A - Z UK Airlines



OPERATIONAL

Below are operational UK companies that currently hold an Operating Licence, which allows them to fly on specified routes within the European Economic Area (EEA) without the need for a separate licence for each country. The Operating Licence holder must first hold a valid Air Operator Certificate (AOC), which assesses their operational safety. The Operating Licence relates to the nature, ownership and financial health of the airline business. 
Two types of Operating Licence are available:Type A Operating Licence for operators of aircraft with 20 or more seats.Type B Operating Licence for operators of aircraft with 19 or fewer seats.
Last updated 1st September 2023

Click on button for brief airline history, fleet inventory, operational details and photos

Type A Operating Licence


Operating Licence for operators of aircraft with 20 or more seats

Both Scheduled and chartered flights for the carriage of passengers and/or cargo and/or mail

2 Excel Aviation Limited

2005 to present


2005: Founded by two Royal Air Force pilots, Andy Offer and Chris Norton, 2Excel Aviation Ltd delivers bespoke, innovative solutions to difficult problems in the aviation sector. Operating across diverse sectors, including defense, security, survey, engineering, agriculture and disaster response for the oil and gas industry, clients include Government Departments such as the MoD and Home Office, major oil companies, the Defence Industrial Base and airlines.

Aer Lingus (UK) Ltd

 2012 - present


25/05/2012: Aer Lingus (U.K.) Limited established as a UK airline, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aer Lingus
20/10/2021: Operations commenced to Barbados, and susequently to the USA

AirTanker Services Ltd

 2007 - present


14/072007: AirTanker Services Limited was incorporated as a UK private limited company to operate and lease aircraft. Their registered office is located at RAF Brize Norton, and is owned by a consortium of Airbus, Rolls-Royce plc, Cobham plc, Babcock International and Thales Group. 
March 2008: The Ministry of Defence signed the finalised Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) contract with AirTanker to provide the Royal Air Force with a fleet of Airbus A330 MRTT 'Voyager' for aerial refuelling, troop and cargo transport roles. 
12/05/2012: Military air transport operations commenced with a sortie to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
January 2013: The airline flew its first charter flight to RAF Akrotiri, for the MoD, following the issue of their Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence.

BA CityFlyer

2007 - present


25/03/2007: Formed as a British regional airline, a wholly owned subsidiary of British Airways, operating from London City Airport.

BA Euroflyer Ltd

2022 - present


29/03/2022: British Airways launch a wholly owned subsidiary international short-haul airline flying from London Gatwick

BAe Systems (Corporate Air Travel) Limited

1999 - present


12/11/1998: Company incorporated as non-scheduled passenger air transport initially as Wastearea Ltd
03/12/1998: Company name changed to European Defence and Aerospace Company Ltd
30/11/1999: BAE Systems was formed following the acquisition of Marconi Electronic Systems (MES) by British Aerospace.
30/11/2000: European Defence and Aerospace Company Ltd changed company name to BAe Systems (Corporate Air Travel) Limited
The Company provides air transport services in support of the BAE Systems Group lines of business and occasionally to external customers through an ad hoc charter service

British Airways

1974 - present


31/03/1974: Formed following the merger of BOAC and BEA, and regional airlines Cambrian Airways and Northeast Airlines.

Eastern Airways

Air Kilroe Ltd

1997 - present


December 1997: Commenced operations with a scheduled service between Humberside and Aberdeen, following KLM's withdrawal from the route. 
February 1999: Acquires Air Kilroe based at Manchester

