About British AirTours: British Airtours was a charter airline and a subsidiary of British Airways, primarily operating holiday and leisure flights.Key Facts about British Airtours: • Founded: 1969 (as BEA Airtours) • Renamed: 1974 to British Airtours after the merger of BOAC and BEA into British Airways • Purpose: To operate charter flights on behalf of British Airways, especially for holiday tour packages • Main Base: London Gatwick Airport (later Manchester Airport also became significant) • Aircraft Used: Operated various aircraft including Boeing 707s, 737s, and Lockheed L-1011 Tristars for short and long-haul charter routes?Notable Incident:One of the most tragic events in the airline’s history was:British Airtours Flight 28M • Date: August 22, 1985 • Location: Manchester Airport • Aircraft: Boeing 737-236 • Incident: Engine failure on takeoff led to a catastrophic fire • Casualties: 55 people died (out of 137 onboard) • Impact: Major changes in aircraft evacuation procedures and fire safety regulations worldwide?Later Years: • In 1988, British Airtours was rebranded as Caledonian Airways, reflecting a shift toward a more leisure-focused brand after British Airways acquired British Caledonian. • Eventually, Caledonian Airways merged into other leisure carriers and disappeared as a brand by the early 2000s. About this aircraft: Entered service in 1960 with BOAC, flying its first revenue 707 flight from Heathrow to New York. • Loaned to BEA Airtours in 1973, which became British Airtours in 1974. • Leased to Air Mauritius (1977–1979), where it flew as “City of Port Louis.” • Returned to British Airtours briefly in 1979 before being sold to Boeing and re-registered as N888NW. • Later passed to Air Wing International, stored at Fort Lauderdale, and scrapped in 1986.The aircraft had a 26-year history, serving multiple airlines across continents before retirement.