Airtours International Airways

Infobox_Airline
airline=Airtours International Airways
IATA=VZ
ICAO=AIH
callsign=KESTREL
parent=Airtours Group PLC
founded=1990
headquarters=Manchester, United Kingdom
hubs=Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff Glasgow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham East Midlands
fleet_size=28
destinations=
key_people=
website=

History

Launched in March 1991 with just five aircraft, Airtours International Airways was to be the in-house airline of Airtours Holidays.

In 1993, Airtours acquired Aspro Holidays (Ireland) including Aspro's Inter European Airways subsidiary. This acted to further strengthen the process of vertical integration that was becoming popular among UK holiday companies.

In 1996, Airtours took full control on Scandinavian airline Premiair. The brand 'Premiair' still exists today as the name of MyTravel Airways premium upgrade cabin.

In 2004, as part of the final phase of its financial restructuring, Airtours International Airways was re-branded as MyTravel Airways UK. Premiair, the Scandinavian operator, was re-branded as MyTravel Airways A/S.

In June 2007 it was announced that MyTravel Airways UK was to merge with Thomas Cook Airlines and MyTravel Airways Scandinavian subsidiary was to become Thomas Cook Airlines Scandinavia. The merger between the two UK airlines was completed in March 2008 and the rebranding of MyTravel Airways A/S was completed in May 2008.

Fleet

Airtours International Airways operated the following fleet: (Summer 2000)

*Airbus A320 x 10
*Boeing 757 x 6
*Airbus A321 x 4
*Boeing 767 x 3
*Airbus A330-200 x 3
*McDonnell Douglas DC-10 x 2

The majority of these aircraft are now rebranded and operate for MyTravel Airways UK.

Rebranding

The rebranding of Airtours International Airways was part of a larger rebranding of the whole MyTravel Group. Airtours Holidays still trades as part of the MyTravel Group PLC

External links

* [http://www.airtours.com Airtours Holidays]
* [http://planespotters.net/Airline/Airtours-International-Airways Airtours Fleet]