easyJet

1995 - present


1995: Founded by Greek-Cypriot Stelios Haji-Ioannou, initially operating out of London Luton Airport with a pair of wet leased Boeing 737-200 aircraft
April 1996: First wholly owned aircraft delivered. Until EasyJet received their Air Operator's Certificate aircraft were initially operated by GB Airways between November 1995 and July 1996 and subsequently by Air Foyle HeavyLift until October 1997.
March 1998: EasyJet purchased a 40% stake in Swiss charter airline TEA Basle renaming it EasyJet Switzerland, and commencing franchise services on 01/04/1999.
2002: EasyJet opens its base at Gatwick Airport and acquires rival airline Go Fly.  Go continued to operate under the easyJet Air Operators Certificate until being merged into the EasyJet brand the following year. 
October 2007: EasyJet acquire GB Airways.
July 2017:  EasyJet opened a new European headquarters in Vienna Austria to enable it to operate after Brexit as EasyJet Europe.
27/07/2017: EasyJet UK Limited, trading as easyJet, was established as a subsidiary of EasyJet plc, now a pan-European airline group with three different air operator's certificates (EasyJet Europe, EasyJet Switzerland and EasyJet UK).

Jet2.com

2003 - present


1983: Express Air Services is purchased by Philip Meeson, and name changed to Channel Express.
1991: Channel Express Group plc re-named as Dart Group plc and floats on the Official List of the London Stock Exchange. 
11/12/2002: Following the success of their chartered service, the Jet2.com brand is launched.
12/02/2003: Operations commenced from Leeds Bradford International Airport.

Loganair

1962 - present


01/02/1962: Founded by Willie Logan of Logan Construction Co. Ltd, having acquired air taxi firm Capital Services.
October 1968: Capital share of Loganair was acquired by the National Commercial Bank of Scotland
December 1983: Loganair was acquired by British Midland Airways. 
1994: Loganair became a British Airways franchise partner. 1997: Loganair was part of a management buyout
2008: The British Airways franchise agreement ended, but Loganair entered into a new franchise agreement with Flybe.
July 2011: Loganair acquires Cambridge-based Suckling Airways, and its' Dornier 328 fleet.
2017: Franchise agreement with Flybe ended following their demise

Norse Atlantic UK Ltd

2021 - present


10/05/2021: Following the establishment of parent company Norse Atlantic Airways earlier in the year, Norse Atlantic UK was founded to operate flights between the UK and the USA.

Ryanair UK

1985 - present


30/05/1985: Initially founded as Dawndell Limited UK as a subsidiary of low-cost Irish airline group Ryanair Holdings
27/06/1985: Renamed Ryan Air UK Ltd
01/11/1995: Renamed Ryanair UK Ltd

TAG Aviation (UK) Ltd

1998 - present


30/09/1998: Company incorporated as Hiptone Ltd
1998: TAG Aviation USA sign an agreement with the UK MoD to lease Farnborough Airport and develop it as a European centre for business aviation.
18/11/1998: Hiptone Ltd name changed to TAG Aviation Charter (UK) Ltd
13/04/ 2000: Company name changed to TAG Aviation (UK) Ltd
Nature of business: Non-scheduled passenger air transport. Tag Aviation UK Ltd. provides personalised aircraft travel for personal and business usage. The Company offers charter services, aircraft management, maintenance services, and Fixed Base Operator handling to service customers across Europe and Asia.

Titan Airways

1988 - present


1988: Founded as a subsidiary of the Artac Freight and Shipping Group.

TUI Airways

2017 - present


September 2007: Thomsonfly and First Choice Airways merged following merger of the travel divisions of TUI Group and First Choice Holidays
01/11/2008: Thomson Airways brand launched for the combined airline
May 2012: New livery 'Dynamic Wave' introduced
02/10/2017: Thomson Airways officially changes name to TUI Airways

1984 - present


22/06/1984: Operations commenced with a maiden flight from Gatwick Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport.

