Summary Court Line pioneered affordable holiday packages, but collapsed in 1974 due to financial mismanagement. The airline transitioned from a shipping company to the aviation sector through the purchase of Autair International Airways. Court Line's bankruptcy in 1974 left thousands stranded overseas, with its fleet grounded.
If you’ve ever made use of the 'cheap and cheerful' holiday packages to various travel destinations in the Mediterranean region and wondered which airline came up with this idea, the answer is Court Line. The airline ceased its operations half a century ago on this very day. An early trailblazer of the UK charter scene that quickly fell on hard times.
This carrier, headquartered in London, had origins that stretched as far as 1905. But close to 70 years later, the carrier ceased its operations, owing no less than $7 million to holidaymakers. In this article, we’ll look at how this pioneer of holiday packages started its operations and eventually collapsed.
From a shipping company to the airline business A British businessman named Philip Haldinstein founded Haldinstein & Co. in 1905. Around a decade later, when the First World War broke out, the company had a fleet of seven ships; it was operating as Court Line, Ltd then.
After Hladin’s brother joined the company, it was renamed Haldin and Philipps Ltd. The Second World War saw Haldin & Philipps Ltd lose 14 of the 23 ships it had when the war began. The origins of Argus Air Transport In 1957, Argu.