]
Aircraft | Number |
---|---|
Bristol Britannia 312F | 2 |
Douglas DC-6AB | 1 |
Douglas DC-4 | 2 |
Total | 5 |
Two Canadair CL-44J (400) were on order.[5]
Lloyd International Airways employed 100 people at this time.[5]
Fleet in 1972
In May 1972 the Lloyd International Airways fleet comprised 7 aircraft.[6][26]
Aircraft | Number |
---|---|
Boeing 707-324C
|
1 |
Boeing 707-321
|
2 |
Bristol Britannia 307/312F | 4 |
Total | 7 |
Lloyd International Airways employed 260 people at this time.[26]
Accidents and incidents
There is one recorded non-fatal accident involving Lloyd International Airways.[29][30]
- On 8 October 1961 a Lloyd International Airways Douglas C-54A-1-DC (registration: G-ARLF) burnt out at Tanger and was due to depart to Manchester. Although it was destroyed as a result of the explosion, none of the 34 passengers who had arrived on board the ill-fated aircraft and the other 32 who were due to join the flight were injured because they were waiting inside the airport building at the time of the accident. However, those who had started their journey in Tanger lost all their luggage.[29][31]
See also
Notes
- Notes
- government-owned corporations
- Citations
- ^ a b Flight International, 7 September 1961, Air Commerce ..., Airliner Market Place, p. 405
- ^ a b Flight International, 13 April 1961, World Airlines Survey ..., p. 480
- ^ a b c d e f g Flight International, 16 October 1969, British Airlines Survey ..., p. 610
- ^ a b Flight International, 18 March 1965, Britannias for Lloyd, p. 396
- ^ a b c d Flight International, 14 April 1966, World Airline Survey, p. 621
- ^ a b c Flight International, 9 March 1972, Lloyd boosts Far East, p. 349
- ^ a b Fly me, I'm Freddie!, Eglin, R. and Ritchie, B., Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, 1980, p. 143
- ^ a b c Flight International, 22 June 1972, World News ..., Another airline receivership, p. 889
- ^ a b Flight International, 22 March 1973, World Airline Survey, p. 461
- ^ Aeroplane — Biography of a Supertramp, Vol. 112, No. 2863, pp. 20, 23, Temple Press, London, 1 September 1966
- ^ a b Flight International, 22 February 1968, Air Transport ..., Looking into Lloyd, p. 256
- ^ a b Flight International, 29 February 1968, Air Transport ..., Lloyd reorganisation, p. 296
- ^ a b Flight International, 16 January 1969, Lloyd increases Britannia fleet, p. 83
- ^ a b c d Aeroplane — Biography of a Supertramp, Vol. 112, No. 2863, p. 20 Temple Press, London, 1 September 1966
- ^ Aeroplane — Biography of a Supertramp, Vol. 112, No. 2863, pp. 20, 22 Temple Press, London, 1 September 1966
- ^ a b Aeroplane — Biography of a Supertramp, Vol. 112, No. 2863, p. 22 Temple Press, London, 1 September 1966
- ^ a b c Aeroplane — Biography of a Supertramp, Vol. 112, No. 2863, p. 23 Temple Press, London, 1 September 1966
- ^ Flight International, 2 April 1964, World Airline Survey ..., p. 518
- ^ Flight International, 24 February 1966, Far East freighting prospects, p. 299
- ^ Bristol 175 Britannia 312F aircraft (picture)
- ^ Flight International, 3 March 1966, Lloyd's West German IT deal, p. 339
- ^ Ben Line Agencies - About us
- ^ The Ships List, The Fleets, Ben Line / William Thomson & Co. Archived 25 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Flight International, 26 March 1970, World Airlines 1970, p. 489
- ^ Flight International, 6 May 1971, World Airlines, p. 635
- ^ a b c Flight International, 18 May 1972, World Airline Directory, p. 31
- ^ Fly me, I'm Freddie!, Eglin, R. and Ritchie, B., Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, 1980, p. 139
- ^ Flight International, 29 June 1972, Sticking up for Stansted, p. 961
- ^ a b Flight International, 12 October 1961, Air Commerce, Derby Aviation DC-3 accident, p. 593
- ^ Aviation Safety Network database – Lloyd International Airways accidents/incidents
- ^ ASN Aircraft accident description Douglas C-54A-1-DC G-ARLF - Málaga Airport (AGP)
References
- "Flight International". Flight International. Sutton, UK: Reed Business Information. ISSN 0015-3710. (various backdated issues relating to Lloyd International Airways, 1961–1972)
- Merton Jones, T. (1972). British Independent Airline & Operators Since 1947. UK: LAAS International. NONE.
- Pither, Tony (1998). The Boeing 707, 720 and C-135. UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-236-X.
External links
- Aviation Safety Network database – Lloyd International Airways accidents/incidents
- Lloyd International Airways Bristol 175 Britannia 312F G-AOVS on the ramp at London Gatwick on 25 September 1966.
- Lloyd International Airways Bristol 175 Britannia 317 G-APNA on the ramp at Liverpool Speke on 9 November 1968. Donaldson titles are displayed by the aircraft's rear door.