Crilly Airways Ltd
Encyclopedia
Crilly Airways Ltd was founded by entrepreneur Frederick Leo Crilly. The airline operated passenger services between several cities in England in the mid 1930's. The airline started with a capitalization of 12,000 pounds.
Crilly Airways started up running two eight seat de Havilland Dragon
s from Braunstone
, a suburb of Leicester
. . The first of these two aircraft was christened Spirit of Doncaster. They also operated a de Havilland Fox Moth
, and two General Aircraft Monospar
twin engined monoplanes.
In 1935 Crilly Airways sought government approval to operate an air service between Britain and Ireland but was refused. It was the Irish government's intention to operate a national airline between the two countries.
This airline was the first to offer a frequent flyer program.
Crilly Airways bought four 12 seater Fokker F.XII
s from KLM. Crilly Airways, using these planes, was the first airline to run an airmail service between Portugal and England, opening this service on 1 February 1936. At the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, one of the Fokker F.XII
s was christened Lisboa (Lisbon) by Menina Maria do Carmo Carmona Costa, the young granddaughter of the nation's president. It was Crilly's intention to extend this service to Gibraltar
and West Africa, but this plan came to a halt when the Spanish government refused Crilly Airways permission to overfly its territory due to the Spanish Civil War.
Unable to survive financially following the failure of the Portuguese venture, the company ceased trading on September 9, 1936, and entered receivership. British Airways Ltd.
bought the aircraft and started the company British Airways Iberia Ltd. with Crilly as managing director. But this company also soon went bankrupt.
The planes were then sold, via shady deals, to the Spanish nationalists in the Spanish Civil War
.
Crilly Airways started up running two eight seat de Havilland Dragon
De Havilland Dragon
|-See also:-References:Bibliography ISBN 0-85177-813-5...
s from Braunstone
Braunstone Town
Braunstone is a civil parish and is the largest parish within the district of Blaby in Leicestershire, England, now known as the Town of Braunstone or more commonly, Braunstone Town. At 2007 the population is around 15,000. There are around 7,500 households including Thorpe Astley.Braunstone is...
, a suburb of Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
. . The first of these two aircraft was christened Spirit of Doncaster. They also operated a de Havilland Fox Moth
De Havilland Fox Moth
|-References:NotesBibliography* Hotson, Fred W. The de Havilland Canada Story. Toronto: CANAV Books, 1983. ISBN 0-07-549483-3.* Jackson, A. J. British Civil Aircraft 1919-1972: Volume II. London: Putnam , 1988. ISBN 0-85177-813-5....
, and two General Aircraft Monospar
General Aircraft Monospar
-Bibliography:*The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft . Orbis Publishing, 1985, p. 2158.*Jackson, A.J. 1973. British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 2. Putnam ISBN 0370100107....
twin engined monoplanes.
In 1935 Crilly Airways sought government approval to operate an air service between Britain and Ireland but was refused. It was the Irish government's intention to operate a national airline between the two countries.
This airline was the first to offer a frequent flyer program.
Crilly Airways bought four 12 seater Fokker F.XII
Fokker F.XII
-External links:* *...
s from KLM. Crilly Airways, using these planes, was the first airline to run an airmail service between Portugal and England, opening this service on 1 February 1936. At the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, one of the Fokker F.XII
Fokker F.XII
-External links:* *...
s was christened Lisboa (Lisbon) by Menina Maria do Carmo Carmona Costa, the young granddaughter of the nation's president. It was Crilly's intention to extend this service to Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
and West Africa, but this plan came to a halt when the Spanish government refused Crilly Airways permission to overfly its territory due to the Spanish Civil War.
Unable to survive financially following the failure of the Portuguese venture, the company ceased trading on September 9, 1936, and entered receivership. British Airways Ltd.
British Airways Ltd.
British Airways Ltd was a British airline company operating in Europe in the period 1935–39. It was formed in 1935 by the merger of Spartan Air Lines Ltd, United Airways Ltd , and Hillman's Airways...
bought the aircraft and started the company British Airways Iberia Ltd. with Crilly as managing director. But this company also soon went bankrupt.
The planes were then sold, via shady deals, to the Spanish nationalists in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
.