Instone Air Line

Instone Air Line was an early British airline from 1919 to 1924. Along with other private airlines of the time was absorbed in Imperial Airways.

History

S. Instone & Company Limited, a shipping company set up by Sir Samuel Instone, had operated a private service from Cardiff via London to Paris since 1919. In April 1920 it ran the service between London and Paris as a public service using the name Instone Air Line. In 1920 it was the first airline to transport a racehorse and on 1st January 1922 the company introduced uniforms to its pilots and staff; Instone are believed to be the first airline to do so. [ [http://www.bamuseum.com/museumhistory20-30.html British Airways Museum archives. Sourced 25th Aug 2007.] ] It started a London to Cologne service in May 1922. It stopped operating the London-Paris route in October 1922 due to competition. In 1923, a Government committee recommended that the main British airlines should merge, to establish one, financially strong, airline, and to enable it to undertake the necessary expansions. Following this recommendation, Imperial Airways was created on 1 April 1924, absorbing the assets and routes of Handley Page Transport, Instone Air Line, Daimler Airway and British Marine Air Navigation Co Ltd.

Fleet

*Airco DH.4
*BAT F.K.26
*Bristol Type 47 Tourer
*Bristol Type 62
*de Havilland DH.18
*de Havilland DH.34
*Vickers Vimy Commercial
*Vickers Vulcan
*Westland Limousine

References