Flying Colours (airline)

Flying Colours

Company type	Charter airline
Industry	Aviation
Founded	1996
Defunct	2000
Headquarters	Manchester , United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom, charter destinations
Products	Air transport services (charter flights)

Flying Colours was a charter airline based in the United Kingdom that operated between 1996 and 2000.

History

The airline commenced its operations in the summer of 1997, utilizing a fleet composed of six Airbus A320, two Airbus A321, and eleven Boeing 757-200 aircraft.

Flying Colours was headquartered at Manchester Airport and maintained additional bases at London Gatwick Airport and Glasgow International Airport. It established a notable presence in the charter sector, distinguished by its modern aircraft lineup and pioneering features such as being the first UK carrier to equip its 757s with ceiling-mounted LCD television screens.

In 1998, the travel company Thomas Cook & Son acquired Flying Colours Leisure Group. Subsequently, Thomas Cook’s own charter airline, Airworld, took on the Flying Colours brand identity. Soon thereafter, two former Airworld Airbus A321 planes were returned to their lessors, while operations at the Bristol base continued.

The following year, Thomas Cook finalized the purchase of Carlson Leisure Group, which operated charter airlines including Caledonian Airways and Peach Air. This merger prompted Thomas Cook to reorganize its tour business, leading in 2000 to the consolidation of all charter airlines under the new brand name JMC Air, aligning with Thomas Cook’s overall "JMC" customer strategy.

Flying Colours had placed orders for two Airbus A330-200 aircraft intended for long-distance routes; these planes were delivered after the transition to the JMC branding.

In 2002, JMC Air was rebranded as Thomas Cook Airlines. Later, in November 2007, Thomas Cook Airlines UK merged with fellow Manchester-based carrier MyTravel Airways following their parent companies’ merger. The airline ceased operations in September 2019 after the collapse of its parent travel group.

See also

• List of defunct airlines of the United Kingdom