Wizz Air UK

2017 - present


26/09/2017: Airline founded by it's Hungarian parent Company Wizz Air
03/05/2018: Flights commenced from Wizz Air's existing Luton Airport base

Also

Chartered flights only for the carriage of passengers and/or cargo and/or mail

Bristow Helicopters Ltd

1955 - present


24/06/1955: Bristow Helicopters Limited was established by Alan Bristow.
The company rapidly expanded their services overseas as well, which included helicopter training, oil exploration, search and rescue, and charter flights.
The company went through numerous changes in ownership during the 1980s and 1990s.
1996: Bristow Helicopters was purchased by Offshore Logistics, an United States of America offshore helicopter operator.
February 2006: Offshore Logistics re-brands as The Bristow Group.
02/08/2022: The Bristow Group acquired British International Helicopters, with the BIH brand being merged into the Bristow Operations.

RVL Aviation Ltd

1985 - present


28/01/1985: Company incorporated as Blitzdalle Ltd
28/06/1985: Company renamed Atlantic Air Transport
27/04/2007: Company renamed RVL Aviation when parts of the former Air Atlantique Group became independent businesses.
RVL Aviation Ltd forms part of the RVL Group, and holds a Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence, allowing it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.
RVL Aviation is a specialist aviation services provider delivering its expertise to a wide range of government and private sector organisations and across a number of sectors including air freight, passenger charter, aerial survey and specialist operations along with comprehensive aircraft management and maintenance resources.

Flights for the carriage of cargo and/or mail only

ASL Airlines UK

 2020 - present


29 Jul 2020: Cargo airline founded as part of ASL Aviation Holdings, Ireland.
29/03/2021: Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) granted for the operation of cargo flights on a single route using ATR72 aircraft
ASL Airlines UK operates a daily East Midlands-Belfast service using an ATR 72-200F aircraft. The airline plans to grow its network and has applied for EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) third country operator authorisation to operate services from the UK to Europe.

DHL UK

1982 - present


October 1982: Cargo Airline Initially formed as Elan Air
August 1989: Name changed to DHL Air

West Atlantic UK

2001- present


1994: Cargo Airline established as part of the Air Atlantique Group of Companies.
May 2001: The company Atlantic Airlines Limited was established when the management performed a buy-in to the trading company.
July 2001:  The company commenced trading as an independent company
28/05/2004: Full management purchase of all company assets including aircraft, spares, etc
October 2008: Company merges with Swedish carrier West Air Europe to form the West Atlantic Group, with their headquarters in Sweden.01/11/2017: Atlantic Airlines officially changes name to West Atlantic UK Ltd

Type B Operating Licence


Operating Licence for operators of aircraft with 19 or fewer seats

Click on button for brief airline history, fleet inventory, operational details and photos

FIXED WING

Wessex Aviation Ltd
Formerly Synergy Aviation Limited
Formerly Diamond Executive Aviation Ltd
Airtask Group / Hebridean Air Services
 Cobham Aviation Services/Draken Europe
Haverfordwest Air Charter Services Ltd
London Luxury Aviation Ltd
Pendley Aviation LLP
Cheshire Flying Services Ltd
The Little Jet Company Ltd

FIXED WING and ROTARY

t/a Heli Air or Escape Time

ROTARY

formerly Bond Air Services Ltd
formerly Oxford Air Services Ltd
Looporder Limited
Solent Helicopters Limited
t/a Helicentre Liverpool
PLM Dollar Group Ltd / PDG Helicopters
Uni-Fly Heliworx Ltd
Un Pied Sur Terre Ltd

Air Transport Licences


For Air Carriers based in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man

Aurigny Air Services

1968 - present


24/01/1964: Initially started as Glos Air Ltd
19/02/1968: Started as Aurigny Air Services Ltd 

Blue Islands

2006 - present


2001: Initially known as Le Cocq's Airlink, an airline established by Le Cocq's Stores in Alderney, but had been operating as a smaller operation since 1999.
29/08/2003: The trading name Rockhopper adopted. 
2004: Ownership changed to Healthspan Leisure. 
January 2006: Main operating base moved from Alderney to Jersey.
14/02/2006:  Trading name changed from Rockhopper to Blue Islands.