**Please note, GB Airways ceased trading in 2008 when it was brought by EasyJet**
Former BA franchise, now a subsidiary of easyJet plc
GB Airways is a subsidiary of easyJet plc, and operates holiday flights to Southern Europe and North Africa. The airline flies to 36 destinations, and carries over 3 million passengers to popular tourist areas such as Alicante, Corfu, Dalaman, Faro, Malaga and Tenerife from its main hub at London Gatwick airport, and smaller bases in Heathrow and Manchester. GB Airways was previously a franchise of British Airways until the no-frills airline easyJet took it over in January 2008.
A long history, established in 1931 in Gibraltar
GB Airways started life as Gibraltar Airways, an offshoot of the Gibraltarian shipping company MH Bland back in 1931, operating flights between Gibraltar and Tangiers. It then became the local agent for Imperial Airways/BOAC during the war, operating flights to Gibraltar from England via Lisbon. In 1947 British European Airways purchased 49% of the airline, and it started trading as GibAir, flying from Gibraltar to London Heathrow. When BEA merged with BOAC to form British Airways in 1974, GibAir added charter flights to Portugal and France. The company then transferred to London in 1989, creating a base at Gatwick (known as 'the Beehive') and starting trading under the name of GB Airways. In 1995 GB Airways became a full British Airways franchise operator, operating under BA flight codes. The acquisition by easyJet was completed in January 2008, with the company buying GB Airways from the Bland group in a deal worth over one hundred million pounds.
Cheap flights to European holiday destinations
GB Airways flights from Gatwick include those to the Balearics, Canaries, mainland Spain and various Greek islands, whilst its smaller bases at Heathrow and Manchester offer services to Portugal, North Africa, Cyprus and Austria. GB Airways operates a fleet of 15 Airbus aircraft, consisting of 10 A320's and 5 A321's.