Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited, also known as AT&T was a British airline formed during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, a subsidiary of

Airco The Aircraft Manufacturing Company Limited (Airco) was an early British aircraft manufacturer. Established during 1912, it grew rapidly during the First World War, referring to itself as the largest aircraft company in the world by 1918. Airc ...

. It was the first airline to operate a regular international flight (between London and Paris). It is the oldest predecessor of

British Airways British Airways plc (BA) is the flag carrier of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London, England, near its main Airline hub, hub at Heathrow Airport. The airline is the second largest UK-based carrier, based on fleet size and pass ...

History

On 5 October 1916, Aircraft Transport and Travel (AT&T) was formed by

George Holt Thomas George Holt Thomas (31 March 1869 – 1 January 1929) was an aviation industry pioneer and newspaper proprietor. In 1911, Holt Thomas founded the business which became Aircraft Manufacturing Company Limited or Airco. Son and grandson of succes ...

. Using a fleet of former military Airco DH.4A biplanes, it operated relief flights between

Folkestone Folkestone ( ) is a coastal town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour, shipping port, and fashionable coastal res ...

and

Ghent Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...

. On 15 July 1919, the company flew a proving flight across the

English Channel The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...

, despite a lack of support from the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

government. Flown by Lt. H. Shaw in an Airco DH.9 between

RAF Hendon Hendon is an urban area in the London Borough of Barnet, northwest London northwest of Charing Cross. Hendon was an ancient manor and parish in the county of Middlesex and a former borough, the Municipal Borough of Hendon; it has been part of ...

and

Paris–Le Bourget Airport Paris–Le Bourget Airport () is an airport located within portions of the communes of Le Bourget, Bonneuil-en-France, Dugny and Gonesse, north-northeast of Paris, France. Once Paris's principal airport, it is now used only for general a ...

, the flight took 2 hours and 30 minutes, and cost £21 per passenger. On 25 August 1919, the company used DH.16s to start a regular service from

Hounslow Heath Aerodrome Hounslow Heath Aerodrome was a grass airfield, operational 1914–1920. It was in the London borough of Hounslow, and hosted the British Empire's first scheduled daily international commercial flights, in 1919. The site today includes the main ...

to Le Bourget, the first regular (daily) international service in the world. The airline soon gained a reputation for reliability, despite problems with bad weather. In November 1919, it won the first British civil

airmail Airmail (or air mail) is a mail transport service branded and sold on the basis of at least one leg of its journey being by air. Airmail items typically arrive more quickly than surface mail, and usually cost more to send. Airmail may be th ...

contract. Six

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

Airco DH.9A The Airco DH.9A is a British single-engined light bomber that was designed and first used shortly before the end of the First World War. It was a development of the unsuccessful Airco DH.9 bomber, featuring a strengthened structure and, cruciall ...

aircraft, modified with

Napier Lion The Napier Lion is a 12-cylinder, petrol-fueled 'broad arrow' W12 engine, W12 configuration aircraft engine built by D. Napier & Son from 1917 until the 1930s. A number of advanced features made it the most powerful engine of its day and kept ...

engines were lent to the company from October 1919, to operate the airmail service between

Hawkinge Hawkinge ( ) is a town and civil parish in the Folkestone and Hythe (District), Folkestone and Hythe district of Kent, England. The original village of Hawkinge is actually just less than a mile (c. 1.3 km) due east of the present village ...

and

Cologne Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...

, which Aircraft Transport and Travel took over from the RAF on 15 August 1919. In 1920, they were returned to the Royal Air Force. In February 1920, with its parent Aircraft Manufacturing Company Limited (Airco), AT&T, also known as Airco Air Express, became part of the BSA Group. It continued operations, under the control of Frank Searle of Daimler Hire. As well as the London (Hounslow) to Paris service, AT&T also operated a

Croydon Airport Croydon Airport was the UK's only international airport during the interwar period. It opened in 1920, located near Croydon, then part of Surrey. Built in a Neoclassical architecture, Neoclassical style, it was developed as Britain's main airp ...

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

service on behalf of

KLM KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, or simply KLM (an abbreviation for their official name Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. , ),

. On 17 May 1920, a DH.16 (G-EALU) of AT&T operated the first

KLM KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, or simply KLM (an abbreviation for their official name Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V. , ),

service between London and Amsterdam. AT&T continued to operate, but Daimler-BSA withdrew support, and overcome with debt in November 1920 it was placed in liquidation, and on 17 December 1920, it ran its last service. Early in 1921, its assets were purchased by Daimler and rolled with Daimler Air Hire Limited into a new company called Daimler Airway Limited which continued the services. By 1921, six companies operated a London to Paris service, three French and three

. The French airlines were receiving subsidies from the French government, and in protest the three British airlines stopped services on 28 February 1921.

Legacy

Through a series of takeovers and mergers, the modern-day

traces part of its legacy back to Aircraft Transport and Travel. British Airways claims 1919 as its founding date, reckoning AT&T as its earliest corporate ancestor.

Aircraft

Airco DH.4 The Airco DH.4 is a British two-seat biplane day bomber of the First World War. It was designed by Geoffrey de Havilland (hence "DH") for Airco, and was the first British two-seat light day-bomber capable of defending itself. It was desig ...

A * Airco DH.6 * Airco DH.9 *

* Airco DH.9B * de Havilland DH.16 * de Havilland DH.18

References

* * *

External links

British Airways history 1910-1919
{{Authority control Airlines established in 1916 Defunct airlines of the United Kingdom Airlines disestablished in 1921 1916 establishments in England 1921 disestablishments in England British companies disestablished in 1921 British companies established in 1916 sr:Ваздушни саобраћај

History

Legacy

Aircraft

See also

References

External links